DISPATCH-PROJECT LIONION- OUTLINE
Originator: CIA
From: CHIEF OF STATION, MEXICO CITY
To: CHIEF, WH DIVISION
Document date: 1965-01-06 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

# DOCID-32392945

## Page 1

Date: 02/21/05

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : CIA

RECORD

NUMBER: 104-10414-10361

RECORD

SERIES

: JFK

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

:

RUSS HOLMES WORK FILE

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

AGENCY ORIGINATOR : CIA

FROM

: CHIEF OF STATION, MEXICO CITY

TO : CHIEF, WH DIVISION

TITLE

: DISPATCH-PROJECT LIONION- OUTLINE

DATE

: 01/06/1965

PAGES

SUBJECTS : DISPATCH

JFK ASSASSINATION

DOCUMENT TYPE

PAPER

CLASSIFICATION

SECRET

RESTRICTIONS •

1B

CURRENT STATUS

RELEASED IN PART PUBLIC - RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW

:

07/07/04

COMMENTS

JFK-RH07 : F134

: 20040324-1064412

Released under the John F. Kenned!

Assassination Records Collection act of

1992 (44 USC 2107 Note]. Case#:NW

65990 Date: 11-01-2021

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

--

104-10414-10361

NW 65990 Docld:32392945 Page 1

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DISPATCH

CLASSIFICATION

SECRET

PROCESSING ACTION

MARKED FOR INDEXING

TO

Chief, WH Division

INFO.

SUBJECT

"not of seren, more cia fu?

Project LIONION

ACTION REQUIRED - REFERENCES

Reference: HMMW-13207, 14 December 1964

XX.

NO INDEXING REQUIRED

ONLY QUALIFIED DESK

CAN JUDGE INDEXING

DESENSITIZE

NOT DOL Z0-1I

1. Attached by split transmission is an outline for Project LIONION

covering the services of the two agents heretofore known as LIFEUD-22

(201-288248) and LIFEUD-23 (201-305604). This project was anticipated in

paragraph 4, page 9 of the LIRANCH project outline transmitted by Reference.

2. To avoid re-typing at Headquarters the Station has taken the liberty

of provisionally assigning cryptonyms LIONION-1 and LIONION-2 to these agents.

Please advise if this is correct.

Kannoune F.1

Willard C. CURTIS

Parker for

Attachment:

Project Outline, left side h/w

Project Outline, right side usc

Distribution:

3 - C/VHD w/att

310. 12

•2619

TON.

ISSION

6S G27Y

DISPATCH SYMBOL AND NUMBER

HMMA-25110

CLASSIFICATION

SECRET

NW 65990 Docld:32992945-Page 2

Excited iran a

Largesia

radissatis

50-6-12211

DATE

-ie

6 January 1965

HQS FILE NUMBER

150-6-122/1

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STORED KNPOK

PROJECT OUTLINE

CRYPTONYM

LIONION

FIELD CASE OFFICER

Laurence F. Bar

Lawrence F. BARKER

STATION

Mexico City

CHIEF OF STATION

Misland wa

Willard C.

CURTIS

The attached Project Outline is presented for approval.

"canara

2O DI SPUT TRANSVISSION ES COPY

NW 65990- Docld 32392945- Page 23

Excluded from automati.

darngrading and

dsclassifleation

1.p7il

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PROJECT LIONION

Att to Hmma. 25110

6gan. 65

A. Identification. This is a technical (primarily photographic) surveillance

operation against the PBRUMEN Embassy in Mexico City.

B. Objectives. The operation is designed to (1) furnish photographic coverage

during daylight hours of the entrances of the target installation, (2)

dispatch physical surveillance teams against persons associated with the

target, and (3) keep in readiness a listening post for the monitoring and

recording of eventual technical penetration operations of the target.

The target installation is the PBRUMEN Embassy compound (including

Consulate) in Mexico City. The above-listed objectives are accomplished by

two trained, full-time surveillance agents who live across the street from

the target.

The project is in consonance with Priority A, Objective 1, of the

current Related Mission Directive

for Mexico.

C.

Background. This project, herewith presented for approval for the first time,

does not represent a new operation. LIONION activity has been going on since

1962 and costs have heretofore been charged to PBRUMEN FI funds. The

operation produces photographs of persons associated with the PBRUMEN Embassy,

both staff and visitors.

These photographs are normally reviewed for identi-

fications by the PBRUMEN section at the Station, then shown separately to

LITAMIL-9 and LITAMII-? who are penetration agents working inside the target.

They are subsequently forwarded to the CI section of WH/SA where they are shown

to PBRUMEN intelligence defectors AMNIP-1 and AMMUG-1. Of those assets to whom

they are routinely shown, LITAMII-9 has to date made the largest number of

identifications.

The photos have proven of great value.

Within hours of the

arrival of a new Enbassy staff member his photograph is in the hands of the

Station;

In addition to the identification of staif and visitors, the photos

(accompanied by a log kept by the LIONION agents) reveal patterns of action

(arrivals and departures) and details of personal associations (who associates

with whom) which are of great value to the Station in mounting operations against

the target.

- In addition to photography, IlONION-1 and LIONION-2 are often called upon

to do visual surveillance of the target installation and LIONION-l is essential

to the dispatching of the LIMBRACE surveillance team against individuals

associated with the target. Because of the presence of police patrol cars in

the vicinity, the Station's mobile surveillance assets cannot come close

to the

target, hence the need for LIONION-l's dispatching services.

The presence of LIONION-1 and LIONION-2 also insures continued occupancy of

a valued piece of real estate which will be used as a listening post when the

Station succeeds in installing additional technical surveillance devices in the

target in the form of concealed radio transmitters.

S8681/MhruN

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SECRET KAPOR

D. Operational Assets (Personnel).

LIONION-1 is a young PBRUMEN lawyer in exile. He left PBRUMEN in 1960,

planning to continue on via Mexico to the United States where he resided in

his early years. His two brothers are American citizens, one a desk officer

in the Department of Commerce in Washington, the other a police official in

Tampa, Florida.

While in Mexico LIONION-1 was recruited, as LILILY-1, to

perform PBRUMEN operational support services for the station and, once having

a taste of clandestine activity, decided to remain in Mexico. LIONION-2, his

mother, was recruited in 1961, as LILILY-2, as a basehouse occupant and

operator in the LIFEAT/LIERODE technical operation aimed at the PBRUMEN

Embassy. At this same time LIONION-1 also phased into LIFEAT/LIERODE work and

the two worked together as a team. In 1962 LIONION-1 and LIONION-2 worked

together in processing the take of the LIFEAI/LIERODE/MKTRAP installation, now

known as LIOMEN. At this time their cryptonyms were changed from LILILY-1 and

2 to LIFEUD-22 and 23, respectively. In the latter part of 1962 the two agents

began the present photographic surveillance operation.

LIONION-1 was granted an OA on 18 May 1962 by HMMW-10664. He was

ICFTUTTERED on 8 October 1963, HMMW-12064.

LIONION-2 was granted an OA on 16 May 1962 by HMMH-10660.

LIONION-1 is the mainstay of

the operation. LIONION-2 acts as his assistant

and fill-in at such times as he is absent from the observation post. Both serve

principally as observers and photographers. LIONION-I also acts as a dispatcher

for the LIEMBRACE surveillance team from which he is compartmented. Dispatching

is done by radio using pre-arranged innocuous code terminology; the team does not

know LIONION-1 or his precise location.

LIONION-1 also processes on the premises

all photographic coverage of the main imbassy gate through final printing, croppir

and mounting.

Photographic coverage of the Consulate gate is processed through tr

negative development stage.

Control is primarily financial buttressed by the knowledge, on the part of

the agents, that as PBRUMEN refugees they are vulnerable to pressure which might

be brought upon them by KUBARK through the Mexican government should they get out

of line.

Motivation is a combination of financial necessity and violent aversion

to, and determination to bring about the downfall of, the AMMuG regime. An

additional motivating factor is that both agents actually enjoy what for many woul

be monotonous work. Psychologically, they are ideally suited to this sort of work

Both agents realize that they are working for PBPRIME intelligence; LIONION-I

appears to be aware that he is working for KUBARK. The cover utilized by LIONION-

is that of dependent mother. LIONION-1 passes as a would-be writer who can afford

to dabble without notable publishing success because of family landholdings in

Tampa, Florida (inherited from his deceased father), which enable him to live as

a "rentista," one who lives on income from sources other than gainful employment.

His rentista status is registered with the Mexican government.

In October 1964

this cover successfully withstood intensive investigation by Mexican authorities

checking on persons of questionable status for tax collection purposes.

The

Station plans to bolster the writing cover with supporting documents from a

literary agent in New York City; these will be requested in separate correspondenc

SE MA/APON

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1-3-

" Communication is primarily with LIONION-1; with LIONION-2 only in his

absence. Meetings, pre-arranged or signalled by innocuous phone calls (calls

from LIONION-1 go through a telephone cut-out), are usually held at the

LIONION-1 safe apartment.

This apartment, which would appear to be a LIONION-1

love nest, is in another area of town. The Station KURIOT technician,

Hugh T. FRANCOTTE, meets with LIONION-1 at least once a week.

The Case Officer,

Lawrence F. BARKER, meets with him less frequently. Whereas LIONION-1 knows

the true name of the Case Officer, he does not know FRANCOITE's true identity.

E. Security Evaluation. If either of the LIONION agents are uncovered by Mexican

authorities as engaged in operations against the target, they have been briefed

to indicate that they are working for an exile organization based in the JMWAVE

area on a voluntary, non-paid, patriotic basis and to stick to the story covering

their income.

This would probably hold up unless they were caught in flagrante

with the KURIOT automatic pulse camera on the premises. This camera is of such

refinement and complexity as to be difficult to ascribe to an exile organization.

In any event, LIONION-I has a close relationship with an official of the Mexican

president's office. This connection, developed by LIONION-I for his own protection

enabled him to weather the tax investigation and can be used by him to overcome any

future difficulties with Mexican authorities.

Under Mexican law, the principal (photographic) activity of the project is

not illegal, therefore uncovering of the photographic operation would not of

itself result in arrest or prosecution. It is usually possible to stave off

investigation or house search for a period of time sufficient to remove compromis-

ing naterial from the premises.

The LIONION base house was once cleaned completely

in one evening and could again be cleaned, probably in less time, if circumstances

should warrant.

The target installation is aware that photo surveillance is a probability.

On one occasion AMKNOB-1, a JMWAVE asset, was shown a nearby building (not the

LIONION base) by a PBRUMEN Embassy officer and told that it was a KUBARk photo

base.

LIONION-1 is known by sight to some PBRUMEN Embassy staff personnel who have

observed him in the neighborhood. 'Presumably they believe he is a Mexican. To

avoia operational compromise, he cannot renew his expired passport at the

PBRUMEN Consulate. For this reason the Station will request KURIOT in separate

correspondence to prepare new passports for both LIONION agents so that they may

travel outside Mexico.

Security measures. employed in this operation are designed to make it virtually

impossible for any opposition service to link LIONION personnel with the Station.

F. Coordination, Coordination with other PBPRIME elements or the Mexican government

is not necessary at this time and none is envisaged.

1 NN 3K

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SENTE

.=

-14--

G.

Costs:

as shown below:

The total annual cost of Project LIONION is $10,478, distributed

TY 55

FY 56

Total

$1920

900

$224:0

1050

$1:160

1950

I,IONICN-1 salary

13 months @ $320

LIONION-2 salary

13 months @ $150

Real estate rentals:

LIONION Basehouse

LIONION Safehouse

Utilities on both houses

Supelies

(Photographic film, paper,

chemicals, and miscellaneous )

Totals

600

26!

150

1170

600

25%

150

1170

1200

528

300

2340

4500%

$547+

$10478

Salaries for LIONION-l and -2 include the custonary year end

bonus of one month's salary.

LIONION-L's sabry was raised from $200 to

$320 monthly in 1954 to compensate in part for his renunciation of a

sales position in order that he might devote his full time to the LIONION

operation. LIONION-2's salary has remained st $150 per month since her

recruitnent in 1961. No salary changes are contemplated during the

project fear.

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