PROJECT REPORT
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-32361431

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at!

Date: 02/14/05

JEK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : CIA

RECORD NUMBER

:104-10118-10433

RECORD SERIES : JFK

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

80T01357A

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

AGENCY ORIGINATOR : CIA

FROM : CHIEF OF STATION, MEXICO CITY

TO : CHIEF, WH DIVISION

TITLE

PROJECT REPORT

DATE

01/06/1965

PAGES

6

SUBJECTS :

OPERATIONAL

JFK ASSASSINATION

PROJECT REPORT

DOCUMENT TYPE

CLASSIFICATION

RESTRICTIONS

CURRENT STATUS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW

PAPER

SECRET

1B 1C

RELEASED IN PART PUBLIC - RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

05/24/04

COMMENTS : JFK50: 33А : 20040225-1048861

Released under the John F. Kennedy

Assassination Records Collection Act of

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

65924 Date: 10-26-2021

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

104-10118-10433

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DISPATCH

CLASSIFICATION

SECRETA

PROCESSING ACTION

MARKED FOR INDEXING

Chief, WH Division

xX

NO INDEXING REQUIRED

INFO.

ONLY QUALIFIED DESK

CAN JUDGE INDEXING

Project LIONION

DESENSITT

ACTION REQUIRED - REFERENCES

RI DOL 70-17

Reference: EMW-13207, 14 December 1964

Attached by split transmission is an outline for Project LIONION

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

(201-288248) and. DIFBUD-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.

Lauren F. Baker po

Willara C. CURTIS

Attachment:

Project Outline,

Left side hw

Project Outline, rigat side use

Distribution:

3 - 9/WHD w/att

0004092

-16-07

SALA

congrat

OSS REFERENCE TO

IS BRY

DISPATCH SYMBOL AND NUMBER

HMMA-25110

CLASSIFICATION

SECRET,

50-6-122/1

DATE

6 January '1965

HQS FILE NUMBER

50-5-122/1

17705

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SECRET KAPOR

PROJECT OUTLINE

CRYPTONYM

LIONION

FIELD CASE OFFICER

Laureucs F. Barker

Lawrence F.

BARKER

STATION

Mexico City

CHIEF OF STATION

MillendS Certis

Willard

CURTIS

The attached Project Outline is presented for approval.

0004093

CD 37 SPLIT TRANENISSION AS COPY

GROUP1

Excluded tram automor

sewagrading cou

castissificalisa

NO REIA RESEARATION.

5.

8-6-122/1

FOEATHE HIAO 25110 RSIDE OF AMAR

25110

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PROJECT LIONION

A. Identification.

This is a technical (primarily photographic) surveillance

operation against the PBRUMEN Embassy in Mexico City.

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

during daylight hours of the entrances of the target installation,

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

C.

The project is in consonance

current Related Mission Directive

with Prioriüy A, Objective 1, of the

for Mexico.

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.

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 LITAMTI-7 who are penetration agents working inside the target.

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

to PERUMEN intelligence defectors AMNIP-1 and AYMUG-1. Of those assets to whom

they are routinely shown, LITAMIL-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

In addition to the identification of staff 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, LIONION-l and LIoNION-2 are often called upon

to do visual surveillance of the target installation and LIONION-1 is essential

to the dispatching of the LIMBRACE surveillance team against individuals.

associated vith the target. Because Of the presence of police patrol cars-in

the vicinity, the Station's mobile survetllance assets cannot come close to the

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

The presence of LIONION-I and LIONION-? 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.

0004094

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LUiL

-2-

D.

Operational

- Assets (Personnel) •

LIONION-1 is a young PBRUMEN lawyer in exile.

He left PERUMEN 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, Morida. While in Mexico LIONION-1 was recruited, as LILILY-1, to

perform PERUMEN operational support services for the Station and, once having

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

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 LIFEAT/LIERODE/MTRAP Installation, now

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

2 to LI2ID-22 and 23, respectively.

In the latter part of 1962 the two agents

began the present photographic surveillance operation.

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

LCFLUITERED 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-l also acts as a dispatcher

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

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

know LIONICN-1 or his precise location.

LIONION-I also processes on the premises

all photographic coverage of the main Embassy gate through final printing, cropping

Photographic coverage of the Consulate gate is processed through

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 goverrment should they get out

Motivation is a combination of financial necessity and violent aversion

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

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

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

Both agents realize that they are vorking for PBPRIME Intelligence; LIONION-I

appears to be aware that he is working for KUPARK.

The cover utilized by LIONION-2

that of dependent nother.

LIONION-1 passes ase would-oe-writer. who can afford

to dabble without notable bublishing success because of family landholdings in

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

: a "rentista,

Wone who lives on income from sources other than gainful employment.

His rentista status is registered with the Mexican goverment In Octöber 1964

this cover successfully withstood intensive investigation by Mexican authorities

checking on persons of questionable status fo tax collection purposes.

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

Literary agent in New York City; these will be requested in separate correspondence.

SEOAGIKNOK

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E.

SLANET/KAPOK

-3-

Coumnication 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

Hugh I. FRANCOITE, meets with LIONION-1 at least once a week. The Case Officer,

Lawrence F. BARKER, meets with him less frequently.

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

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 JMIAVE

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 furact 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-l has a close relationship with an official of the Mexican

president's office.

This connection, developed by LIONION-l 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 material from the premises. The LIONION base house was once cleaned comletely

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 Emoassy staff personnel who have

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

avoid 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 mey

travel outside vexico..

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

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

Cooratnation, Cooratnation with other PBPRIME elements or the Mexican govemnent

is not necessary at this time and none is envisaged.

209116

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KAOOK:

-4-

G.

Costs. The total annual cost oi Project LIONION is $10,478, distributed

as shown below:

FX 55

Fy 66

Total

IIONION-1 salary

13 months @ $320

LIONION-2 salary

13 months @ $150

Real estate rentals:

LIONTON Basehouse

LICNION Salehouse

Utilities on both bouses

$1920

900

600

264

150

Supplies

(Photographic Pilm, paper,

chemicals;

and miscellaneous

1170

Totals

45004

$2240

1050

600

254

150

1170

$4:160

1950

1200

528

300

23110

854711

$10478

Salaries for LIONION-1 and -2 include the custonary year

end.

bonus of

one month's salary.

LIONION-l's salary was raised fron $200 to

$320 montaly 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 at $150 per month since her

recruitment in 1961. No salary changes are contemplated during the

project, year.

S30231

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