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JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : NSA

RECORD NUMBER : 144-10001-10195

RECORDS SERIES :

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

DATE: 12/09/97

PAGE: 1

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : NSA

FROM

LOWMAN

TO : DASD (INTELL)

TITLE :

QUERIES TO NSA CONCERNING THE WARREN COMMISSION

PAGES

AGES : 91/26/76

HELENA GO E NO LON LATES CEAN SOVIET COMS

DOCUMENT TYPES: LETTER

CLASSIFICATION

RESTRICTIONS

1A, 1B

CURRENT STATUS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW

: 11/13/97

OPENING CRITERIA

ORIGINATING AGENCY'S DETERMINATION REQUIRED

COMMENTS

CONTAINS SENSITIVE

COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION

ER] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

Released pursuant to Executive Order 14176, DECLASS.

OF RECORDS CONC. THE

ASSASSINATIONS OF PRES. JFK, SEN. REK, AND THE REV. DR. MLK, JR.

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Doc

Released

pursuant

ASSASSINATIONS OF

to Executive Order 14176, DECLASS. OF RECORDS CONC. THE

PRES. JFK,

SEN. RFK, AND

THE REV.

DR. MLK,

D/BIR

80

èf ID: A4269460 4

ATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY

CENTRAL SECURITY SERVICE

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND 20755

Serial: N00.78

26 January 1976

TOP SEERET

MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY

OF DEFENSE (INTELLIGENCE)

SUBJECT:

Senate Select Committee Queries to NSA Concerning

the Warren Commission

Reference your letter dated 14 January 1976 transmitting

a request from Mr. Alton Quanbeck of the Senate Select

Committee Staff.

The following information is provided in

response to Mr. Quanbeck's letter, keyed by paragraph to

his letter (inclosed - see underlined portions).

Most of

the information was made available to the SSC Staff, Mr.

Jim Johnson, during an interview with Dr. Louis Tordella

on 20 January 1976.

Para. 1. - NSA requested permission to

retain

photocopies of those reports on which we had worked merely

as record copies of our efforts on behalf of the Commission.

It was felt that if a question should arise at that time

concerning what analytic efforts had been involved and the

number of

manhours expended, a record copy would prove useful.

No operational use was made

of these documents except to

hold them on file for a period of time which cannot now be

determined.

To the best of our present knowledge, the photo-

copies have now been destroyed.

Absolutely no results

relevant to the assassination were obtained through NSA's

analytic look at the exhibits. The Commission, in the person

of Mr. Allan Dulles, had asked DI. Tordella, informally, to

review the exhibits for any secret writing or codes which

might have been contained in the documents. Dr. Tordella,

after causing a careful review of the documents by NSA crypt-

analysts, reported verbally to Mr. Dulles and other Commission

members that nothing whatsoever had been achieved by the

analytic effort. No written reply was submitted.

Classifed by DINNGA/27029 (N99/05079 523-2)

Exempt tron: 626, B0 23222 069

Declassity Upon NeiSsation

Originat

APPENDED DOCUMENTS CONTANT

130102Г MA CAR DAM 091

1aned 10M5

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Here:

Serial: N0078

Para. 2. - NSA is uncertain as to what is precisely

meant by these comments, but we assume that the comments on

names refer to our biographic files which are maintained on

foreign personalities of potential intelligence significance.

As the Committee knows, these biographic files are maintained

(now at CIA incidentally) as analytic support.

It is also

possible that the Commission was referring to

the fact that

names are frequently seen in traffic collected for foreign

intelligence purposes and therefore NSA might have access

to foreign names not otherwise available to the Intelligence

Community.

Para. 3. - It may well be that CIA did obtain such

transmissions and pass them to NSA for analysis, but no one

presently working that analytic area recalls such a request.

Discussions with Dr. Tordella also failed to shed any light

on this subject. There are no files or records which we have

been able to locate from that time frame which would sub-

stantiate such

a claim.

In fact, the only file the responsible

analytic group has been able to locate concerning a request

from the Warren Commission deals with a file compiled from

open sources citing major dates in the last months of Oswald's

Presumably the date file was to be compared with NSA

product on/about the key dates in the hope that something

could be deduced. The file does not contain any "hits.

The analysts who performed this effort have since retired.

Para. 4. - The informal request from Mr. Dulles is

the known total extent of NSA's sole in assisting in the

investigation. The file discussed in Paragraph 3 is the only

file thus far recovered.

There is no information which can

now be identified which was developed from Cuban or Soviet.

transmissions relating to the assassination.

Para. 5. - We have no information on this subject

at all.

However, pursuant to the subject raised during the

Tordella interview, we have searched our files manually,

and as Mr. Lowman agreed during the Tordella interview, we

have recovered three product reports (Inclosures 2 through

4) which show that Cuban military forces did go on alert

immediately after the assassination.

There is no SIGINT

evidence, nowever, that the Cuban torces were alerted prior

to the assassination, thereby suggesting that they had prior

knowledge of the event.

Released pursuant to Executive Order 14176, DECLASS. OF RECORDS CONC. THE

ASSASSINATIONS OF PRES. JFK, SEN. REK, AND THE REV. DR. MLK, JR.

2

42 2 30085 12 028

BORDE.

F7:

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10477. H

isa=

Doc ID: 6879080

fID: A4269460

Serial: N0078

Para. 6. - No hard copy material of any kind was

provided to the Commission (see Para. l).

DAVID D. LOWMAI

Special Assistant

to the Director

for Congressional Reviews

4 Incls:

a/s

Released pursuant to Executive Order

14176, DECLASS. OF RECORDS CONC. THE ASSASSINATIONS OF

PRES. JEK, SEN. REK, AND THE REV. DR. MLK, JR.

7,2720

Al

**.

TABULA

"aft warn

...

•..a

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• .

CC :

ef ID: A4269460

(Less Incis

Serial:

N0078

DIR

D/DIR

ESS

ESS/R

ESS, Mr. Lowman

G, Mr.

Peksa

NCRDEF

A, Miss Caracristi (Less Incls)

L221

• 8

M/R: Inclosures 2 through 4 are product reports numbered

2/0/CURUJ/R66-63, 2/0/CUN/R196-63 and 2/0/CUJ/R58-63.

da Bicot

fa Pass mar ores 1015728 sam 75715.

Released pursuant to Executive Order 14176, DECLASS. OF RECORDS CONC. THE ASSASSINATIONS OF

PRES. JFK, SEN. REK, AND THE REV. DR. MLK, JR.

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* *.

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REFERRED TO

OFFICE

RECEIVED

SIGNATURE

fID: A42694S0T ROL NO.

DATE TINE

208

R2135

RELEASED

SEEN MY

DATE TIME

NAME & OFFICE

SYMBOL

DATE

Handle Via Indicated Controls

COMINT

Access to this document will be restricted to those persons

cleared for the specific projects;

WARNING

This document contoins information affecting the notional security of the United Stales within the meoning of

phe espionage laws U.S. Code Tille 18, Sections 793, 79. ond 798. The law prohibits its transmission or the

revelation of its consents in ony monner to on unauthorized person, os well os its use in ony manner prejudicial

lo she solaty or interest of the United Stoles or for the benefit of any foreign government lo the detriment ol

the United Stoles.

It is to be

seen only by personnel especiolly indoctrinaled and authorized to reccive ina

formation in the designoled control chonnels. lis securily muse be mointained in oscordance with regulations

pertoining to the BYEMAN ond Communications. Intelligence Controls. No oction is to be laken on ony com-

municotions intelligence which may be contained herein, regardless of the odvontage to be gained, if such

action might have she effect of rercoling the cristence and noture of the source, unless such oction is first

opproved by the appropriale authority.

Released pursuant to Executive Order 14176, DECLASS. OF RECORDS CONC. THE ASSASSINATIONS OF PRES.

JFK, SEN.

REK, AND THE REV. DR. MLK, JR.

P SECRET ...

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PHILIP A. MAMT. MICH.

WALTERF. MONOALE.

NINH.

WALTEN

O. HUDDLESTON, KY.

-Doe ID: 6879080

DARRY GOLOWATEN, ARIS®

CHAHLES MEC. MATHIA:

RICHARD S. SCHWEIKERT

CAHY MART,.COLO.

WILLIAM G. MILLER, STAFF DIRECTOR

FREDENICK A. O, SCH'NANZ. JR.. CHIEF COUNSEL

CUATIS R. SMOTHERS, MINORITY COUNSEL

i A nited States

nate

SELECT COMMITTEE TO

STUDY GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS WITH

RESPECT TO INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES

(PUASUANT TO S. RES, 21, BATH CONGRESS)

WASHINGTON. D.C. 20510

Released pursuant to Executive Order 14176, DECLASS. OF RECORDS CONC

AND THE REV. DR.

MLK,

THE ASSASSINATIONS OF PRES. JFK, SEN. REK,

January 13, 1976

Mr. Thomas K. Latimer

Special Assistant to the Secretary

U.

S. Department of Defense

Washington, D. C. 20301

Dear Tom:

In connection with the Select Committee's investigation of

the assassination of President Kennedy, we earlier received

answers to certain questions put to NSA.

Since then we have

examined other material pertaining to NSA's contribution to

the Warren Commission's investigation and we desire further in-

formation from NSA.

way of background for this request, we note the Warren

Commission provided NSA various documents and asked NSA to re-

view them for any cryptological significance. NSA found no

cryptological significance and its report of this fact was pub-

lished by the Commission.

1. By letter of July 10, 1964, (a copy of which is attached)

Mr. Rankin provided General Blake a copy of certain documents

reguested by Dr. Tordella for NSA's files. Since NSA's analysis

of the documents was apparently completed at the time of Rankin's

Letter WISh tO know waY NSA wanted to keep these documents

Further, we wish to know what use, if any, was

made of these documents and what results relevant to the assassina-

tion were obtained from such use.

..In a Commission staff internal memorandum, discussing the

documents provided NSA, it is reported that NSA is "primarily

interested in names,"

and NSA clains it has "information on names

which the CIA does not have."

Assuming these statements are ac-

curate, we wish to know what significance such names would have

10P

COMMIT CHA

ELS

FAIT HAD COBER AECIAGNFICATON

§ Sari:.?.

13: or 11: toot deo or siere:

AUTOMIT ALLY CLASSIANO CH

Enrissible tore trune

(unine enquesolo, essel date or ereoli

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Released pursuant to Executive Order 14176, DECLASS.

OF RECORDS CONC. THE ASSASSINATIONS

OF PRES. JFK, SEN. RFK

AND THE REV. DR. MLK, JR.

Doc IPi2879Romas K. Latinh

January 13, 1976

lage Two

ef ID: A4269460

HANDLE VIA &

WHELS

to NiA and whät information on names NSA had that CIA did not.

If names had significance, what names did NSA use in its analysis?

We are informed that CIA obtained transmissions from the

Soviet Embassy in Mexico City for November or December 1963 and

that it may have passed these to NSA for analysis. Did NSA Ie-

ceive these transmissions or any transmissions relevant to the

assassination inguiry? Did it analyze them? What were the re-

sults of its analysis?*

We are interested in learning the extent of NSA's role in

assisting in the investigation of the assassination.

In that

connection, please inform the Cormittee the extent of NSA files

relating to the assassination. Please provide the staff of the

Committee access to those files.. Please provide the staff with

2 summaty

of all information NSA developed from Cuban or Soviet

transmissions relating to the assassination.

We have been informed that after the assassination the

Cuban government instructed its embassies and consulates to re-:

turn all files on Oswald to Cuba.. What information does NSA

have on whether such instructions were issued?

6. In connection with the answers to questions 4 and 5, please

Indicate whether such material was provided the Warren Commission

and provide copies of all documents evidencing that fact.

We would appreciate receiving a response to these questions

as soon as possible and to expedite this inquiry we are sending

a copy of this letter to Mr. Foster of NSA.

Sincerely,

Alton H. Quanbeck

CC :

Frank Foster

parole une or mare)

Impossible to Betes nine

•nte ne 20ea91

2 mobt

HINDi VI CONDE CANES

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NEA

JLR: RI/ bjc

7/7/64

Mr. 'Mosk

Mr. Villens

Released pursuant to Executive

AND THE REV. DR. MLK, JR.

Order 14176,

DEC

ASS

OF

RECORDS

CONC

THE

ASSASSINATIONS

OF

PRES.

JFK,

SEN. REK

CC:

1ir. Renakin

JUL 1 0 1954

neulenant, General dordon A. BLare, U. s. A. f

wiiector, Matlungl Securite daener

Furt George 0. licade, diaryland

DEB! General Blake:

In regard to Dr. Tordello a request, the Hatlunal

S curity Agency lo authorized to keep for its file the calluwing

photographic copies of 1tena thich have been used by the

Commission 1n 1ts Investigation: . ...

(2) Commission Exh1o1t 31

(2)

Cormission Exhibit 15

(3) Comalssion Exhibit 204

(4) Commission Exhibit 18

. (5)"

Typeuritten versich of Conaission Exhibit 24

(6) F. B. I. Itens S-2, A-6

(7) P. B. I. Items 137, 152

Thank you for the cooperation and asslatance sou

liave rendered the Conmission.

Sincerely,

SIGLED

J. Lee Rankin

General Counsel

REC!

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