MINUTES OF SPECIAL GROUP MEETING, 11 AUGUST 1960
Agency: SSCIA
Originator: WH
Document date: 8/12/60
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : SSCIA

RECORD

NUMBER : 157-10004-10134

RECORDS SERIES :

MEMORANDUM

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : WH

FROM

TO :

TITLE :

MINUTES OF SPECIAL GROUP MEETING, 11 AUGUST 1960

DATE : 08/12/60

PAGES : 3

SUBJECTS :

SPECIAL GROUP

OPERATION MONGOOSE

CUBA

CASTRO

EXECUTIVE ACTION

ASSASSINATION

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DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION : U

RESTRICTIONS : 1A, 1B, 1C, DONOR REST., REFERRED

CURRENT STATUS : X

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 07/01/94

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS :

BOX 449-1

FOLDER 489-4

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

HH 53244

DocId: 32202023

Page 1

Date: 07/01/94

Page: 1

Released under the John

F. Kennedy

Assassination Records

Collection Act of 1992

144 USC 2107 Note! •

Case# :NW 53244 Date:

06-12-2017

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BOx 449-1

70lder 489-46

EX&S ONEX

12 August 1960

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT: Minutes of Special Group Meeting - 11 August 1960

PRESENT: Messrs. Merchant, Gray, Dulles, and Bissell

3-2307.1

11

2.

Budget for Cuban Operations: Mi. Bissell summarized ine

budget which had been yrepared as a basis for seeking a release from the

Reserve to finance Cuban operations for the balance of the fiscal year.

The budget for the year totals approximately thirteen and exquanter million

dollars, not including provision for the replacement of material with an

estimated value of 106 miMion dollars to be withdrawn from Agency

inventory. Since dol million dollars of budgeted and Reservé funds have

been made available for this program by an earlier action, the balance

required is about ten are throes quartersmillion dollars. Mr. Dulles

stated that a release often million would be requested at this time since

there is inevitably a wide margin of uncertainty as to what the actual costs

will turn out to be. Mi. Bissell stated the amounts required by major

sub-headings as follows:

Political Action

Propaganda

Paramilitary

Intelligence Collection

Counter Intelligence

Communications Support

Support

"?.

960.

000. 00-

253 0206

191555

753

8331

200.

325

229

PROFEW: W.

THE WHITE HOUSE DIFICE

CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO

-DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR

RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT

AS SANITIZED

16-44 betES ANY

FERRE

THIS DOCKIENT IS

A SidEC.

1103.

PAPL!.

230

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Box 449-1

Folder 489-4

SHORET

-113

SILY

Gamoling Sindicate

The first seriously-pursued CIA plan to assassinate Castro had

Its inception in August 1960. It involved the use of nembers of

tke criminal underworld with contacts inside Cuba. The operation

bad two phases: the first ran from August 1960 until late April

or early May 1961, when it was called off following the Bay of Pigs;

the second ran from April 1962 until February 1963 and was merely

& revival of the first phase which had been inactive since about

May 1901.

Gamblirg Syndicate - Phase 1

August 1960

Richard Bissell, Deputy Director for Plans, asked Sheffield

Edwards, Director of Security, il Edwards could establish contact

with the U.S. gambling syndicate that was active in Cuba. The

objective clearly was the assassination of Castro although Edwards

laims that there was a studied avoidance of the term in his

conversation with Bissell. Bissell recalls that the idea originated

with J.C. King, then Chiel of Wa Division, although King now

recalls having had only limited knowledge of such a plan and at a

much later date--about mid-19ó2.

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CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO

DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR

RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT

21-6-94 her

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SACRE

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==Box 449-1

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MI. Douglas said that in any case he would be prepared to have

the Department of Defense investigate the availability of specific

locations that would be suitable.

Finally, Mr. Merchant asked whether any real planning has been

done for taking direct positive action against Fidel, Raul and Che Guevara.

He said that without these three the Cuban Government would be

leaderless and probably brainless. He conceded that it would be

necessary to act against all three simultaneously. Gen. Cabell pointed

out that action of this kind is uncertain of results and highly dangerous

in conception and execution, because the instruments must be Cubans.

He felt that, particularly because of the necessity of simultaneous

action, it would have to be concluded that Mr. Merchant's suggestion

is haunna nur canahilitias.

EDS CLY

66:83

CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO

DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR

RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT

21-6-94

PROPERTY (

THE WHITE HOUSE OFFiE

HH 53244

DocId: 32202023

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