</s>157-10014-10151 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 JFK Assassination System Date: 77/7/2015 Identification Form Agency Information AGENCY: SSCCIA AGENCY : SSCCI RECORD NUMBER : 157-1001A-1015I RECORD SERIES : MISCELLANEOUS RECOROS OF THE CHURCH COMMITTEE AGENCY FILE NUMBER: 07-M-56 AGENCY FILENUMBER : MISSELLANEOUSE RECORCS OF THECHURCH COMMITTEE ORIGINATOR : SSCCIA Document Information FROM: TO: TITLE: SELECT COMMITTTEE ASSASINATION REPORT - DATE: 09/01/1975 PAGES: 560 SUBJECTS: SSCCQ, REPORT DOCUMENT TYPE : REPORT CLASSIFICATION : Classified RESTRICTIONS : IB: IC CURRENT STATUS : Redact DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 05/21/2000 OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : - - V9.1 NW 50955 DocId: 32423539 Page 1

Summary  
The document details CIA operations against Fidel Castro during the Kennedy administration, including covert actions such as poison pen plots, recruitment of underworld figures, and internal agency debates over authorization. Key events include a November 22, 1963, meeting between President John F. Kennedy and Cuban officials in Dallas, concurrent with a CIA plot to assassinate Castro involving a poison pen device. The document also references the August 10, 1962, Special Group meeting where discussions about "direct positive action" against Castro were raised, though no formal approval was recorded. Testimonies from CIA officials like Richard Helms and John McCone indicate conflicting accounts of whether these operations were authorized or known to higher-level administration figures. The CIA’s intelligence estimate warned that Castro’s assassination would strengthen Communist control in Cuba, influencing policy decisions during the Kennedy administration.  

Key People  
- **John F. Kennedy**: U.S. President whose meeting with Cuban officials on November 22, 1963, occurred concurrently with a CIA plot against Castro.  
- **Richard Helms**: CIA Deputy Director who testified about operations against Castro but denied direct orders for assassination.  
- **John McCone**: CIA Director who participated in discussions about authorization and covert actions.  
- **Allen Dulles**: Former CIA Director; Bissell claimed Dulles likely did not brief Kennedy on plots.  
- **Robert F. Kennedy**: Attorney General involved in planning Operation Mongoose, a covert program to destabilize Castro’s government.  
- **Tad Szulc**: Reporter who met with Kennedy in November 1961; his notes describe Kennedy’s rejection of assassination as a policy tool.  
- **Edward Lansdale**: Military officer overseeing Mongoose operations, with experience in counter-insurgency.  

Key Locations  
- **Dallas, Texas**: Site of the November 22, 1963, meeting between Kennedy and Cuban officials.  
- **Cuba**: Central to all discussed operations, including assassination plots and covert action programs.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Headquarters for CIA and White House meetings involving the Special Group Augmented.  
- **Miami**: Location of CIA headquarters and operational hubs for Mongoose activities.  

Key Events  
- **November 22, 1963**: JFK’s meeting with Cuban officials in Dallas coincided with a CIA plot to assassinate Castro using a poison pen device.  
- **August 10, 1962 Special Group Meeting**: Discussions about "direct positive action" against Castro, interpreted by some as assassination, though no formal approval was recorded.  
- **NSAM 100 (October 5, 1961)**: National Security Action Memorandum addressing contingency planning for Castro’s removal from power but not explicitly authorizing assassination.  
- **Operation Mongoose (1961–1962)**: Covert program to overthrow Castro through internal revolt and sabotage, led by Richard Goodwin and Edward Lansdale.  
- **November 9, 1961 Meeting**: Kennedy reportedly rejected assassination as a policy option during discussions with Szulc, citing moral objections.  

Key Organizations  
- **CIA**: Conducted intelligence assessments and covert operations against Castro; key figures included Helms, McCone, and William Harvey.  
- **Special Group Augmented**: Oversight body for Operation Mongoose, including Bundy, Johnson, McNamara, and General Taylor.  
- **Department of State and Defense**: Collaborated with CIA on contingency planning and Mongoose operations.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Monitored CIA activities related to Cuba, as seen in the referenced memorandum.

Summary  
The documents detail U.S. government covert operations against Fidel Castro’s regime in Cuba during the Kennedy administration, primarily through Operation Mongoose. These efforts focused on sabotage, intelligence collection, and internal dissent to destabilize Castro’s government, with no formal authorization for direct assassination. Key figures like Richard Helms (CIA Deputy Director) and Robert F. Kennedy (Attorney General) discussed strategies but denied explicit approval for killing Castro. The Special Group Augmented (SGA), an interagency body, oversaw planning, including Phase II targeting Castro’s inner circle via the "poison pill" plot involving mob figures like Santo Trafficante Jr. and Frank Roselli. While discussions about assassination were noted, no concrete plans or formal orders were confirmed. Operations intensified during the Cuban Missile Crisis but shifted to intelligence gathering by October 1962. Post-Kennedy administration records reference ongoing covert actions against Cuba under President Johnson, including CIA operations with exile groups like AM/LASH and investigations into alleged assassination plots.  

Key People  
- **John F. Kennedy**: President whose policies and character were cited as incompatible with direct assassination of Castro.  
- **Robert F. Kennedy**: Attorney General who emphasized Cuba’s top priority status but denied explicit authorization for assassination.  
- **Richard Helms**: CIA Deputy Director who testified about perceived authority for covert operations but denied direct orders for Castro’s killing.  
- **Allen Dulles**: Former CIA Director (implied) referenced in discussions about U.S. policy toward Cuba.  
- **Edward Lansdale**: Key planner for Mongoose, detailed phases of operations and coordination with the SGA.  
- **William Harvey**: CIA operative involved in Mongoose planning and the poison pill plot.  
- **Santo Trafficante Jr.**: Mob figure linked to the Rosselli operation.  
- **Frank "Lefty" Roselli**: Mob associate involved in the poison pill plot against Castro.  
- **Howard Atwood**: White House intermediary arranging meetings between U.S. officials and Cuban exile groups (AM/LASH).  

Key Locations  
- **Cuba**: Central to all operations, including sabotage, propaganda, and resistance efforts.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Headquarters for the Special Group Augmented and Kennedy administration discussions.  
- **Miami**: Site of the poison pill plot involving Roselli and Trafficante.  
- **Leopoldville (now Kinshasa)**: Location of CIA operations in Congo targeting Patrice Lumumba.  

Key Events  
- **Operation Mongoose (1961–1962)**: Covert program to destabilize Castro’s government through sabotage, intelligence collection, and internal dissent.  
- **Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962)**: SGA shifted focus from direct action to intelligence gathering, halting sabotage operations by October 30, 1962.  
- **Poison Pill Plot (April 1962)**: Attempt to assassinate Castro via poisoned pills delivered to Roselli in Miami, involving mob figures.  
- **August 10, 1962 Special Group Augmented Meeting**: Discussions about "liquidation of leaders" as part of Mongoose Phase II but concluded it was unrelated to actual operations.  
- **NSC Standing Group (1963–1965)**: Reviews of alleged exile assassination plots and CIA activities in Cuba.  
- **1967 Inspector General Report**: Re-evaluated AM/LASH activities as assassination plots, though Helms disputed this classification.  

Key Organizations  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Conducted covert operations with AM/LASH, including arms supplies and intelligence gathering.  
- **Special Group Augmented (SGA)**: Interagency body reviewing CIA activities and potential threats to U.S. interests.  
- **National Security Council (NSC)**: Oversaw policy decisions on Cuba and authorized covert actions.  
- **U.S. Embassy in Leopoldville**: Coordinated CIA operations in Congo targeting Patrice Lumumba via the PROP channel.

Summary:  
The document details U.S. government involvement in covert operations targeting Patrice Lumumba, the Prime Minister of the Congo, during 1960-1961, as well as CIA planning for potential assassinations or removals of foreign leaders like Castro and Trujillo. Key figures include Richard Bissell, William Harvey, Sidney Gottlieb, and Allen Dulles, who discussed methods to neutralize political threats through covert means. Testimonies reveal conflicting accounts about the extent of CIA planning, with some officials denying direct authorization for assassinations while others implied consideration of such actions as part of broader efforts to "get rid of" Lumumba or other leaders. The CIA’s use of agents like QJWIN and Project ZR/RIFLE (an executive action capability) is referenced, though no confirmed evidence links these initiatives to actual assassination attempts. Discussions at the National Security Council (NSC) and Special Group meetings highlight debates over whether presidential approval was given for covert operations against Lumumba or other targets. The documents also reference U.S. efforts to destabilize Rafael Trujillo’s regime in the Dominican Republic and prevent Salvador Allende’s election in Chile, including CIA support for military coup plots.  

Key People:  
- **Richard Bissell**: CIA official overseeing operations against Lumumba and Project ZR/RIFLE.  
- **William Harvey**: CIA officer managing QJWIN and ZR/RIFLE.  
- **Sidney Gottlieb**: CIA scientist linked to biological agents and executive action planning.  
- **Allen Dulles**: CIA Director authorizing actions against Lumumba.  
- **Douglas Dillon**: State Department official involved in NSC discussions about Lumumba.  
- **Gordon Gray**: National Security Advisor discussing covert operations.  
- **Thomas Mann**: Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, overseeing Dominican Republic efforts.  
- **Henry Kissinger**: National Security Advisor involved in Chilean coup planning.  
- **Salvador Allende**: Chilean president-elect whose election prompted U.S. intervention.  
- **Rafael Trujillo**: Dominican dictator targeted by CIA destabilization efforts.  

Key Locations:  
- **Leopoldville** (Congo, now Kinshasa): CIA station involved in Lumumba operations.  
- **Stanleyville** (Congo, now Kisangani): Site of Lumumba’s capture.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: NSC and CIA headquarters for planning covert actions.  
- **Dominican Republic**: Focus of U.S. efforts to overthrow Trujillo.  
- **Chile**: Center of CIA-led coup plots against Allende.  

Key Events:  
- **August 18, 1960**: NSC meeting discussing Lumumba’s removal as a political threat.  
- **ZR/RIFLE Project (1961)**: CIA initiative to research assassination methods for foreign leaders.  
- **December 1960**: QJWIN’s unauthorized recruitment by WIROGUE for an "execution squad" targeting Lumumba.  
- **May 30, 1961**: Assassination of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, with U.S. officials debating involvement.  
- **September 4–15, 1970**: CIA and U.S. government planning to prevent Salvador Allende’s election.  
- **October 22, 1970**: Death of General René Schneider during a CIA-supported coup plot in Chile.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Central to planning covert operations against Lumumba, Trujillo, and Allende.  
- **National Security Council (NSC)**: Oversaw discussions on removing political threats through covert means.  
- **Special Group**: NSC subcommittee focused on covert operations and intelligence coordination.  
- **Department of State**: Involved in interagency planning for Dominican Republic and Chilean interventions.  
- **Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)**: Supported CIA efforts in Chilean coup plots.

Summary  
The document details U.S. government covert operations targeting foreign leaders during the 1960s, with specific focus on CIA activities involving John F. Kennedy as a presidential figure. Key points include:  
- **CIA Director Richard Helms** did not disclose ongoing assassination plots against Cuban leader Fidel Castro to President John F. Kennedy or Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy until August 1962, despite knowing the operations were still active.  
- **John McCone**, former CIA Director, testified about meetings with President Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy regarding a "hands off" policy toward coups in Vietnam, emphasizing U.S. non-involvement in direct military actions.  
- The document references internal CIA debates over the ethical use of underworld figures for covert operations, including the 1963 plot against Castro involving mobster Sam Giancana and the 1960 assassination of Congo’s Patrice Lumumba with Eisenhower’s alleged involvement.  
- U.S. officials, including **Henry Kissinger** and **Alexander Haig**, were involved in discussions about Track II operations in Chile (October 1970) and South Vietnamese coup planning against President Ngo Dinh Diem, though discrepancies exist between their testimonies and CIA records.  

Key People  
- **John F. Kennedy**: U.S. President briefed on covert actions but not informed of ongoing assassination plots against Castro.  
- **Robert F. Kennedy**: Attorney General involved in discussions with McCone about CIA policies; later U.S. Senator.  
- **Richard Helms**: CIA Director who withheld information about Castro assassination efforts from Kennedy.  
- **Sam Giancana**: Underworld figure linked to CIA-backed plot against Castro.  
- **Henry Kissinger**: U.S. Secretary of State involved in Chilean coup planning and South Vietnamese affairs.  
- **Alexander Haig**: U.S. official unaware of Valenzuela’s plan to kidnap General Schneider until after the event.  

Key Locations  
- **Cuba**: Site of CIA-backed assassination plots against Fidel Castro.  
- **Chile**: Center of Track II operations in October 1970.  
- **South Vietnam (Saigon)**: Key location for U.S.-backed coup planning against Diem.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Headquarters for U.S. government and CIA operations.  

Key Events  
- **CIA’s "hands off" policy** toward coups in Vietnam, as discussed by McCone and Kennedy.  
- **Ongoing assassination plots against Castro** (1961–1965), including use of poison pills and underworld figures.  
- **Track II operations in Chile** (October 1970) involving CIA coordination with military officers like Valenzuela.  
- **Coup against Diem** (November 2, 1963), supported by U.S. financial backing and diplomatic pressure.  
- **Internal CIA debates** over authorization of assassination activities and ethical implications.  

Key Organizations  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Conducted covert operations against foreign leaders; involved in planning coups and assassination plots.  
- **U.S. Department of State**: Engaged in diplomatic communications regarding South Vietnamese affairs.  
- **National Security Council (NSC)**: Oversaw covert actions, including the Special Group Augmented committee.  
- **Joint General Staff (Vietnam)**: Involved in South Vietnamese coup planning and execution.

JFK Declassified Files

157-10014-10151.pdf

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