SUMMARY CHRONOLOGY OF ZRRIFLE/QJWIN ACTIVITIES
Originator: SSCIA
Document date: 00/00/1976
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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157-10004-10068

2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

Date: 05/24/94

Page: 1

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : SSCIA

RECORD NUMBER : 157-10004-10068

RECORDS SERIES :

CHRONOLOGY

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR :

SSCIA

FROM :

TO :

TITLE :

SUMMARY CHRONOLOGY OF ZRRIFLE/QJWIN ACTIVITIES

DATE: 00/00/76

PAGES : 5

SUBJECTS :

ZRRIFLE/QJWIN

BACKGROUND AND CHRONOLOGY OF PROGRAM

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION

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

CURRENT STATUS : X

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 05/24/94

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS :

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

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TOP SECRE

ZRRIFLE/QJWIN

Summary Chronology

R216

- OF 13

ummary

ZRRIFLE is ostensibly a program to rectruit criminals for teams

hich could break into foreign embassies, to steal eodes. However,

here is evidence in the files that this purpose, though useful to

he Agency, was in reality a cover for another operation. From other

ources, it appears that the real purpose was at least kidnapping and

ossibly murder.

ZRRIFLE was run out of the Cryptologie counterintelligence shop

Division Dif in the Bureau of Foreign Intelligence. It began sometime

Tate-1960/early-1961 and lasted until at least mid-1963, although

ayments to its principal agent QJWIN were continued into 1964.

ZRRIFLE appears to have been part of a larger set of programs

che ZR serteg--the files indicate ZRACORN and EZRRAGTIME!

The

•ifics of these programs are unknown. QJWIN was also in a category

gents which included at least one othere UBANNERD

who in fact

Ped locate QJWIN.

Knowledge of the program in the CIA appears to have been limited

:o the following people:

Mole

Justin O'Donnel

William Harvey

Richard Bissell

Richard Helms

Daniel. M.. Presland

W. Lloyd George

Sidney Gottleib

CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO

DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR

RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT

AS SANITIZED

I7 May 14

see pseudonym

The principal events in the chronology are set forth below, but

he major phases were:

--Oct. -Dec. 1960 - recruitment and visit by QJWIN to the

Congo allegedly for a kidnap or assassination of Lumumba.

--1961-1962 - QJWIN becomes contract employee.

seeks out

potential candidates for Embassy break ins. Possible

more permanent assignment to Leopoldville under considera-

tion but finally dropped.

--1963 - While supposedly establishing cover in Cermany and

in minimal contact with case officer, QJWIN apparently

meets Wm. Harvey in Florida in April and engages in some

kind of operation involving a boat.

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ZRRIFLE/QJWIN

1. What was your responsibility in regard to Division Di

of the FI Division?

Would you describe its functions?

2. What can you tell us of an operation run out of divie

@sion-D in the Congo in late 1960? Wouldn't you have

to approve such a project?

3. Have you ever heard of project ZRRIFLE or an agent by

the name of QJWIN? Would you describe your recollections?

4. Did you ask Mr

10! Donnell in 1960 to recruit an agent in

Europe (use real name if necessary) to assassinate

Patrice Lumumba? To kidnap him?

5. Did you cause to be delivered to the CIA station in the

Congo in late 1960 a quantity of poison or a biological

agent for the purpose of killing Patrice Lumumba?

6. Could these things have happened without your knowledge?

7. Have you ever heard the term "Executive Action"? If so,

explain meaning and circumstances.

8. Do you recall a meeting on January 25 and 26, 1961, where

Executive Action was discussed?

9. What do you make of these handwritten notes?

10. What do you make of the handwritten note that says

"ZRRIFLE started in 1961 on Bissell's say-so"?

11. Did you ever authorize a program to break into embassies!

abroad? To recruit people for that purpose? How high up

would such a project be approved? Be known?

12. Would you know if such a supposed counterintelligence

operations were in fact a cover for an assassination

capability? If not, why not?

If so, explain.

13. Do you recall any discussion of the use of Executive Action,

ZRRIFLE, QJWIN, (the agent's real name), in connection

with plans to assassinate Trujillo or Castro?

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This 1s apparently based on 1967 CIA Study which states that

Harvey said that early in the Kennedy Administration

"Bissell called him in to discuss what Harvey refers

to as an Executive Action Capability, 1.e., a general

stand by capability to carry out assassinations when

Harvey's notes quote Bissell as saying

'the White House has twice urged me to create such a

capability.'"

It should also be noted that ZRRIFLE was not a covert action but

was conducted under the aegis of counterintelligence-for which no

formal mechanisms of high-level review appear to exist, even today.)

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Jan. 26, 1961. More systematic description of operating methods

for projects which imply that code stealing is a cover.

Other notes

sandwich these notes but in another hand; spellout code stealing) mission

for ZRRIFLE. (Comment: These notes must be seen to be appreciated.)

(Other handwritten notes, undated but apparently done later, refer to

QJWIN/ZRRIFLE with notiations "Done early 1961 on Bissell's say-so."

March 1961. QJWIN signs contract.

Subsequently seeks out potential

criminals for unspecified tasks. Discussion goes on about Leopoldville

assignment.

M1d-1962. African Division in Hq. finally says "no" to Leopoldville

assignment. QJWIN kept on for job of spotting criminals.

Station luxe

wants

to know what to do with him. (By this time Bissell has left CIA.)

(Note: In ZIRRIFLE/QJWIN contract/Project file following Helm's

contract renewal of March 1963, and Harvey's memo of June 27, 1963, 15

an envelope addressed to Lloyd which contains a card which says:

John Rosselli

alias

John Ralston

Wm. Walker

end note.)

(Comment: Apart from the handwritten notes and 0 DormelO statements

there is nothing to suggest assassination was the purpose of ZRRIFLE.

On

the other hand, there is also no suggestion that the "candidates" developed

by QJWIN ever did any "jobs" for the Agency.

However, the Inspector General's Report of 1973 (First pages of

Senators' White Book) contains a two-page summary of ZRRIFLE describing

Its purpose as an Executive Action operation. It alleges (with no

reference as to source) that:

"'The White House' urged Richard Bissell to create an

Executive Action capability; 1.e., a general stand-by

capability to carry out assassinations. The Executive

Action program came to be known as ZRRIFLE. Its principal

asset was an agent, QJWIN, who had been recruited earlier

, for use

in a

special operation in the Congo

(the assassination of Patrice Lumumba) ...."

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-June 1963 - Harvey proposes QJWIN be terminated or used

in other capacity.

--1964 - Last payment to QJWIN

Chronology Relevant to Bissell

October

1960. Message from Station in Dakar indicates arrange-

ments being made for contact of unknown agent etch Corsicans for project

briefed orally to Dal

& Station by Silva.

October

_ Hq. asks COS Luxembourgh if certain person available

and

QuBanner reports he is.

October 1960. Following Salvervisit lo ponnel

meets with individual

who Is to become QJWIN.

O"Donnel claims he asked QJWIN to join in plot

to kidnap Lumumba from UN custody and deliver to Mobutu for trial. Report

of meeting says that QJWIN not told of actual

purpose but told assignment involved great personal risk.

Bissell personally asked him to assassinate Lumumba but aponne

O' Donnel, clains

refused.

Nov.-Dec. 1960. QJWIN with cryptonym goes to Congo ostensibly en

route Dakas.

•Activities unclear but reportedly contacts.two: Frenchmen

to "take unspecified job." &O"Donnel comes from Washington to direct

QJWIN's activities.

WIROTHS}, another CIA agent, tries to recruit QJWIN to join

assassination gang.

Station says@wROTE "exceeding instructions."

WIROT

trained in small arms, demolition and "medical immunizations."

no Donnel claims that when he got thered

of virus in safe for use against Lumumba.

Leopoldville had vial

Jan. 25, 1961 - Cryptic, handwritten notes in QJWIN/ZRRIFLE project

contract file suggest ZRRIFLE created for "Executive Action" capability.

QJWIN mentioned by name. Relevance to Trujillo assassination suggested

by name "El Benefactor." On page, notes contain phrases:

"Executive Action"

"The Magic Button"

"The last resort beyond the last resort"

"anesthetic"

"never mention(s) assassination"

The initials on the paper include B-WHEAS, which appear to stand for

Bissell, Wm. Harvey,

and arnold Stiver.

Technical Services Division

mentioned along with"Sid" -- presumably ISD Director Sidney Gottleib.

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