MEMO: STATUS OF DCI MORNING MINUES
Originator: CIA
From: BARRY
To: C/HRG
Document date: 08/17/1994
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

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

SECRET

17 Aug 1994

Memo to:

C/HRG

Subject: Status of DCI Morning Minutes

Following covers both your questions and Bob Eatinger's

notes on a number of items.

Per Jim Pittman, he did not

follow up on Eatinger's questions.

C/HRG questions:

1. 10 Aug 1976 - DCI Bush's letter re meeting with Senators

Baker and Inouye. FYI copy faxed to OCA (contact (Susan)

McMains, 37912)

2.

24 Aug 1976 - per Office of Security, protect Michael)

Merhige; retired in cover status, was NOC in Vietnam.

3. 12 Nov 1976 - The David Wise book mentioned in the

Minutes deals with the bugging of the Chilean Embassy in

Washington, not the Kennedy assassination.

Recommend we

drop the item as not related.

The note on the page is

Eatinger's. (copy attached)

4. 28 June 1976 - Re the copyright question; Eatinger says

to postpone the item until the Board makes a ruling. The

law is silence on copyright issue. We will describe the

document on the withdrawal sheet so researched can request

directly from CBS.

6 & 7 3 March/25 Sept. 1978 - Per Office of Security,

Vincent Thill and James O'Connell are releasable.

somewhere in the DCI files.

Eatinger's notes (attached) :

4 May 1964 - since we are treating "anti-Castro" activities

as related, leave the reference to books in.

24 Sept 1975 - Eatinger is having the cases searched in OGC

files

for relevance to JFK.

---

## Page 2

13-00000

25. Sept 1975 - The New Orleans mail intercept operation was

of interest to the HSCA investigation and has been mentioned

in our files.

The item refers to the Senate Select

Committee and it is doubtful if it is JEK related. Eatinger

says it is our call.

26 July 1978 (memo for the Record) - Eatinger was not

comfortable with our deletion ! ]; he has originally

proposed to release.

I recommended that we at least delete

the word prison.

There may not have been many women in

prison with that background.

---

## Page 3

13-00000

12 NOu1976

Falkiewicz noted his expectation that Ron Kessler's article on

President Kennedy's assassination will appear in the 14 November Wash-

ington Post.

Bolten called attention to today's Washington Post article about

David Wise's book (attached) and stated his belief that it contains details

which were not included in the Senate's published report. It was agreed

that this material was deleted from the Senate report and that Wise's

Laccount is correct. In response to the DDCI's query, Bolten stated that

we had not had prior word of the Wise book.

I thin

Not in faire

book reters.

Cut in the Firk

escapination.

What did the

atticed article t

---

## Page 4

13-00000

ARTIC, LORIED

ONCE: A-L

YASRTICTON POS-

12 NOVEMBER 1975

FBIBugging

Of Chilean

Offices Told

Book Says Hoover

Forced CIA to Halt

Surveillance in 72

By George Lardner Jr

#UDIASION POSE ASAlE WIILA!

The FBI reluctantly bugged the

Chilean Embassy in Washington

during the Salvador Allende re-

gime and then forced the Central

Irreligence Agency to agree to

end the surveillance, according io;

a forthcoming book about the ls.

intelligence community.

Tie late FBI Director J.

Edgar Hoo-

e stunded the bugain?

in

Febru.

ar? of 1972 hy threatening to sell Con-

dress that le was belnu

done at the

Cl.s's insistence, author

Davld WIsa

reports.

Iscording to the account in lVise's

ПОКУ

book.

"The

American Police

Hoover initially refused to Install

the eavesdropping equipment when

the ClA first requested il in mid-lart!

sl 1971: A-901 days later, hodevar,

(ben-CIA "Director

Richard

Helms

went over Hoover's head and gor .1t.

somey. General John N. Mitchell to

reverse the FBI direclor's decision.

The. Cli dellvered sophisticated

bugging equipment to the

SBI ihree

days later, and between April 3; and

mid-llay, ebe FBI joe into the

em.

tassy and installed several mikes.".

For more than eight months.

the

zovernment listened in to. conversa.

luns rating place inside the erabassy,

"'ine reported. The Chilcan ambassa-!

110s. 10 the United States at tho time

•as Oriando Leteller. who was assas.!

sinated hert Sepr. 21, 1978. When a i

tomo blow upostie car ha was driving!

a short distance, Irom the embassy)

bullding..i.Jsä

around early debruars al 1072. Ho-

bugs wore broadcasting again all

nuer threatened to blow the whistle.

though there Is some evidence,". Wise:

The Fll director. may have been "still

writer, "they may have been turned

smartin! over beng reversed by Alib!

:nell." Wlse wrote, but be added In a-

ok or removed ayais In February,

relephone interview that he did not.

1973.'

know why Hoover chuse tu. giva the

Volcing some skeptielsm about the

ultimatum when he did.

In any case. Wise said. cluba ClA

apparent lack of any electronic sur-

veillanco for some 10 months la 1972, '

documents about the eplsode, the ClA

caved in promptly and hassily asied

Wise added that the chronology is al.

That tise

eaverdropping be

most too good to be true, for it has

stopped.

Accordingly: On Feb. 3, 1972. "the F9!

both agencies messing around with

the Chlean embassy at almost every

either sent in and pulled out the min.

lature transmitters ur turned them off

time except several months on either

by remote control."

side of the May 1972 dare."

Hoover dled on May 2: 19.2. Less

The President of Chile during the

than tito weeks iater. on the weekend

perlod in question, Salvador allende, l

ot May 13-15. the Chilean embassy was

was a slar rist whose 1970 election thel

burziarized in a crime that persistant

CI.A had tried to block op President)

rumors

have attributed to

Gae or

Nixon's orders.

The plan falled, bus!

more ol the Walergale burzlars but

the CI.A spent 58 million beteen 1870.

that still remains unsulved

and 1973 iu undermine dileado. He

In les Investigation of tbe embassi

died in a nilitary coup that brought:

breaiin, the bonk disclodes, the §BI

down his government la September,!

was unable to questlon a potentially

1973.

important milness in .liem: who had

In other dlsclosures.

the book.

reportedly told an FBI laformaat that

quotes former Vixon White

House

one of the Watergate burzlars was In.!

alde John D. Enrlichmon's viold recol.

volved. The pocential witness: a Cu.

lections of an Oct. 1..

:969, unner 3!

ban extle in aliami, was murdered in

Hoover's home that Sixon attended

the spring of 1974, apparently shortly!

along with Ehrlichman and Allorne!

after the bureau had set out to ques.

General Mitchell.

tlon iim but before they managed to

locate him.

That sight, Wise said Ehrlichman

told bim, "for hours, Hoover regaled

According to Wise, the Chllean em-i

baggy d'as

not only burglarized but It

us with stories ul black bag' jobs.'

halsraising

escapes,

9nd

30

од.

was also bugged once again siter

Hoover's death.

Accordiny to ClA

Wordettu, the President kept say-

documents, he gaid. the agency asked!

1n8. 'How about that, Johu?"

the FBl to "reinstitute coverage" an

Dec. 8..18:2. a step that le jlare De.

partment also "strongly urged"

This lime, the Hoover-less FEl sp-:

parently compiled ivithout protest.i

"Dy the day after Christmas. 19701 01

---

## Page 5

13:00000

do wie know

mlether eather

There boat alteyed

clA connetion

to JFk's death?

If yes, responsive,

If wo on don't bare,

not-resporenve

DCI noted high-level concern about the book on the "Bay of

Pigs" and the book on the "Invisible Government"

DCI noted an opinion that the book by Thomas Buchanan about

President Kennedy's assassination seems to be feceiving wide accredita-

tion in Europe.

---

## Page 6

13-00000

24 dept iS

Warner referred to Justice's willingness to retain

counsel for Angleton and Ober and stated that he is drafting

a letter for the Director to send to Justice on the legal

• he bret

representation in both civil and criminal cases.

If thece

cases aren't

related to

Jick assassinatin

-delete

now

Berend called attention to a false story carried in

the Ls september Baltimore News Anerican alleging that

working levels of the ClA were aware two months before the

JFK assassination that Oswald planned to kill President

Kennedy but did not report this information up the line.

General Walters asked Berend

to draft a statement of denial

for public release.

APPROVED FOR RELEASE 1994

CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM

---

## Page 7

13-00000

25 Sent 75

.

Blake reported that the Senate Select Committee

intends to talk to

Treasury officials re possible. Customs

involvement in the New Orleans

mail intercept activity.

If this

isn't

JFk-le lasted,

jest chuck-Pike;

delete

1ASRU

The Director referred to the CIM/Oswald story carried

in the 23

September Baltimore News

American and asked that

in lieu of issuing a press release an appropriate letter to

the paper be prepared (see Morning Meeting Minutes of

24 September).

APPROVED FOR RELEASE 1994

CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM

---

## Page 8

13-00000

TOP SECRET SENSITIVE

26 July 1978

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

Staff Meeting Minutes of 26 July 1978

The Director was on leave; Mr. Carlucci was testifying on the Hill;

Mr. Blake chaired the meeting.

Mr. Blake asked letu to explain the disturbing ABC story emanating

from Havana.

Hetu said that ABC reporter Reynolds called him and said

that as part of Cuba's 26 July celebration, a double agent will march in

a parade and appear at a press conference, saying that CIA tried to prove

that Cubans were involved in President Kennedy's assassination. Castro

also plans to announce CIA activities in Africa to track the Cuban presence

there. Hetu told Reynolds that he hesitated to comment at the present time

but the charge regarding the Kennedy assassination was ridiculous.

McMahon summarized an FBI report that a Cuban Intelligence Service

official has been

in contact with an unidentified journalist in connection

with the World Youth Festival now taking place in Cuba.

The journalist

stated that the festival will include a tribunal that will condemn CIA.

activities throughout the world. It will also reveal the above-mentioned

charge that the CIA tried to prove Cuban involvement in President Kennedy's

assassination.

Former CIA agents will be revealed as well as proof of CIA

activities in Africa. This report also mentioned that a press conference

will be held.

Greaney (for OGC) added that on 21 July an OGC representative paid

off a former agent in New York Who had been in prison in Cuba." She had

been a member of the original 26th of July Movement and seemed to have

become extremely radical and bitter.

Greaney said that he would not be

surprised if this individual appeared at any of the above-mentioned

activities.

og0.

LASt ETRy.

Take Out?

No)

RJE

---

## Page 9

13-00000

To: John P.

Responses

to your questions on DCI Morning Meeting Minutes

1. Chuck does not see the need to coordinate DCI Bush's

memo to DDCI; however, it does contain comments by Senatox

Inouye. If we want to cover all bases,

I can contact OCA.

2.

We assume (Merhige) is an Agency employee and should be

protected. We do not recognize his name.

V

The reference to Wise's book would constitute "official

acknowledgment".

It will require a bit of research to

determine what they were referring to.

Re copyright issue, still waiting on Eatinger to get

back to me.

the comments on de Morenschildt's mental state was

released in the Oswald 201.'

6.

Vincent Thill retired overt (see attached card); I am

also checking with OS.

7.

James O'Connell was exposed in Peter Wyden's Bay of

Pigs; I am checking with oS.

8. Regis Blahut

- released in JPK material; we coordinated V

with SO at the time.

9. Re LBJ Library document, I will check with Pittman.

---

## Page 10

13-00000

Bary, Chech

8/8/94

The documents look ready

• Da need 22 is But the peter

points occa to sue:

i.

Who la de?

3 .

12KOUT6

Not sace sly we debt Thal?)

4

28 VUITE Calign penton copies

Bary, plese all fatiger on ta.

5.....

3o dey?

de Dierenadiet not fa

stable mind'

3 har 75

6.

7

- should me protest

15 Jax%9 05 ffica Ropes B...

- How this save toen relead?

LBN Library, 2E40U63

beame

---

## Page 11

13-90000

overt

THILL, Vincent J.

Security Control Staff/I&S, Feb 1952

EOD: 5 Mar 1951

Block remoned fum

дов: 7 Jaly 1914

coB: 9-30-68

memo 3-6-67

...

---