HW 55157 OFSS-96-3975 - 25 September 1996 _ MEMORANDUM FOR: Information Review Officer, Directorate of Administration VIA: Deputy Director for ‘Administration Director of Facilities and Security Services Chief, Facilities Management Group, OFSS | FROM: Chief, - JEK Ret 6,11) (B) FMG/OFSS SUBJECT: "OPK Rét 6 (1) (B) 1. JT. ‘This memorandum | is written pursuant to yesterday’ s discussion with regard to the release of JFK-related documents that refer to “ and/or derivatives of a — It documents executive- level “evidence” as to why Ineeds to be protected. In brief, significant dama mission, people, and the very existence of the CR would occur as a result of the second- and third- order effects of any confirmed affiliation with the Agency. 2. (B) As background, the Central Intelligence Agency has gone to great lengths to protect sensitive missions and prevent | identification of covert personnel as Agency employees. The latter is especially profound as the very lives of these employees are often placed in jeopardy at hostile overseas posts. The anonymity provided by cover _is essential to their protection. Furthermore, the provides the sanctuary whereb personnel can alongside Agency employees without fear of being “tagged” as working for the Agency. 3. {87 The cover mechanism itself is ver Per fragile. mandate of the cover providers, the affiliation of the Agency, CONFIDENTIAL. 1s classified SECRET vice CL BY: 2004977 CL REASON:  1:5(c) DECL ON: X1 DRV FROM: LOC 5-82 DoclId: 327404534 Page 19
SUBJECT: {af JFK Act 6 (1) (B) _.|Cover Considerati cover operates solely on ‘the ability to Sustain plausible denial. In spite of previous: rumors of an Agency affiliation, categorical denial of such has worked to the point that the media currently .refers to[___Jas a addition, the public-at-large truly believes that (one radio station, two newspapers -- all with connections to affiliates in the_Washington Metropolitan Area) and recent | publicity over a bissue, the re- lease of references to. in the JFK-related documents would precipitate an ‘unwelcome focus onf__| This would lead to the real possibility that cover would be compromised. is the Louk As a result, 4. {af With the closure of remaining federal facility inthe the affiliation of Agency records or ruse, will provide a direct link to the This will pose severe_problems activities. While the Agency[___—C—CSCSCSCCCCCCiss located at ———S—~dthe media frequently refers to WTC in its entirety. Activities at the other[—SSS*d tat would be compromised are as follows: JFK Act 6 (1) (B) HW 55157 Docld: 327404534 Page 270
SUBJECT: (ay JFK Act 6 (1) (B) Cover Considerations JFK Act 6 (1) (B) L___]eover allows it to maintain a very low profile. It is that ‘Tow profile which protects the personnel and missions as described above. Removal of that protective cover, by act or deed, would provide easy targets of opportunity for counter- intelligence activities, terrorist activities, demonstrations, and emotionally unstable individuals. 5. (83 In summary, any affiliation. of[ Jana the Agency, no matter how insignificant the individual occurrence or document release may seem, has the very~ réal potential to jeopardize lives, disrupt the Agency mission, disrupt world-wide classified message traffic, _and; thereby, do Lrreparable harm to the GPK Act 6 (1) (B) HW 55157 DBocld:32404534 Page 271
Yoo ne CL BY: 705641 CL REASON: Section 1.5 C DECL ON: X1 orv FRM: COV 1-82 TO: John F. Pereira __ Brian S. Latell eee TPK Bot 6 (1) (B) FROM: poe OFFICE: DCI DATE: 10/20/97 02:21:49 PM SUBJECT: #)Re: Release Issue/JFK Board Thanks. | passed along to D/EXDIR and EXDIR. The D/EXDIR may want Brian Latell to provide some more background on this issue at the meeting tomorrow. : , Original Text of John F. Pereira Original Text of John F. Pereira Following is in response ‘to questions raised by the EXDIR: 1. Members of JEK Board: Chairman: Judge John Tunheim (Federal District Court, Minnesota) Four other members: Henry Graff; History Professor Emeritus, Columbia U. Kermit Hall: Dean of Humanities, Ohio State William Joyce; Assoc. Librarian, Princeton U. Anna Nelson; History Professor, American U. 2. Intermediate steps before appeal to President: - a) We are discussing our concerns with JFK Board Staff, and will ask the Board to reconsider its decision. - , 5) We'll propose that a senior Agency officer brief the Board on the sensitivity of Warrenton. ; 3. Who would make the appeal to the President ? Thus far, the process calls for the Agency's General Counsel to forward the appeal to the White House Counsel, with the approval of the EXDIR and/or DCI. 4, Has there been an appeal to the President before ? CIA has submitted one appeal, in early 1996. The issues concerned identification of certain European stations and liaison relationships. The White House directed the Beard and the Agency to “work it out", which was done. After the ADDO briefed the —CONABEN HAL HW 55157 Docld:327404534 Page 22
Board, a compromise was reached. The FBI has submitted three appeals, none of which was successful. 5. Does ISCAP have a role ? Thus far, ISCAP has had no role with regard to JFK, as far as we are aware. CC: Regina A. Genton, Brian S. Latell, Edmund Cohen @ DA, James R. Oliver @ DA JEK Act 6 (1) (B) Sent on 20 October 1997 at 02:21:49 PM HW 55157 DBocld:32404534 Page 23