==================================================
Page 1
==================================================
178-10004-10148] 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
JFK Assassination System Dae: 3727/2001
Identification Form
Agency Inforation
AGENCY DAVIS
RECORD NUMBER 178-10004-10148
RECORD SERIES GENERAL SUBJECT FILE
AGENCY FILE NUMBER : INTEL. INVESTIGATIONS--MISC. B, OCT.1975 (3)
Document Information
ORIGINATOR WH
FROM: RATLIFF, ROB ROY
TO SCOWCROFT , BRENT
TITLE : JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REQUEST FOR MAIL INFORMATION
DATE : 10/14/1975
PAGES : 3
SUBJECTS
OPERA TION MONGOOSE
DOCUMENT TYPE MEMORANDUM
CiA SSIFICATION Secret
RESTRICTIONS 1C
CURRENT STATUS Redact
DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 08/09/1993
OPENING CRITERIA
COMMENTS No attachments.
vi),| 28
H 50955 DocId:32105870 Page 1
==================================================
Page 2
==================================================
UlUKLi
MEMORANDIJM
EYES 01
THE WHITE HOUSE OUTSIDE SYSTEM
WASHINGTON INFORMATION
TQP SECRET / SENSITIVE_ Attachments
T4 October 1975
MEMORANDUM FOR: GENERAL SCOWCROFT
7
FROM: ROB ROY RATLIFF
SUBJECT: Justice Department Request for Mail Information
Jeanne Davis transmitted to me a request from the rtment of Justice to
survey 40 Cormittee and predecessor group files to determine any information
of a list of subjects focused on operations involving mail. She asked that I
transmit my findings directly to you:
I assume that Justice is interested in illegal use of the mails. As [ understand
CIA s admitted activity in this field, it wa $ an intelligence_collection_operation
and therefore would not be subject to review by the 40 Committee or its
predecessors . We find no record that mail intercept operations were discussed
by the 40.Committee or predecessors; however , there are references to mail
operationg in Committee records _
Jeanne Davis said Justice wanted material on "any use of mail techniques. I
These are representative items:
IAB 4--Reports which indicate general mailings of propaganda and
related material There is nothing sinister in this--you put
a book
or
pamphlet in an envelope, address it, on postage and it in
the mail.
TAB B--Letterg were test mailed inside a denied area to see ff they
comne out, or individuals mailed spontaneous letters to CIA- supported
enterprises. Again, there is nothing unusual about this--regular use
of the mail syster:
TAB C-- Special covert operations which make use of the mails , including:
C_L-A forged letter mailed in Prague to a Czech leader.
C-2--Mailing of black letters, Primarily from third countries.
However (see page 5 of 9 1972 item), some of these letter s
may have been inserted into the mail system ostensibly
as having
originated in the denied area.
CLASSIFIZD EY
Signer
EEM"T Fo:
IQP SECRET / SENSITIVE Attachments
SZCHET
EYES 6;_
Y~
R Xu d6: 35 "7Wm cix;
HI# 50955 DocId:32105870 Page 2
Depa
drop put
May
Photo
coPY GERALD FROM
{"ma FORD
LBRARY
==================================================
Page 3
==================================================
clWur)
EYES ONLY
IQP SECRETISENSITIVE_Attachments -2_
C-3--Some covert operations the mail may have been designed
to represent that the item was inally mailed in a denied area.
In other words, you want the recipient to believe that his letter
came
from the Chinege Cormunists 80 you make it appear a8 if it had
been mailed from China. Note that the last item in this group (17 and
10 January 1972) refers to "letter-insert mechanisms_
1 I can find
no elaboration of what this means , but it might represent intercept
of the mail , surreptitious opening of a letter and the insert of some
additional material,
C-4--National Intelligence Estimates and other reports of intelligence
may refer to information, some part of which wa5 gleaned from mail
intercepts. On the basis of protecting sources and methods these
would not normally be identified in
a document. However if the
que stion were asked at a meeting, the source might be orally identified
39 a mail intercept (or SIGINT or whatever)
C-5--This category repregents probable
into the international
mail system to support
3 covert operation. The first item shows DOD
sending letters ostensibly from groups in North
Vietnam to other
countries. The second shows CIA fabricating and mailing 700 letters
"ostensibly from Peking.
i The third shows CIA fabricating Demo-
cratic Republic of Vietnam greeting cards and mailing them;
In each of the C-5 eases, operational information
wa 5 probably gleaned
from a mail intercept operation which would enable one to fabricate
the paper
}
envelopes , wr and addres style s even counterfeit
po stage stamps and cachets all with the aim of giving the appearance
that the letter originated from
a denied area. The material might then
be inserted into the international mail system (e. g. you know that
mail from Communist China transits Panama for onward distribution
to Latin America; through liaison or independent contacts you insert
your bundles in the sack Peking and then it is given
routine onward
distribution through the regular mail system)
C-6--Here are two cases where the Committee was informed that mail
intercepta were the source of information used in support of covert
operations .
With regard to MONGOOSE files--which Mrs. Davis said Justice algo wanted
us
to check--I find the references at TAB D which guggest the possib that
mail intercept operations were a part of the response to intense pres sures for
more "'hard" information on what was going on in Cuba.
TOP SECRET LSENSITIVE AttachmentsLC 7
R
EYES ONLY
HM 50955 DocId:32105870 Page 3
using
orig
entry
iting sing
fror
only ility
Photo
CERALD copy FRCM
FORO:
UBRARY
==================================================
Page 4
==================================================
G_Wie
EYE: ~ELY
TOP SECRET 'SENSITIVE Attachments -3_
Mrs. Davis also said that Justice made reference to Walt Rostow' 8 recollection
of a general survey of all "intelligence programs country by country" made by
the 303 Committee. I assume he means the general beginning-of-a-new-
President' s-term roundup (similar to the one 8 given Mr_ Nixon and Mr . Ford)
We find references to covert action reviews , but these appear to have been oral
and we find nothing in writing, and no references to mail operationg.
In summary, we have made a review of our files, with special reference to the
general index of minutes and the country files deemed most likely to include
references to use of mail techniques.
1i Representative findings are cited
above_ We find no record of "'illegal" mail operations being 3 subject of dis -
cussion Or consideration within the 40 Committee and predecessor organizations
(December 1958 to the present). However, there is evidence that the Committee
wa8 informed that mail intercept operations
were conducted (TAB C-6).
Please advise if any additional material or presentation is desired.
Attachments
TABs A-D
R
IQP SECRETSENSITIVE_Attachments
EYES ONLY
F# 50955 Doold:32105870 Page 4
"any
PHoto =
GERALD Copy FRO;
FGRD
LIBRARY