MEMORANDUM:RELEASE OF DOCUMENTS FURNISHED TO THE PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION BY CIA
Originator: HSCA
From: ROCCA, R. DC/CI STAFF
To: DCI
Document date: 1972-05-15 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

# DOCID-32392257

## Page 1

Date:

02/27/05

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : CIA

RECORD NUMBER : 104-10413-10101

RECORD SERIES

: JFK

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

: RUSS HOLMES WORK FILE

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

AGENCY ORIGINATOR : CIA

FROM

: ROCCA, R. DC/CI STAFF

TO : DCI

TITLE

MEMORANDUM: RELEASE OF DOCUMENTS FURNISHED TO THE

PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION BY CIA

DATE

PAGES

05/15/1972

8

SUBJECTS : FENSTERWALD

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER

CLASSIFICATION : SECRET

RESTRICTIONS :

1B

CURRENT STATUS : RELEASED IN PART PUBLIC - RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW

: 11/18/98

COMMENTS : JFK-RH08 : F139: 1998.11.18.15:25:50:420120 :

ATTACHED IS FOIA RELEASE OF SAME DOCUMENT

Heleased under the John F. Kennedy

Assassination Records Collection Act of

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

55990 Date: 11-01-2021

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

104-10413-10101

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SERE

55/72-2310

15 MAY 1972

MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence

VIA

SUBJECT

: Deputy Director for Plans

: Release of Documents Furnished to the

President's Commission by the Central

Intelligence Agency

On Monday, & May 1972, Mr. Arthup lootey visited

Congressman Richard Ichord to show him

the exhibits he

requested and to answer any questions. Mr. Ichord is

Chairman of the House Committee on Internal Security.

It was quickly apparent that he knew very little about

the Oswald case,

and that he had been misled by Bernard

Fensterwald, Jr. regarding the extent of CIA's coverage

of Oswald when he was in Mexico City. Mr. Ichord ex-

amined the documents and raised a number of points

which were answered candidly and without reservation.

He thanked us for easing his mind and said that we could

consider the macter closed. Mr. Ichord was well-disposed

toward this Agency from the onset and assured us that

anything said

or shown to him would be held in strict

confidence. A more detailed memorandum

is

attached.

200B6a

Deputy Chief

Counter.Intettigence..staff

1 Attachment, A/S

Document Number

1057-947 R

for FOlA Review on

SEP 1976

SECRET

EROS THEE

Espladad froza automatte

Becascification

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. 4;

(

(

SUBJECT: Lee Harvey Oswald Case: Briefing of Congressman

Richard Ichord,

May

1972

1. Mr. Joseph O'Neill, Office of the Legislative

Counsel, presented Mr. Arthugshootey, who furnished the

exhibits requested by

the Congressman, and answered his

questions as follows:

2. Mr. Ichord

said he was concerned over

of the Oswald Investigation from the

standpoint of his

committee. He wanted

to know if "during CIA's investigation

of Oswald when he was

Mexico" we developed any evidence

of a conspiratorial relationship between

the Soviets and

Oswaldeither through our coverage of the Embassy or

outside meetings.

He specifically referred to Soviet

consular officials Pavel Antonovich Yatskov and Valeriy

Vladimirovich Kostikov,

or both of whom Oswald

contacted at the Soviet Embassy. (Both Yatskov and Kostikov

were identified in the Commission's Report as consular

and KGB representatives.) I told him

that CIA

did not have Oswald under investigation when he was in

Mexico City; directed his attention

to the pertinent

exhibit; and explained that the KGB affiliations of

two Soviets were sunplied by CIA experts who were aware

of their activities and not by anything said or indicated

by Oswald in the evidence compiled by us. Mr. Ichord

examined the exhibit, noted that Osvald's short conversitions

only related to securing visas; indicated that he had been

misinformed; and

said that he had no further questions to

on this point.

3. He said that his question was sparked by Bernard

, JI. a former constituent,

knew very little when he requested the documents. Since

then he has learned of Fensterwald's dubious credentials

as an expert

on the assassination and of his association

with Jim Garrisson and others of questionable repute.

I detailed our own

difficulties with Fensterwald, his

insistence that we are hiding something,

and how, as

Executive Director

of the Committee to

Investigate

Assassinations,

he has been pressing us to release our

classified

under threat of invoking the

Freedom of Information Act.

SECRET

Най нот литота!

dowagrating ant

NW 65990 Docld:32392257 Page 3

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SECRET

-2-

4. At Mr. Ichord's request, I gave him a complete

rundown on how CIA learned of Oswald's presence in

Mexico,

and the circumstances surrounding the photo of the

which was

taken infront.ofthe-Soviet. Embassy

I specified

refuted the assorted allegations regarding

this picture which were generated by Edvard Epstein

Wesley Liebeler (a former Commission

attorney), Mark Lane,

Jim Garrisson,

and later Bernard Fenstervald, JI.

nentionad that Fensterwald told us a year ago that he

knew the identity of the unknown man but so far has not

volunteered his name. One of Garrisson's charges as that

Oswald was a CIA agent and that we cut him out of the

picture. I took the occasion to stress that Oswald was

not a CIA agent and that we never had anything to do with

5. I mentioned that when the President's Commission

came into existence Mr. Helms issued specific instructions

to cooperate fully with the Commission and to give it

complete access to any information bearing

on the assassira-

that Commission members, at Mr. Helm's invitation

visited our Mexico Bity stasion for an on-the-scene

briefing and inspection. I told him

that we have not

released exhibits relating to Oswald's visits to the Soviet

and Cuban Embassies, because

sources of the above

information are extremely sensitive and still productive.

Mr. Ichord fully agreed on this score and complimented us

on the extent of our coverage.

6. Mr. Ichord asked what steps CIA was taking to

declassify its other documents. I told him of the required

five year cycle (one coming up shortly), the reviev

and CIA's desire to release

I pointed out that most of our material consists of "nut

complaints", rumors, gossip,

etc; which have no security

significance per se

but could be embarassing to innocent

persons; disclose a productive and friendly

or acknowledge CIA's presence abroad where diplomatically

this would be inadvisable.

I cited our experience with the

"crank call" that originated in Canberra, Australia; how

in 1968 ve tried to declassify this exhibit but Aucteatian

security officials objected on the grounds that it would

publicly acknowledge

CIA presence on their soil and perhaps

stir unwarranted controversy.

I. stated that despite the

above-type problems we gradually have been

declassifying

SECRET

NW 65990 Docld:32392257 Page 4

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SECRET

-

3 -

CIA's material, sanitizing exhibits, as necessary to

protect

our sources and methods.

7. I mentioned in passing, that two other things

our control have contributed to the misconceptions

our exhibits:

A)The inadvertent release

by National

Archives of the master list of numbered exhibits shortly

after the demise of the President's Commission

distinguishing between overt and classified items; and

B). the fact that many exhibits bear different numbers

but are interrelated, thus giving a false impression

there are more exhibits than is the case.

the master list without the accompanying documents

caused much apprehension

and misinterpretation, particularly

among assassination

"buffs" and Agency critics.

and the U-?"'

entry which was widely exploited

until we declassified the document a couple of years ago.

Mr. Ichord asked if any CIA members served

the President's Commission. I said no,

but mentioned that

former DCI Allen Dulles was on the Commission. He then

turned to the makeup of the Commission staff and how it

was chosen. I replied that we were not really competent

to comment on how it was chosen but the staff consisted

largely of attorneys of varied political and ethnical

backgrounds from widely separated parts of the country;

the Commission was impressively

organized and a highly motivated, hard working group.

9. Mr. Ichord stated that he had no further questions

to ask and thanked us for easing his mind. We offered

produce any other documents he might wish to see. Mr. Ichord

replied that this would not be necessary. He returned our

exhibits and told us to consider the matter closed.

Arthur F Dooley

SECHET

NW 65990 Docld:32392257 Page 5

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## Page 6

1J MAY 1972

MEMORANNIM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence

VIA

SUBJECT

: Deputy Director for Plans

Release of Documents Furnished to the

President's Commission by the Central

Intelligence Agency

On l'onday,

8 May 1972, Nr.

visited

Congressman Richard Ichord

to show hin the exhibits ha

requested and to

answer any questions. "Ir. Ichord is

Chairman of the liouse Committee

on Internal Security.

It was quickly apparent that he knew very little about

the Oswald case, and that he had been

misled by Bernard

Fensterwald,

JI.

regarding the extent of CIA's coverage

of Oswald when he was in Mexico City. Mr. Ichord ex-

amined the documents and raised a number of points

which were answered candidly and without reservation.

He thanked us for.

easing his mind and said that we could

consider the matter closed. Mr. Ichord vas vell-disposed

toward this Agency from the onset and assured us

that

anything said

shown to him ould be held in strict

confidence. A more detailed memorandum is attached.

1 Attachment, A/S

Document Number

1057-947 0

for FOlA Review on

SEP 1976

• NW 65990 Docld:32392257 Page 6

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## Page 7

SUBJECT:

Lee Harvey Oswald Case: Briefing of Congressnan

Richard Ichord, & "ay 1972

1. Mr. Joseph O'Neill, Office of the legislative

Counsel, presented Mr.

, who furnished the

exhibits requested by the Congressman, and answered his

questions as follows:

2. ir. Ichord said he was concerned over one aspect

of the Asrald Investigation fron the standroint of his

committee. lle wanted to know if "during CIl's investigation

of Oswald when he was in lexico" we develoned any evidenc

of a conspiratorial relationshin between the Soviets and

Oswalleither through our coverage of the Enbassv or

outside meetings. He specifically referred to Soviet

consular officials Pavel Antonovich Yatskor and Valeriy

Vladinirovich Kostikov, one or both of whom Oswald

contacted at the Soviet Embassy. (Both Yatskov and kostikov

were identified in the Commission's Report as consular

officials

and KGB representatives.) I told him that CIA

did not have Oswald under investigation when he was in

Mexico City; directed his attention to the pertineni

exhibit; and explained that the KGB affiliations of the

two Soviets were supplied by CIA experts who were avare

of their activities and not by anything said or indicated

•by Oswald in the evidence compiled by us. Mr. Ichord

examined the exhibit, noted that Oswald's

efforts

only related to securing visas; indicated that he had been

misinformed; and said that he had no further questions to

ask on this point.

3. He said that his question was sparked by Bernard

former constituent,

about whom he

kneir very little when he requested the documents. Since

then he has learned of Fenstervald's dubious credentials

as an expert on

the assassination and of his association

with Jim Garrisson and others of auestionadle repute.

I detailed our own difficulties with Fenstervald, his

and how,

insistence that ve are hiding somethin'investigate

Executive Director of the Conmittee to

Assassinations,

he has been pressing us

classified documents under threat of invoking the

Freedom of Information ct.

/ NW 65990 Docld:32392257 Page 7

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## Page 8

-3 -

4. It Mr. Ichord's request, I gave him a conplete

rundon on how CIA learned of Cstald's presence in Mexico,

and the circumstances

surroundin? the photo of the

unknown man which was taken

I specified and refuted the assorted allegations regarding

this nicture which were generated by

Edward Enstein,

Lesley labeler (a former commission attorney, jr. I

carl lane,

Jin Garrisson,

and later Bernard Fenster.ald,

nentioned that Fensterald told us a year ago that lie

linew the identity of the unknown man but so far has not

volunteered his name. One of Garrisson's charges as that

Oswald as a CIN agent and that we cut him out of the

picture.

I took the occasion to stress that Oswald was

not a CIA agent and that we never had anytiing to do with

nim.

5. I mentioned that, when the President's Commission

into existence Mr.

Helms issued specific instructions

to cooperate fully with the Commission and to give it

complete access to any information bearing

the assassina-

tion; that Commission menbers, at Mr. Helm's invitation

visited our Mexico

station for an on-the-scene

briefing and inspection.

I told him that we have not

released exhibits relating to Oswald's visits to the Soviet

and Cuban Embassies, because the sources of the above

information are extrenely sensitive and still productive.

AIr. Ichord fully agreed

on this score and complimented us

on the extent of our coverage.

6. Hr. Ichord asked what steps CIA was taking to

declassify its other documents. I told him of the

required

five year cycle (one coming un shortly),

the review

process, our interim releases,

and CIA's desire to release

them all as quickly as the need for protecting them

subsides.

I pointed out that most of our material consists of "nut

complaints?.

significance per se

persons;

disclose a productive and friendly

foreign

source;

or acknowledge CIA's presence abroad where diplonatically

this would be inadvisable.

I cited our experience witi the

"crank call" that originated in

in 1969 ve tried to declassify this exhibit but

security officials objected on the grounds

that it rould

publicly acknowledge CIA presence on

their soil and periaps

stir unwarranted controversy. I stated that despite the

above-type problems we gradually have been

declassifying

NW 65990 Docld:32392257 Page 8

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## Page 9

-

CIA's macorial, sanitizing exhibits, as nacessary to

protect nur sources and methods.

I mentioned in passing, that to other things

nur control have contributed to the nisconceptions

over our exhibits:

A) The inadvertent release by National

rchives of the master list

of numbered exhibits shortly

after ria demise of the President's Commission without

distinguishing between overt and classified items;

fact that many exhibits bear different numbers

interrelated,

thus giving a false impression that

there are more exhibits than is the case. The release

of the naster list without the accompanying documents

caused much apprehension

and nisinterpretation, particularly

among assassination

"buffs" and Agency critics.

"Oswald and the l'-?" entry which was widely exploited

until we declassified the document a couple of years ago.

8. Mr. Ichord asked if any CIA members servec on

the President's Commission. I said no, but mentioned that

former DCI. Allen Dulles was on the Commission. He then

turned to the makeup of the Conmission staff

and how it

was chosen. I replied that we were not really competent

to comment on how it was chosen but the staff consisted

largely of attorneys of varied political and ethnical

backgrounds from widely separated parts of the country;

that,

from my observation,

the Conmission was impressively.

organized and a highly motivated, hard working group.

9. Mr. Ichord stated that he had no further questions

to ask and thanked us

for easing his mind. "e offered to

produce any other documents he might wish to see. Mr.

Ichord

replied that this ould not be necessary. He returned our

•exhibits and told us to consider the matter closed.

/ NW 65990 Docld:32392257 Page 9

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