DEBRIEFING RE ITKIN
Originator: CIA
From: GREANEY,  J.K.
To: MFR
Document date: 03/04/1969
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

104-10107-10084

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

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : CIA

RECORD NUMBER

104-10107-10084

RECORD

SERIES

JFK

AGENCY

FILE

NUMBER

80T01357A

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

AGENCY ORIGINATOR :

CIA

FROM

GREANEY,

TO

MER

J.K.

TITLE

DEBRIEFING RE ITKIN

DATE

03/04/1969

PAGES

3

SUBJECTS : WITHHELD

ITKIN, H.

DOCUMENT TYPE

: PAPER

CLASSIFICATION

: UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS

: 1A 1B

CURRENT STATUS

DATE

OF LAST REVIEW

: 04/06/94

COMMENTS

: JFK38

: RELEASED IN PART PUBLIC - RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

: 1994.04.06.17:20:10:900006

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

104-10107-10084

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* SLORET

OGC 69-0399

4 March 1969

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT: Thomas L. Roberts

1.

Messrs. Ward Greene, Office of Security, Kenneth

Heinonen, LPGLOBE Case Officer, and I arrived in Frankfurt,

Germany, at 1100 hours, 19 February 1969, and were met by a

representative of the Frankfurt Base.

Mr. Greene and I then

were taken to a safehouse and Mr. Heinonen waited for Mr.

Roberts to arrive from Dakar and then brought him to the

safehouse.

It had been agreed upon earlier that the debriefing

of Roberts would not commence until Thursday morning; however,

Mr. Heinonen did discuss general LPGLOBE matters and some

broad aspects of the Itkin problem with Roberts on the afternoon

of 19 February.

Mr. Greene and I went to the Frankfurt Base

where

we met with the Chief of Base, Mr. McManus, and Chief

of Security, Mr. Crawford.

2. It was decided to start the debriefing from Roberts'

earliest contact with the FBI, which occurred in Boston some time

in 1950, and proceed chronologically covering Roberts' subsequent

move to New York City, then discuss his employment with the law

firm of Delson, Levin and Gordon, which was followed in 1957 by

the formation of the law firm of Itkin, Roberts and Greenbaum.

Subsequently we discussed his employment with CIA, which

involved his disengagement from the New York law firm and

cover for his various trips to Africa. We repeatedly stressed

his contacts with Herbert Itkin over the years 1955 through 1967.

3. It was considered that Roberts had a very difficult task

if he intended to conceal or deceive the Agency about his relation-

ships with Herbert Itkin. This conclusion was reached since

Roberts could not anticipate what information was available to

the debriefers.

Roberts was advised that Mr. Greene was from

COP 1

Eraser:

ira autematic

SECRET.

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• SECRET,

the Office of Security, which carried with it the inference that

he had been privy to all the reports Roberts gave to the FBI.

Roberts was told that I had dealt with Mr. Hogan's office, the

New York District Attorney, and Mr. Morgenthau, the United

States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and had

talked with Herbert Itkin personally. Roberts was fully cooper-

ative during the entire debriefing and did not hesitate to discuss

any topics.

4. We concluded that Roberts has not been involved in any

of Itkin's illegal activities

since Roberts has been an employee of

CIA. It is my opinion that Roberts is an individual with a strong

sense of dedication to principles so long as they result in what he

considers a worthwhile sense of accomplishment. I think it is

significant to mention this assessment since Roberts does not give

the impression of having been motivated solely by monetary rewards

in any of his activities.

This lack of concern for money was dis-

turbing during certain

phases of the debriefing because Roberts

was rather vague about the amount of income he received from the

law firm of Itkin, Roberts and Greenbaum. He stated that he used

a drawing account and only took what was needed for his living

expenses. Roberts gives the impression of being a proud individual

who is not prone to admit to his personal deficiencies.

LPGLOBE files contain several references to admonitions given

by station representatives to Roberts for non-achievement in the

operational field. Although Roberts did not allude to these

admonitions voluntarily, he did discuss them when asked.

5. It was our feeling that Roberts did not discuss with

Herbert Itkin his employment with CIA, nor did he discuss with

Itkin his earlier reporting activities to the FBI. Roberts was

not aware of Itkin's relationship to CIA and did not know of

Mario Brod's affiliation with CIA.

6. After the debriefing had been concluded, Roberts was

told of the possible exposure of his employment with CIA by

Itkin's defense counsel, F. Lee Bailey, should Itkin be tried in

the New York state court. Roberts appeared to be genuinely

disturbed and expressed bitter feelings toward Itkin since he

2

SECRET

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SECRET

feels that such exposure could prevent him from performing

future operational assignments.

He is enthusiastic about his

future assignment to Paris and is hopeful that circumstances

will permit him to pursue his operational tasks in the very

near future.

7. Mr. Roberts left Frankfurt for Dakar the night of

21 February and was told to continue with his disengagement

plans as his departure from Dakar had already been announced

to his local contacts. It was suggested that Roberts take a boat

from Dakar to Marseille. After his arrival in Marseille, Roberts

was to proceed to Austria and take a ski vacation which is con-

sistent with earlier vacation plans when he traveled from Dakar

proceed to

to Austria during the month of March for skiing in previous

years.

Roberts

has

been

instructed to remain in contact with

LPGLOBE so that further instructions can be furnished him when

a firm estimate of future events with regard to the Itkin trial

can be decided.

8. On 24 February 1969, I discussed with Mr. David

Murphy, Chief of Station, Paris, the possible exposure of Roberts

in the event Herbert Itkin is tried in the New York state court.

I explained how Roberts had been a law partner of Itkin but as a

result of our debriefing in Frankfurt we had concluded that

Roberts was not involved with illegal activities with Itkin since

Roberts has been employed by CIA. Mr. Murphy appreciated

being

briefed on the complicated case but indicated that he was

anxious for Roberts to arrive in Paris for his operational assign-

ment in view of the priority need for his services in penetrating

certain leftist organizations. Mr. Murphy felt that if Headquarters

was considering a cooling off period for Roberts of approximately

three or four months, Murphy would hope that Roberts could

spend this time in Paris establishing himself with the target

community and not have any station contacts. Mr. Murphy

understands that this decision of necessity must be made at

Headquarters, but that he as Chief of the Paris Station does not

feel that circumstances as they exist today represent a compromise

of such magnitude that would preclude Roberts' operational assignment

to Paris: CrOJO

- 200 Bur

Shak Arean

Assistant General Coung

cc: C/EurDiv

CCS/LPGLOBE

D/Security

C/CI/R&A

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SECRET

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Cinter

inserti

Prees?

0917:

OGC:JKG:bt

Distribution:

-Orig. - ROBERTS subj file

- JKG signer

30

l : Chrono

CONTI

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