</s>157-10014-10185 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 JFK Assassination System Date: 7/7/2015 Identification Form Agency Information AGENCY : SCSIA RECORD NUMBER : 157-1001A-1018S RECORD SERIES : MISCELLANOUS RECOROS OF THE CHURCH COMMITTEE RECORD FILE NUMBER: 07-M-90 AGENCY FILE NUMBER : MISCELANOUSRECORDS OF THE church COMMITTEER Document Information ORIGINATOR : SCSICA FROM: TO: Document Information TITLE: THE CONGO DATE : 08/22/1975 PAGES : 5 SUBJECTS : CIA MOBUTU LUMUMBA, PATRICE, ASSASSINAATION DOCUMENT TYPE : SUMMARY CLASSIFICATION : Unclassified RESTRICTIONS : IB: IC CURRENT STATUS : Redact DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 05/31/2000 OPENING CRITERIA : 05/31 /2000 COMMENTS : 1 NW 50955 DocId: 32423573 Page 1

Victor Hedgeman was interviewed on August 22, 1975, regarding the Congo. He studied at Harvard and joined OPC after being recruited. He became an NOC in Europe, working in Belgium, Luxembourg, and France, primarily surveilling Soviet operators.

In January 1960, Hedgeman became the first Chief of Station in the Congo, where he initially worked alone but eventually built a staff of up to twenty. He believed the Congo was vital to American interests due to its economic wealth and strategic location.

Hedgeman mentioned that those close to Patrice Lumumba at the time were Soviet agents. He developed a plan to bribe Congolese senators to vote Lumumba out, which was intended for September 7, 1960. However, Mobutu jumped the gun and removed Lumumba on September 5.

Hedgeman stated that he initially thought in parliamentary terms but later decided more drastic methods were necessary. He claimed that the CIA supported and managed Mobutu's coup, which seized control of the Congo.

During the interview, Hedgeman spoke highly of Mobutu, describing him as a man with good political judgment and the capacity to be a Pan-African leader. However, he also mentioned that Mobutu was upset when the Kennedy administration decided to withdraw support for him in February 1961.

Hedgeman discussed the paramilitary operations in the Congo, stating that they began seriously in late 1962 with the arrival of T-6 aircraft. He claimed that these operations were minor affairs and that he had no knowledge of the approval of funding for South African mercenaries or tribal leaders capable of resistance.

Throughout the conversation, Hedgeman shared tales of his brushes with death while working in the Congo, including being placed before two firing squads on the same day. He recommended several CIA employees who might testify well regarding the Congo issue if handled in executive session.

JFK Declassified Files

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