CIA releases the 'family jewels'

Ray · 06-29-2007, 04:34 AM

Quote:

CIA releases the 'family jewels'

By David Corn
Published: June 27, 2007

WASHINGTON:

On Tuesday, the CIA released its infamous "Family Jewels" file. This is a set of internal memos compiled in the mid-1970s after press reports revealed numerous CIA dirty tricks.

In 1973, CIA director James Schlessinger, having learned that Watergate burglars E. Howard Hunt and James McCord (both CIA veterans) had been in contact with the Agency while carrying out illegal activities for President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign, ordered divisions within the CIA to report any activities they had engaged in since 1959 that might be outside the CIA's authority.

Deputy Director William Colby then assembled a loose-leaf notebook of the memos that poured in. The whole package totaled 700 pages. And though its existence has been known for years this secret file has never before been made public. It was considered to hold the agency's darkest secrets.

Many of these secrets did emerge during the congressional investigations of the 1970s: the joint CIA-Mafia attempt to assassinate Fidel Castro; CIA surveillance of American reporters and political dissidents; the CIA's secret jailing for three years of a suspected Soviet agent (who was not a Soviet agent). The newly-released documents are full of fresh details about some of these notorious episodes. But at least one of the "Family Jewels" seems to be missing.

The first document in the packet is a 1973 memo from Howard Osborn, then the CIA's director of security, to the CIA top management, and it summarizes the "jewels" compiled by his office. It lists eight problems - including the recruitment of mobster Johnny Roselli for the Castro hit. But blacked out from this document is the first item on Osborn's list. And a 2½-page description of this operation is also redacted from the "Family Jewels" file.

There are many other deletions in the "Family Jewels" file, and in most instances there's no telling exactly what has been excised. But much of the censored material seems to be related to how the CIA has created cover and fake documents. This is probably justifiable, says Thomas Blanton, director of the National Security Archive, a public interest outfit that filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the "Family Jewels" 15 years ago, because such operational secrets may still be relevant today. But the missing jewel? Assassination? Domestic spying? Something unimaginable? "We just don't know," says Blanton.

All in all, Blanton notes, the file is not as explosive as CIA-watchers might have anticipated. Much of the information came out years ago. There are, however, intriguing tidbits scattered throughout these hundreds of pages. Here are a few:

In a June 1, 1973 memo written to Colby, Walter Elder, who had been executive assistant for John McCone, the CIA director in the early 1960s, outlined "activities which to hostile observers or to someone without complete knowledge. . . could be interpreted as examples of activities exceeding CIA's charters." One such activity, he noted, "involved chemical warfare operations against. . " The target is redacted. This operation, according to Elder, never went beyond the planning stage.

In the same memo, Elder reports that discussions within the CIA chief's offices were recorded and transcribed: "I know that any one who has worked in the Director's office has worried about the fact that conversations within the offices and over the telephones were transcribed. During McCone's tenure, there were microphones in his regular office, his inner office, his dining room, his office in East Building, and his study at his residence on White Haven Street. I do not know who would be willing to raise such an issue, but knowledge of such operations tends to spread, and certainly the Agency is vulnerable on this score."

Secret transcripts of conversations involving CIA directors? According to Blanton, there's never been any public indication that McCone or other CIA directors bugged themselves. Transcripts of such discussions could contain plenty of jewels. The National Security Archive is already filing a Freedom of Information Act request.

One memo notes that CIA had a Project OFTEN that collected "data on dangerous drugs from U.S. firms" until the program was terminated in the fall of 1972. Another memo reports that commercial drug manufacturers "passed on" to the CIA drugs "rejected because of unfavorable side effects." These drugs were then tested using volunteers from the U.S. military.

During the internal review that led to the creation of the "Family Jewels" file, a top CIA official suggested that the CIA director keep himself in the dark about MKULTRA - the Agency's mind control program run by Sidney Gottlieb, a psychiatrist and chemist. As part of this program, the CIA slipped LSD and other psychoactive drugs to unwitting subjects. (Gottlieb, according to another document in the file, was supposed to have provided poison for an assassination attempt against Patrice Lumumba, the anti-colonial prime minister of the Republic of Congo. After being deposed in a 1960 coup, Lumumba was shot and killed by Kantangan forces.)

CIA employees assigned to MHCHAOS - the operation that conducted surveillance against American opponents of the Vietnam war and other political dissidents - expressed a "high degree of resentment" about being given such a mission.

The CIA "performed image enhancement techniques" on video footage of the television show of columnist Jack Anderson, who had received leaks of top-secret CIA documents. "The purpose was to try to identify serial numbers of CIA documents in Anderson's possession" - presumably documents he held up or that were on his desk. The memo on this operation does not say if the effort succeeded.

General Michael Hayden, the CIA chief, deserves some credit for releasing the "Family Jewels," and he wants the public to believe that his CIA is not your father's CIA, which plotted assassinations, illegally opened mail and spied on American political dissidents. But the CIA in recent days has run secret prisons and used interrogation methods that either involve torture or border on torture. And the National Security Agency has used warrantless wiretaps to eavesdrop on American citizens and residents.

Moreover, as the release of the "Family Jewels" demonstrates, there still are secrets from the past the CIA will not disclose. Are these legitimate secrets that ought to be kept from the public to protect national security, or are they embarrassments the Agency is not willing to face?

David Corn is the Washington editor of The Nation. This article was distributed by Agence Global.

CIA releases the 'family jewels' - International Herald Tribune

It really required guts to release these documents.

It is a moral triumph for US Democracy.

But it adds to the weapons of those who do not like the USA, even though everybody does the same!

Is is a triumph of truth or has the US played into the hands of those who do not lijke the US.

What was speculation yesterday, can be backed up with facts today!

Wise move?

Ray · 06-29-2007, 04:37 AM

May see:

CIA FOIA - Special Collections

FiRepower · 06-29-2007, 06:19 AM

Many documents were not even released..
For example assassination of JFK , everybody knows CIA did it.

crooks · 06-29-2007, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FiRepower

Many documents were not even released..
For example assassination of JFK , everybody knows CIA did it.

!

How?

Ray · 06-29-2007, 12:17 PM

CIA killed JFK?

glyn · 06-29-2007, 13:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FiRepower

Many documents were not even released..
For example assassination of JFK , everybody knows CIA did it.

You have said a number of foolish things so far during your time on WAB, but this is without doubt the most foolish yet. How old are you, sonny?

FiRepower · 06-29-2007, 13:53 PM

omg don't be naive , first oswald was framed .. its already prooven that he couldn't fire from there like kennedy was shot , shots were coming from 2 ways...

second oswald was killed , why ? lol to cover up the truth

third , robert kennedy said he will find the murderer of his brother , what hapens , he is killed.

Who else than CIA could have did it ?

And I am 43 years old son.

Here is some usefull things you should read:

JFK MURDER SOLVED - THE CIA DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN

CIA Killed JFK

**Officer of Engineers** · 06-29-2007, 14:18 PM

We're alot older than you, Son!

FiRepower · 06-29-2007, 14:37 PM

CIA had a good reason to do it , and nobody can prove they didn't , and there is no doubt that 2 shooters shot at kennedy , do you disagree?

**Officer of Engineers** · 06-29-2007, 14:51 PM

I most strongly disagree. We've gone over this a million times before. Whether or not the CIA had the motive or not does not prove that they did it. I don't have to prove they didn't do it. You have to prove that they did. That's how our system works.

And the ballistics tests have been done to death. There was only one shooter. The 2nd shooter thing were echos. That has been recreated and verified.

As for Oswald being shot, well, how many of us here would like to take a bullet to Osama's head?

Kansas Bear · 06-29-2007, 15:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FiRepower

third , robert kennedy said he will find the murderer of his brother , what hapens , he is killed.

Yet, it took "them" 5 years to off Robert Kennedy??

So prior to 1968, Robert Kennedy wasn't a threat after his brother's assassination, even though he was US Attorney General from 1961-1964??

Quote:

Who else than CIA could have did it ?

Teamsters
KGB
Federal Reserve

Quote:

And I am 43 years old son.

Your son posts on here? Cool.

FiRepower · 06-29-2007, 16:10 PM

The USA government, through the Warren Commission, says JFK's assassination was planned and carried out by one man, acting alone, who fired three bullets of which the second one missed and hit a curb, the third one fatally hit JFK in the back of the head, and the first has come to be known as THE MAGIC BULLET:

fired from the far east-end window
of the 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository building,
entered JFK's back;
exited from his throat;
entered Connally's back;
exited his chest near the right nipple;
went through his right wrist shattering the radius bone;
entered his left leg embedding itself in his thigh bone*,
then dropped out later,
in pristine condition,
on his stretcher in Parkland Hospital.
synopsis of the Sep 27, 1964 Warren Report

No real bullet could do that. It defies the laws of physics.

And no real man could go from the front east corner to the back east corner of the sixth floor - stash a rifle behind some boxes - then cross to the west side and down four flights of stairs to the lunchroom on the second floor in ninety seconds to be seen there - sipping a Coke - by his boss and a police officer as they ran passed on their way upstairs. But that's what the government says Lee Harvey Oswald did.

Those are a couple of reasons why some people - so called "conspiracy theorists" - don't believe the "official" version of the JFK assassination.

Also look at this

YouTube - JFK assassination Edward Lansdale

**Officer of Engineers** · 06-29-2007, 16:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FiRepower

No real bullet could do that. It defies the laws of physics.

How about you actually reading the report before spouting that it's against the laws of physics. From the video, it was clearly shown that the man was slouched over when he got shot. Draw the line down.

**TopHatter** · 06-29-2007, 19:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FiRepower

Many documents were not even released..
For example assassination of JFK , everybody knows CIA did it.

Everybody and Oliver Stone too.

**Parihaka** · 06-30-2007, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FiRepower

omg don't be naive , first oswald was framed .. its already prooven that he couldn't fire from there like kennedy was shot , shots were coming from 2 ways...

second oswald was killed , why ? lol to cover up the truth

third , robert kennedy said he will find the murderer of his brother , what hapens , he is killed.

Who else than CIA could have did it ?

And I am 43 years old son.

Here is some usefull things you should read:

JFK MURDER SOLVED - THE CIA DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN

CIA Killed JFK

Let me get this straight. On this thread and another, you've called both an American Naval Commander and a Canadian Colonel, both veterans, "Son".
You, on the other hand, say you are 43 years old, your log-on date of birth puts you at 24,and your grammar and comprehension would put you at about 15 - 16.
I try to save this for special occasions, but this is certainly one of those times.

06-29-2007, 14:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
Officer of Engineers *Military Professional* Moderator Scotch taster Join Date: 08-06-03 Posts: 17,064 Country:	We're alot older than you, Son! __________________ Chimo

06-29-2007, 16:10 PM	#12 (permalink)
FiRepower Banished Join Date: 06-10-07 Posts: 71 Country:	The USA government, through the Warren Commission, says JFK's assassination was planned and carried out by one man, acting alone, who fired three bullets of which the second one missed and hit a curb, the third one fatally hit JFK in the back of the head, and the first has come to be known as THE MAGIC BULLET: fired from the far east-end window of the 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository building, entered JFK's back; exited from his throat; entered Connally's back; exited his chest near the right nipple; went through his right wrist shattering the radius bone; entered his left leg embedding itself in his thigh bone, then dropped out later, in pristine condition, on his stretcher in Parkland Hospital. synopsis of the Sep 27, 1964 Warren Report No real bullet could do that. It defies the laws of physics. And no real man could go from the front east corner to the back east corner of the sixth floor - stash a rifle behind some boxes - then cross to the west side and down four flights of stairs to the lunchroom on the second floor in ninety seconds to be seen there - sipping a Coke - by his boss and a police officer as they ran passed on their way upstairs. But that's what the government says Lee Harvey Oswald did. Those are a couple of reasons why some people - so called "conspiracy theorists" - don't believe the "official" version of the JFK assassination. Also look at this YouTube - JFK assassination Edward Lansdale Last edited by FiRepower : 06-29-2007 at 16:18 PM.*

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06-29-2007, 04:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 28,269 Country:	May see: CIA FOIA - Special Collections

06-29-2007, 06:19 AM	#3 (permalink)
FiRepower Banished Join Date: 06-10-07 Posts: 71 Country:	Many documents were not even released.. For example assassination of JFK , everybody knows CIA did it.

06-29-2007, 12:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 28,269 Country:	CIA killed JFK?

06-29-2007, 13:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
FiRepower Banished Join Date: 06-10-07 Posts: 71 Country:	omg don't be naive , first oswald was framed .. its already prooven that he couldn't fire from there like kennedy was shot , shots were coming from 2 ways... second oswald was killed , why ? lol to cover up the truth third , robert kennedy said he will find the murderer of his brother , what hapens , he is killed. Who else than CIA could have did it ? And I am 43 years old son. Here is some usefull things you should read: JFK MURDER SOLVED - THE CIA DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN CIA Killed JFK

06-29-2007, 14:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
FiRepower Banished Join Date: 06-10-07 Posts: 71 Country:	CIA had a good reason to do it , and nobody can prove they didn't , and there is no doubt that 2 shooters shot at kennedy , do you disagree?

06-29-2007, 14:51 PM	#10 (permalink)
Officer of Engineers *Military Professional* Moderator Scotch taster Join Date: 08-06-03 Posts: 17,064 Country:	I most strongly disagree. We've gone over this a million times before. Whether or not the CIA had the motive or not does not prove that they did it. I don't have to prove they didn't do it. You have to prove that they did. That's how our system works. And the ballistics tests have been done to death. There was only one shooter. The 2nd shooter thing were echos. That has been recreated and verified. As for Oswald being shot, well, how many of us here would like to take a bullet to Osama's head?

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