COMMISSION ON CIA ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES Washington DC 20500 April_22 1975 5 iv MEMORANDUM h TI 3 51 To File 0 From Mason Cargill 5 Subject MC CONE PAPERS D 1 -I have gone through most of the papers remaining 1 a at the Agenc3 r prepared by DCI McCone from November 29 1961 through December 31 1964 Attached are notes on portions QEE of them dealing in any way with possible assassination 25 attempts and contacts with the Warren Commission 5 Enclosures - - n E- RMC clb Cam rm SEW SENSITIVE MATERIAL ATTACHED n In to an ma a d- r 23 1 3 an ancs'r-s or - Er- 1 333 Archivists moire cf NAP I Lug 5-9 tr-p imma- canines mn- 0 wmm mm 9 1014415 W14 TM momma Fm P3 S Lbl af- wy d rm Mum his I mime Main cd I SJ hams Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Library Wash 121% W ch Tam l hbr From Mason Cargill r1 Toe sesam- - SENSITIVE at 2 I 4 612 COMMISSION ON CIA ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES Washington DC 20500 May 1 1975 MEMORANDUM To David W Belin low Subject SEARCH OF FILES FOR MATERIALS RELEVANT TO ASSASSINATIDN PLANS I have completed an examination of the personal files of DCI McCone from November 29 1961 through December 31 1964 and the files relating to MONGOOSE and ZRRIFLE compiled by the Inspector General Detailed lists of documents in these with any possible relevance are attached as Tabs A B and C - All the documents in McCone's files relating to Cuba and the files relating to MONGOOSE certainly indicate a strong desire to bring about the downfall of the Castro govern- ment along with extreme pressure from'the President and Attorney General to find a way to do so However nothing in these files indicates any plan to assassinate Castro However in one of McCone's files there is an indication that the Agency was aware of plots by certain Cuban exiles to liquidate Castro See page 9 of Tab A and that these were reported to the Special Group You have requested copies of documents re lating to this in a letter to Mr Knoche of April 24 Also one document indicates that McCone once stated one ultimate objective of our policy toward Cuba should be to encourage dissident elements in the military and other power centers of the regime to bring about the'eventual liquidation of the Castro communist entourage and the elimination of the Soviet presence from Cuba _ emphasis added See first paragraph page 8 Tab A The only documents in McCone's files referring to the Kennedy assassination or Oswald are summarized on- page 7 of Tab A under the heading November 23 1963 - December 31 1963 Ac Marvin Gray SENSITIVE RMC cl'o DECLASSIFIED with portions redacted JFK Assess Rec Collection Act of 1992 on are-m a NARA date nial By l j-L J- Dcclassi cd- Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Library - SENSITIVE 2 Most documents in the ZRRIFLE files indicate that its primary purpose was to recruit foreigners to conduct bur glaries and safeorackings overseas to obtain code materials However there are a few more incriminating papers which seem to indicate a second purpose of ZRRIFLE probably the estab lishment of an assassination capability and perhaps open a plan to use one agent QJWIN in an assassination attempt in the Congo I refer specifically to documents summarized in Tab c at paragraph 11 page 4 para graph 24 page 7 paragraph 2 page 8 paragraph 1 page 9 paragraph 3 page 11 I definitely feel_we should obtain copies of the documents underlined above as well as one which indicates some ZRRIFLE activity in the Miami area summarized at para graph 4 page_9 Tab C Also we should obtain a copy of the document referred to above in which McCone advocated that dissident Cubans bring about the eventual liquidation of the Castro communist entourage I have_prepared a letter for your signature requesting them attached hereto WRET- SENS ITIVE alto- twine Nomads 1 $19193 r Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Library Declassi ed F3 cm b Nihilisle Show SECRET - SENSITIVE MC CONE PAPERS NOVEMBER 24 1961 - DECEMBER 31 1964 REFERENCES TO CUBA ASSASSINATIONS WARREN COMIISSION MATTERS BOX 2 MEMORANDA FOR RECORD Pile November 29 1961 - April 5 1962 December 5 1961 Meeting with Attorney General Kennedy Lansdale operation mentioned in paragraph 12 December 27 1961 Meeting with Attorney General Kennedy - Lansdale operation mentioned in paragraph 5 January 22 1962 Meeting with Attorney General Kennedy Reference to a Lansdale paper to be discussed by the 5412 Committee plus Robert Kennedy April 5 1962 Memos on Special Group Mongoose Project - General discussion of possible military intervention in Cuba File April 7 1962 August 21 1962 40 April 10 1962 phone call to Bundy explaining that Attorney General upset that Perrez was apparently telling people in Miami about his five meetings with the Attorney General Cardona was to meet JFK that day 61 - July 3 1962 meeting with Attorney General - included a short discussion of 36 August 21 1962 meeting with Rush McNamara Alexis Johnson the Attorney General Director of Central Intelligence General Taylor Lemnitzer and M Bundy a general discussion of Cuban situation and possible courses of action if MRBM's are discovered in Cuba McNamara expressed strong feelings that we should take every possible aggressive_ action in the fields-of intelligence sabo tage and guerrilla warfare utilizing Cubans and do such other things as might be indi cated to divide the Castro regime emphasis added BEEF-WT - SENSITIVE Dmh m l Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Library - SENSITIVE File August 24 1962 - December 31 1962 97 October 5 1962 Meeting between DCI and Bundy McCone wanted to be more activist toward Cuba - Bundy was more conservative No specifics 118 - December 17 1962 DCI memo re Barman Report on Cuba Apparently not a meeting or phone call Comments on Report on Missile Crisis according to Elder 119 December 13 1962 DCI memo re Barman Report on Cuba 120 December 19 1962 DCI memo re Barman Report on Cuba File June 1 1963 - February 9 1963- 12 - January 21 1963 phone call between DCI and Eisenhower transcript about Cuba No mention of assassination File February 9 1963 April 9 1963 36 - March 5 1963 Memo of DCI discussion with Attorney General No one to see without DCI permission According to Elder dealt with wiretap of newsman 38 - March 7 1963 Memo of conversation with Attorney General at Hickory Hill No one to see without DCI permission DES TROYED 52 March 30 1963 DCI discussion with Eisenhower and Lundahl on current status of Cuba File _ April 15 1963 June 4 1963 68 - Memo of DCI on Cuban Policy Random thoughts developed by DCI on various aspects of the Cuban problem and the discussions at Standing Group prepared for use by representatives of DCI at meetings on this subject during his absence from the country April 25 1963 contains the following - SENSITIVE Dcclasn od Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Library EMT - SENSITIVE agree with the ONE estimate that Castro's political position will im- prove within the next year barring assassination The context clearly indicates however that DCI is not proposing this 77 DCI memo of May 18 1963 on Haiti contains this statement Apparently Duvalier in the absence of assassi nation will survive the efforts of internal opposition Context indicates DCI was not proposing or considering assassination 61 April 15 1963 Memo of meeting between Attorney General and Director of Central Intelligence about Helms Angleton operation Cuban sabotage proposals 62 - April 17 1963 Meeting of DCI and Rusk about Helms Angleton ails June 5 1953 July 20 1963 Nothing Relevant File July 23 1963 - November 26 1963 133 'August 20 1963 Luncheon with DCI Colonel Grogan Tom Ross of Chicago Sun Times a an 133 - September 5 1963 DCI and Bundy _ Lgagxgg p my Sammy 138 - September 7 1963 DCI ano Papich 138 September 12 1963 DCI and J Eag Justice Department 158 5 - October 24 1963 DCI Robert F Kennedy lunch at Kennedy's house - 168 - November 26 1963 DCI and Bondy on message about Kennedy assassination Seem'r - SENSITIVE Bahama Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Library - SENS ITIVE 4 168 November 15 1963 DCI and Rusk Sukarno had said that British and CIA were plotting to kill him Rusk asked if CIA had any information about a plot by British DCI said no File November 27 1963 - December 31 1963 Entire contents of file missing From titles nothing here appears relevant File January_l 1964 February 11 1964 Nothing relevant File February 12 1964 April 5 1964 Entire contents of file missing 25 5 February 19 1964 DCI and Fitzgerald White House Meeting Situation Room Re Cuba 36 1 - March 14 1964 Meeting of DCI Bundy Helms 46 April 5 1964 Meeting of DCI and Rusk ONLY NO DISTRIBUTION FSO Richard Fredericks Carl Rowan Republican Platform or 1960 File April 6 1964 July 8 1964 49 April 16 1964 Meeting with DCI Justice Warren Senator 000per Stern Rankin Willens of subject Met in DCI's Office 58 May 14 1964 DCI Rankin Helms Subject Warren Commission accompanied by Mr Helms Helms saw commission transcript and returned it to the commission expected a 69 - June 19 1964 DCI Mr and Mrs Henry Luce Memos used at lunch re vCuban article in nothing on assassinations seessr - SENSITJ IE Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Library Dcclassi cd WT - SENSITIVE 5 File July 8 1964 August 12 1964 No file under these dates File August 12 1964 September 10 1964 Nothing relevant File September 11 1964 October 31 1964 138 October 15 1964 DCI Sam Papich DISTRIBUTION discussion re Walter Jenkins' matter 143 - October 22 1964 DCI Robert Kennedy In Presidential Suite NYC Personal discussion EYES ONLY JAM - N0 File November 1 1954 - December 31 1964 Nothing relevant 8 MEMORANDA OF MEETINGS WITH THE PRESIDENT File October 25 1961 July 31 1962 B December 14 1961 at a meeting with the President and General Taylor DCI advised Kennedy that there were possible dangers that he might be the subject of an assassi nation attempt on his planned trip to Colombia and Venezuela which the CIA could not guarantee the safety of 6 - February 11 1962 at a meeting with the President Bundy and Taylor DCI discussed efforts to convince one Charles Murphy not to write a certain article for Life magazine on some subject related to Cuba Apparently the article was revised to DCI's satisfaction and then published 12 - May 7 1962 at a meeting with the President and Taylor DCI discussed Operation Mongoose in some detail No mention of assassinations assasT SENSITIVE Dcclassi od Photocopy Gerald R Ford Library SEER-ET - SENSITIVE - 6 File 1962 actually covering July 31 1962 November 29 through Dec 18 1962 28 July 20 1962 At a meeting with the President Taylor and Alexis Johnson Mongoose was discussed No mention of assassination 52 - October 26 1962 At a meeting of NSC Executive Committee DCI discussed Mongoose No mention of assassination 55 - October 30 1962 Directive to CIA estop Alpha 66 Memo to DDCI outlining Presidential no provocative actions by refugee groups stop Mongoose ops no contact with Press 70 November 29 1962 -At a meeting of the NSC Executive Committee President absent DCI discussed Mongoose No mention of assassination File January 1 1963 - March 31 1963 7 January 23 1963 4 30 DCI and Helms No memo present Listing does not indicate whether or not memo was prepared even though it generally indicates when memos_were not prepared Secretary's note of 1 27 72 MB notes No HR in file Meeting with President - January 23 1953 4 45 Meeting between DCI and President missing memo same situation as above 4 March 25 1963 In meeting with PresidentPresident suggested that the DCI talk this matter with 3 Edgar Hoover on File April 1 1963 - July 1 1963 33 April 16 1963 In meeting with the President DCI discussed two methods of dealing with Castro 1 Working on Castro to turn him from Soviets 2 Pressuring USSR to remove from Cuba and then to bring about the downfall of Castro by means which could be'developed after the removal of Soviet No mention of assassination seen-so - SENSITIVE basses Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Library WT - SENSITIVE 7 43 - May 27 1963 In meeting of President DCI and - others policy towards covert operations were discussed No mention of assassination 50 - June 19 1963 In meeting with the President and others DCI discussed plans for covert operations against Cuba including external sabotage Vague memo of record by Desmond FitzGerald but no mention of assassination File July 1 1963 November 12 1963 74 November 12 1963 At a meeting of the President DCI and others NcCone emphasized that to a very considerable extent these Cuban exile groups are uncontrollable and forecast that once Artime was in business we might expect some events to take place which were not exactly to our liking This was in a general discussion of covert actions against Cuba no mention of assassination File November 23 1963 December 31 1963 1 November 23 1963 memo of November 25 DCI told Lyndon B Johnson of information received from Mexico City DCI later called Rusk to tell him of information from Mexico City holding of a Mexican employee of the Cuban embassy by Mexican officials for interrogation concerning Lee Oswald 4 November 25 and 26 1963 memo of November 26 In meetings with the President and the DCI the President expressed contempt at Justice Department suggestion of independent inves- tigation of John F Kennedy s assassination He instructed the DCI to insure CIA cooperation with the FBI report 4 November 29 1963 In a meeting with DCI Lyndon B Johnson McNamara and Bundy the DCI apparently gave latest developments in Mexico City investigation of Oswald A list of late developments is in file to be used for this purpose Obtain copy File January 1 1964 - April 2 1964 I I i L Nothing relevant 1- Sm - SENSITIVE krbm kd Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Libraryr SECRET - SENSITIVE a File April 3 1964 - May 20 1964 19 - April 7 1964 Meeting of DCI President and others re Cuba Covert Action Here DCI advocates strong program to obtain overall objective set forth in a paper of June 8 1963 The ultimate objective of this policy would be to encourage dissident elements in the military and other power centers of the regime to bring about the eventual liquidation of the Castro communist entourage and the elimination of the Soviet presence from Cuba emphasis added COPY I File May 21 1964 October 5 1964 September 30 1964 Meeting of President et al to discuss Warren Commission Report to set up Presidential Committee No memo indicated to have been prepared File October 6 l964 - December 23 1954 Nothing Relevant Fun - - BOX 1 303 COUNTERINSURGENCY SPECIAL GROUP CHRONO 1962 File 303 January - December 1953' Several sets of minutes have the following notations after paragraphs dealing with Cuban operations - See Special minutes for additional items No such special minutes appear to be contained in this file However this same nota tion appeared in connection with other subjects This file contains several discussions of the Haitian problem Although it's clear the participants would like to be rid of Duvalier there is no mention of assassination Nothing also relevant File January December 1964 Contains discussion of Haitian problem and CIA agreed to explore methods of dealing with the Duvalier problem in the immediate future May 12 1964 Other than certain memoranda prepared by McCone SEES-FEET - SENS ITIVE Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Library Bahama - seem - - 9 The minutes of the June 18 1964 meeting dated June 22 1964 contained the following signed by Peter Jessup paper was discussed on alleged plans which involve the underworld to assassinate certain Cuban leaders Mr McCone was somewhat skeptical of the reported plots and stated that he would like to go into the matter further Others including Mr Bundy felt that the United States was being put on notice and should do everything in its power to ascertain the veracity of the reports and then under take prevention It was decided that Mr Bondy would call the matter to the Attorney General's attention as a matter of law enforcement Mr McCone's personal memorandum for the record on this meeting dated June 18 1964 contains substantially the same information It refers to a June 10 1964 CIA memorandum reporting plans of Cuban exiles to assassinate leading Cuban government leaders This memo apparently had been sent to Special Group members and the Attorney General MbCone's memo contains the following Discuss with General Carter and Mr Helms steps we should take to establish the credibility of the report also communicate with the FBI through Mr Papich Also I should call the Attorney General personally The official minutes of the July 30 1964 303 Committee meeting dated July 31 1964 referred to in 1967 IG report contain no mention of assassination or even of Cuba - Mr McCone's personal memorandum dated July 31 1964 had only the following reference to Cuba Proposed infiltrationyexfiltration operations into Cuba for August were approved and the July operations were noted File Counterinsurgency January - June 1962 Nothingprelevant EMT SENS ITIVE Dmhu ai PhotocoPy from Gerald R Ford Library access SENSITIVE 10 BOX 7 MISCELLANEOUS Envelope 9 Cuba Loose Ends Much information on Mongoose No mention of assassination Envelope containing FBI report of October 16 1963 entitled Communism and the Negro Movement A Current Analysis - contains comments on Dr King's personal life Relayed by J Edgar Hoover to McCone File Cuba - Background Material This file contains only material relating to the Cuban missile crisis It contains no references to any assassinations File White House This file covering 1962 and 1963 contains correspondence to from and of interest to the White House - SENSITIVE reasons Photocopy from Gerald R Ford Library SENSITIVE -1 11 BOX 5 MISCELLANEOUS The file Entitled Cuba Package does not appear to be in this box The name of this file hoWever appears on the page which purports to list the files in the box File Cuba 1962 Nothing relevant to assassinations File Cuba 1964 February 21 1964 memorandum for the Director of Central Intelligence from Desmond FitzGerald Chief Special Affairs Staff entitled Spectrum of Courses of Action with Respect to Cuba This nine-page memorandum outlines many possible courses-of action which the 0 5 Government could take with respect to Fidel Castro even including measures as drastic as an actual invasion of the island by 0 5 military forces It however contains no mention or reference to possible assassi- nation of Castro BOX 6 MISCELLANEOUS File Presidential Briefing December_22 1964 Nothing relevant to assassination File File Nothing relevant to our subject of interest File File This file contains papers dealing with the services of Allen Dulles as a consultant to the Agency after his retirement There is no mention of the subject in which we are interested File File Nothing relevant REGRET - SENS ITIVE Phc-mmpy from Gerald R Ford Library Declassi cd SENSITIVE -13- BOX 4 MISCELLANEOUS From the listing of files contained nothing appeared likely to contain relevant information Therefore the files in this box were not examined seem SENS ITIVE 32mg f 3 WM mtwa 1 Wm #0 h- Itum 'P iw vis