Originator: SSCIA
Document date: 06/13/1975
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Date:

7/7/2015

Agency Information

AGENCY:

SSCIA

RECORD NUMBER:

157-10014-10108

RECORD SERIES:

MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS OF THE CHURCH COMMITTTEE

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

07-M-14

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FROM:

TO :

TITLE:

SSCIA

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS:

06/13/1975

7

OPERATION MONGOOSE

HELMS, RICHARD

DOCUMENT TYPE: REPORT

CLASSIFICATION:

Declassified

RESTRICTIONS : 1B; 10

CURRENT STATUS : Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 03/21/2000

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS: CCBOX 418

v9.1

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Date :

Page :

08/06/95

1

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY :

SSCIA

RECORD

NUMBER

157-10014-10108

RECORDS SERIES

MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS OF THE CHURCH COMMITTEE

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

: 07-M-14

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR :

SSCIA

FROM

TO

TITLE :

DATE : 06/13/75

PAGES

SUBJECTS

: HELMS, RICHARD

OPERATION MONGOOSE

DOCUMENT TYPE : REPORT

CLASSIFICATION : TOP SECRET

RESTRICTIONS : REFERRED

CURRENT STATUS : POSTPONED IN FULL

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 01/05/99

OPENING CRITERIA

COMMENTS : CCBOX 418

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

DocId: 32423496

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MESTING 13 JUNE 1975

Box 418-7

TAR SELET

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R277

SECRET

MERENTORICO!

MAP

194

RICHARD HELMS

Helms' testimony will be that in early 1961 he was "briefed"

on the so-called Phase I assassination scheme to remove Castro.

He thinks he was briefed by Harvey rather than by Bissell, but

acknowledges such briefing, although he is unclear as to the details.

Helms says that there was an ongoing requirement on the Agency

and indeed a government-wide operation (Project MONGOOSE) to

remove Castro.) Helms says that there were "no limitations" ever

put on the methods which would be acceptable to remove Castro, e.g.

if pressed he will agree that assassination is one such acceptable

method. Therefore, on the issue of authority, Helms will say that

because he felt that there was an ongoing presidentially-authorized

program to remove Castro, he did not seek any specific approval

from either McCone, Attorney General Kennedy, or any one else in

the White House when he "took over" the Harvey operation to remove

Castro.

Helms will, however, make every effort to downplay anything

that occurred after he was "briefed". and "took over" (as DDP) the

responsibility.from Bissell for this operation. While Helms

acknowledges that he did approve Harvey's contact with Roselli,

he will say that he viewed Roselli as an experimental contact who

would probably not amount to any concrete action. Helms will

dismiss the post-1962 schemes as harebrained proposals which were

made by lower-level employees with over-active imaginations and

that he considered them proposals rather than definite assassina-

tion plans:

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SECRET

2

Helms will state that he always felt that he was carrying out

Presidential directives and never operating on his own or without

authority.

As to McCone, Helms will say that he never felt it necessary

to brief him on any of the details but (I think) that, if pressed,

he will say that he felt that McCone was aware that there was an

ongoing program to remove Castro without any limitations as to

means. Helms says he realizes that McCone now appears to be taking

a "somewhat higher" position on this matter.

Helms also said that the "extreme pressure" to get rid of Castro

persisted all the way through 1963 but seemed to let up after the

assassination of President Kennedy in November 1963. Helms will

say, however, that we were

still "picking" at him in the post-'63

period.

He slips and slides when queried

on what "picking" means

but, if pressed, he will, I believe, say that this could include

someone knocking him off.

Attorney General Kennedy meeting and memorandum.

Attorney General Kennedy was briefed by Houston and Edwards on

7 May 1962 regarding the so-called First Phase of the assassination

attempt. Sheffield Edwards states that Kennedy was briefed "all

the way." Kennedy is reported to have told them that if CIA was

going to use gangsters in the future that they should check with

him first. He did not say do not engage in any assassination pro-

gram.

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SECRET

3.

This meeting is complicated by a 14 May 1972 memorandum (which

is in your folder). It describeds the 7 May meeting in terms of

obfuscation, avoiding any discussion of "assassination." I view

this as clearly a cover memorandum -- Senator Church will probably

view it as an indication that Kennedy did not approve or know about

the assassination program.

Interesting Note: Helms recalls that the State Department had

a man engaged in a full-time effort to try and arrange a group to

take over the government of Cuba upon the assassination of Castro.

Post-1961 Specific Phase II Operations.

(1) On 18 April 1962 poison pills were delivered by CIA Dr.:

Triecher to Harvey to be sent into Cuba. Later memoranda indicate

that these pills were actually sent to Cuba. Additionally, memo-

randa indicate that the pills were "in place" ready for the attempt.

• (2) Gurs and explosives were given by Harvey and JMWAVE Chief

Shackley to Cuban asset Verona at a cost of $5,000.

(3)

In June of 1962 and later in September documents indicate

that three-man teams were sent into Cuba by Harvey's operatives for

assassination attempts. Indeed, in December 1962/January 1963 a

$2700 payment was made by Harvey to Verona for expenses of the

three-man teams.

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SECRET

4.

(4) April/May 1963. Helms approves Harvey's meeting with

Roselli as a kind of "close-out" of the Roselli relationship.

FBI has Roselli under surveillance -- calls Harvey and says they

must tell Hoover -- Harvey calls Helms -- Helms says no need to

brief McCone. Note: Senator Church may view this as another indi-

cation of Helms acting on his own.

(5) In 1963 CIA's TSD implements a skin-diving suit with

poison and proposes a scheme regarding an exploding seashell.

Helms will say they were only wacky proposals by underlings which

never got

anywhere. While this may be true as to the latter, the

skindiving suit/TSD must have had his approval -- ISD reports

directly to DDP.

(6) October 1963. Des Fitzgerald (now deceased) goes to

Paris to meet Cuban asset Cubella. Cubella wants to assassinate

Castro. Documents indicate that Helms tells Fitzgerald he may

use the Attorney General's name without seeking approval from

Kennedy.

• (7) Circa November 22, 1963. Dr. Gunn of CIA prepares poison

pen which is delivered to Cubella in Paris. Documents unclear as

to whether Cubella accepts it or not.

(8) 7 March 1966. Helms sends memorandum to Secretary Rusk

denying Agency use of Cubella in

assassination scheme.

While Helms

may have a technical interpretation which makes the memorandum cor-

rect it doesn't disclose any of the CIA's. contacts with Cubella.

Note: This

again be used to argue no executive approval.

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FOR HELMS TESTIMONY -- PHASE II OPERATIONS UNDER HARVEY

February 1962. Bissell was replaced by Helms on February 17.

Prior to Helms formally becoming DDP on February 9 is the "first

recorded 'authorization' of ZRRIFLE Project; Helms gives written

authority for Harvey to handle ZRRIFLE with unvouchered funds based

on Harvey's general sign-off

April 1962 was when Edwards recalls Harvey

asking for an

introduction to Roselli. This took place on April 8 or 9.

Both Edwards and Harvey stated in 1967 that they each independ-

ently checked with Helms prior to Edwards introducing Harvey to

Roselli.

In 1967 Harvey stated that thereafter he "regularly briefed"

Helms on the status of the Castro operation. :

The 1967. report states that Edwards' statement he "verified

Helms' approval to go ahead with Roselli and Harvey" is the earliest

indication that Helms had been made witting of the syndicate opera-

tion against Castro.

According to Harvey (in 1967) it was at this time, in early

April when Harvey briefed Helms on Roselli that he obtained Helms'

approval not to brief McCone.

Implementation of Phase II.

Dr. Treichler's records indicate that he delivered four pills

(1 capsule and three tablets) to Jim O'Connell on April 18, 1962.

Harvey gave the pills to Verona in Miami in late April. In late

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2 .

April or early May the CIA supplied a variety of military equip-

ment to Verona as part of the reward for his participation.

I AS HARVEY WAS REPORTING TO HELMS REGULARLY AS HE SAYS, IS IT

LIKELY HE WOULD HAVE TOLD HELMS ABOUT THIS? 1 In May, Harvey was

told the pills

were in Cuba at a restaurant reportedly used by

Castro. (At this point Verona was still using the chef plan).

June 21 Harvey was told Verona had dispatched a three-man team to

Cuba who would attempt to kill Castro if an opportunity presented

itself to use the pill.

In September Verona indicated he was infiltrating three more

men who were former Cuba militia men who would try to penetrate

Castro's body-guard. (These men apparently did not actually leave

Florida, but Harvey gave

Verona $2700 for this three-man team's

expense.) Thereafter the arrangements were gradually broken off.

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