MEMO: BLUEBRID/ARTICHOKE SOFT FILE REVIEW - 'KELLY' - DIMITROV, D. A.
Originator: CIA
From: CINQUEGRANA, OGC
To: LAPHAM, ANTHONY A.
Document date: 10/07/1977
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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AAAAA

1104-10066-10066

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

Arm?

File: Assassinations -

altmon Выши

BEG #77-4381

October 7, 1977

MEMORANDUM FOR: Anthony A. Lapham

FROM

: A. R. Cinquegrana

Office of General Counsel

SUBJECT

BLUEBIRD/ARTICHOKE Soft File Review - "Kelly" -

Dimitrov, D.A.

1. I have been reviewing summary sheets prepared by the Office of

Security concerning several hundred soft files on individuals associated,

or considered for association, in some way with the Agency's BLUEBIRD/

ARTICHOKE activities. In the course of that review I came upon the follow-

ing case which I discussed with Dick Lansdale and which we agreed should

be brought to your attention for your information and whatever action you

may deem appropriate.

2. As is indicated in the attached copy of the soft file summary and

the 27 January 1952 memorandum upon which it is based, D. A. Dimitrov,

designated "Kelly," is a Bulgarian expatriate who appears to have been

imprisoned in Greece some time in 1950 and 1951 on false pretenses because

the Agency feared he would accept an offer from French Intelligence. After

six months in custody, he was flown to Panama where he was misrepresented

as a psychopath and confined in a U.S. Military Hospital for several months.

The official security file shows he was then removed from the hospital and

held by the Agency at Fort Clayton in Panama for three years. He was then

returned to Greece and ultimately allowed to enter the U.s. as a refugee.

It appears from the attached copy of a 7 February 1952 memorandum that

the "Artichoke approach," i.e., the use of drugs to reverse his hostility

toward the U.s. and U.s. intelligence agencies, was never consummated.

3. This man has had several contacts with the Agency since coming

to the U.S. In 1961 an Assistant to the DCI was contacted by a representative

of Parade magazine who had been informed by Dimitrov of his confinement

by the Agency. The Office of Security responded to the effect that this man

was disreputable, unreliable, and full of wild stories about CIA. As you

will note from the attached transcript of an 8 September interview on Good

Morning America, Mr. Dimitrov (now General Dimitrov and known as General

Donald A. Donaldson) apparently is alive and alleging that he knows who

ordered the assassination of President Kennedy•

07198

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Adatashalie - Interco Dea Cy

4. Based solely upon the soft file summary, and prior to reviewing

the official security file from which I extracted the additional details, it

appeared to me that the nature of the Agency's treatment of Dimitrov might

be something which should be brought to the attention of appropriate

officials both within and outside the Agency. The fact that he is still

active and is making allegations connected with the Kennedy assassination

may add yet another dimension to this story.

eg

Attachment

King - Interest dog Batt

2

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I. Soft File Summary

1. Title of File: Kelly

2. Brief Biographic Data: Kelly's true name is

DIMITROV, a 29-year-old Bulgarian who was head of

a small political party based in Greece and

ostensibly working for Bulgarian independence.

3.

Nature of Relationship/Interest: It was learned

that French Intelligence Service was attempting

to bribe KELLY and make him a double agent and

Kelly appeared to be interested in the French offers.

Accordingly, a plan was made to have KELLY believe

that he was going to be assassinated and for protec-

tion he was placed in custody of the Greek police

KELLY was held in the

prison for six months until the Greek authorities

decided that KELLY was was a nuisance and they told

our people to take him back. He was then flown to

Panama where; through arrangement, he was placed in

a U. S. military hospital as a psychopathic patient.

According to the 25 January 1952 memorandum, KELLY

Titary 25 janua

had been in the hospital for several months

and the

hospital authorities want him out since he is causing

problems. He is not a psychopathic personality.

Because

of his confinement in a Greek prison and his

stay in a military hospital, KELLY became very hostile

toward the United States and our intelligence opera-

tions in particular.

OPC was considering an "ARTICHOKE" approach to KELLY

to see if it would be possible to reorient KELLY

favorably toward us. However, OPC advised on

2 February 1952 that some opposition had arisen in

the top level of OPC to the handling of the KELLY

1052 that so to handling

case in the manner that had been proposed. Since

this opposition had arisen, nothing would be done

to the KELLY case.

4. Period of Relationship: No dates supplied

5.. Indications of Drug Experimentation:

None found

ó. Co-optoe Interest: . Not indicated

80 4 00 8 00 8 9

Bondlar00: (20051110) Di. Sobert Ecko.

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II.

Office of Security File Summary - DIMITROV, Dimitre

Adamov (lyle O. Kelly) (QKSTAIR) (SHAM/BCONVOY)

# 46165

1.

Short Sumnary of Agency Interest/Use:

the file was opened in October 1950, when DIMITROV

was o1 operational Interest to the Agency. while

employed for Radio Athens in Greece.

Previously,

DIMITROV had fled from Bulgaria in July 1947. As

of October 1951, DIMITROV was in a hospital in

auspices.

apparently after returning to Athens from South

America, and the Agency made no further operational

use of DIMITROV: In June 1960 DIMITROV [under case

To in Bach tho

#33259--Dimiter DIMITROFF ("Diko")] had contact

with the Contact Division outlining his background,

claiming financial difficulties, and requesting the

Agency back his plans for covert activity against

Bulgaria.

The Agency apparently took no action in

this regard.

During this contact DIMITROV claimed

that circa 1951 he was held in a hospital/cell in

Panama City-

2. Background Investigations: None

3. Confirmation of ARTICHOKE/BLUEBIRD/MULTRA Interest:

4. Project Associates: None

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Office Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

DATE: 25 Jaruary 1952

FROM

SUbjECt:

Filo

Morse Allen

Kelly Casa

On Friday, 25 January 1952, the writer was called to the office

of MI. Banneran for the purpose of a conference with one kr. (Pricastt,

EE/OPC, concarning the instant case.

Mr. Prichett) explained in substance the Kelly case as follows;

Kelly, (whose real nans is Dinitro7), is a 29-year-old Bulgarian and

was the head of a snall political party based in Greace and ostensively

worng for bulgarian independance. Kelly was described by frachett

as being Joung, ambitious, brigat (elamentary collega education), a

sort ol a "man-on-a-horsa" typs but a typical Balkan politicia.

cording to Prichatt, our people discovered tbat French Intelligence

Service it? attempting to bribe felly and make him a double agent and

Kelly was looding wita favor noon the French offers. According hits

plot was rigged in which kally was told ha was going to ba zaninues

and as a "protaction", he was placed in custody of the Greek Police

wao threw kelly into a Greek prison. Kelly was hold In tha Groek pri-

son for six montes until the Gresk authorities decided that Kelly was

a nuisance and they told our people to take him back. Since our

people sere unable to dispose of tally in Groace, they flew him to

Panana where, through arrangement, ha was placed in a U.S. Military

Hospital as a psychopathic patient. Kelly now has been in tag U.s.

military hospital for several months and the hospital authorities zox

want to get him out since he is causing considerable trouble, bothering

other patlents,.otc.

Kelly is not a psychopathic personality.

(Prichett explained that they can dispose of Kelly by. the simple

process of sending him to a friend of his in Caracas, Venezuela, and

as far as they are concerned, that type of disposal is perfuctly o".

However, because of his confirement in a Greek prison and his stay in

a military hospital, Kelly has becone very hostile toward the United

States and our intelligence operations in particular. Hence, OPC is

-considsring an "Artichoke" approach to Kelly to see if it would ba

possible to re-orient folly favorably toward us. This operation, which

will necessarily Involve the use of drags is being considered by liu

with a possibllity that Dr. Ecla and like Gladych will cary out the

operation presumably at the military hospital in Panama. Also in-

volved in this would be a Bulgarian interpreter who is a corsultant

to this Agency since noither Icks ror Gladyci speak Bulgarlan...

Mr. Bannernan pointad out to Prichett that this type of operation

could only be carried out with the authorization of Security and that,

under no circunstances whatsoever, could anyong but an authorized H.D.

administer drugs to any subject of this Agency of any type. Bannerran

pointed out that thare was a strong possibility that the military

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song

this

authorities would not permit their hospital to be used for/typa of work

nd also that a re-conditioning operation of this type migat taia as

Jong as 30-60.

Banneman further poiniad out that tum if sus a

oparation were carried on, Security would haya to be cognizant of it,

would have to be

co-ordinated into the organinetion and would possibly

taka over and ran the operation themselyes since this typa of work

is one id whick Security handles of

It was agreed between Prichatt, Banzernan, and the writer that a

conference would be laid on Monday' afternoon when OPC representatives

and the Bulgarian interprater retarn from Boston and their talks with

patch

Miss Gladych. At which time, tha angles would be explored ard a dig-

Itarya would be forwarded to our peopls in Panana dirscting. them to

find out whether the Amy would pernit such an operation and whether

the Army would allow the. Agency to haye the usa of the necessary rooms,

medical facilitias, ete. as would be reguirod for this type of operation..

At this time, it was also to ba datermined, whether the disposal of Kelly T&

Venezuela could in fact be laid or.

Commant:

This particular operation was mentioned in general terms to the

writer by Mr. Walter Driscoll approdmately thirty days ago on an in-

' formal. basis but no significant details were given at this time.

While the tachnique that Ecke and Gladych are considering for usa

In this cass is not koown to the uniter, the writer balianes the approach

w1]], be mads through the standard sarço-hypnosis technique. Re-conditioning

and re-orienting an Individual in such a matter, in tha opindon at-tho

writer, cannot be accomplished easily and will require a great deal al

time and the t fact that an intarpreter is necessary in the case can-

plicates it considerably more. It is also believed that with ow present is

knowledge, we sould have no absolute guarantze that the subject in this

case would maintain a positive friendly attitude toward us even though

there is apparantly a successful response to the treatment. The writer

did not suggest to Prichett that perhaps a total amnesia could be created

by a series of electro shocks, but merely iodicated that amnesias undar

drugs treatments were not certain.

MORSE ALON

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Office Memora. JUm • UNITED STAT S COVERNMENT

DATE: 7 Februasy 1952

TO

FROM:

SUBJECT:

File

Morse Allen

Kelly Case

I. On Wednesday, 30 January 1952, at 9:30 AM, the writer called

Mr. Prichstt relative the Kelly case.

Prichett stated that the OPC

official and interpreter had made a trip to Boston and had seen Gladyci.

Prichatt) stated that Gladych and the interpreter had reached complete

accord on the handling of the Kelly situation. Prichatt than stated

that he was trying to arrange that the Kelly case could be linad up

completely before he set up conferences with I & SO relative tha trip

to Panana." Prichatt provised to call the writer at the end of the

So rela

week.

2

On/February 1952, at 12:15 AM, Prichatt called the writer

relative the Kelly case. (Prachett stated that in OPC at the top: level,

some opposition had arisen to the handling of the felly case in the

nanner that had baen proposed. Prichsttistated that since this opposition

of tha higher ups had arisan, nothing would be done relative the kelly

case. (Prichett stated that he would call immediately upon any nei

davelopments along these lines. The writer informed Prichett that

I & So would be glad to consider the matter and would wait until it

was brought up again and would await his call relative aay new de-

velopments.

MORSE ALLEN

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