[1]157-10004-10144 | 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 |
[3]Date:07/14/94
[4]Page:1
[5]JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
[7]IDENTIFICATION FORM
[9]AGENCY INFORMATION
[11]AGENCY : SSCIA
[12]RECORD NUMBER : 157-10004-10144
[14]RECORDS SERIES :
[15]© MEMORANDUM
[17]| AGENCY FILE NUMBER :
[19]DOCUMENT INFORMATION
[21]ORIGINATOR : CIA
[22]FROM :
[23]TO:
[25]TITLE :
[26]MEETING WITH THE WARREN COMMISSION ON 12 MARCH 1964
[28]po. DATE : 03/12/64
[29]co PAGES : 5
[31]SUBJECTS :
[32]CIA MEETING WITH WARREN COMMISSION
[33]SHELMS, RICHARD
[34]FROCCA, RAYMOND
[35].WARREN COMMISSION
[36]OSWALD, LEE HARVEY
[38]ma, DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
[39]oe CLASSIFICATION : U
[40]poe RESTRICTIONS : 1A, 1B, 1C, DONOR REST., REFERRED
[41]CURRENT STATUS : X ,
[42]DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 07/14/94
[44]OPENING CRITERIA :
[46]COMMENTS :
[49][R] ~ ITEM IS RESTRICTED
[51]HW 50955 DoclId:32202033 Page 1
[53](
[55]daily movements while in Mexico City nor could they confirm the date
[56]of his departure or his mode of travel. The original assumption that
[57]he had returned by bus could not be proven. Several possibilities were
[58]discussed whereby the Commission could fill in the gaps of its investi-
[59]gation of the Mexican phase. The suggestion was made that the most
[60]effective way of resolving the questions they had would be to have a
[61]member of the Commission visit Mexico City and discuss the issues on
[62]the spot with those American and Mexican officials directly concerned.
[63]Mr. Helms noted that it would be possible for a member of the Com-
[64]mission to visit our Chief of Station who would then be able to work out
[65]with the Warren Commission staff member the best way to handle inter-
[66]views with Mexican police officials, particularly if it is desired that
[67]these interviews be informal in nature. Our Chief of Station would also
[68]be able to put the Warren Commission staff member in contact with the
[69]FBI officials and Immigration and Na ra er Service officers stationed
[73]( ie it wou} "be Sroper to advise the
[74]rtment of the planned visit and upon arrival to meet briefly with the
[75]Ambassador or Minister Counselor before proceeding to work out details
[76]with the CIA Chief of Station.
[78]8. In connection with the Mexican phase of the investigation, mem-
[79]bers of Mr. Rankin's staff questioned Mr. Helms and Mr. Rocca regarding
[80]the extent of the CIA file on Oswald for the period 8 October to 22 November
[81]1963. They questioned the sanitized extracts which they had been shown
[82]and wondered if there were not more. Mr. Rocca summarized the ma- *
[83]terials that had come to the attention of the Secret Service, or had been
[84]disseminated to the Secret Service, immediately after the assassination.
[85]Mr. Rocca said there was not additional substantive information and that
[86]the sanitized version seen by the Commission constituted the sum of our
[87]holdings. Mr. Helms then explained that as a matter of practice we did
[88]' not release actual copies of our messages because they contained code-
[90]words and digraphs which would be unintelligible toa person not familiar
[91]with them. He added, however, that he would be happy to show the file
[92]with the original messages to any staff member of the Warren Commission
[93]who might come to visit him at Langley.
[95]9. The question of why no action was taken by other agencies of
[96]the government after their receipt of CIA information that Oswald was
[97]in contact with the Soviet and Cuban Embassies in Mexico City was next
[98]discussed. Mr. Rankin and members of his staff clearly felt that this
[99]was a crucial question which needed careful review. ‘They appeared to
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[103]a C ’
[105]believe that the information on Oswald was unusual enough to have
[106]caused recipients to take special measures which mignt conceivably
[107]have led to a closer scrutiny of Lee Harvey Oswald and his movements.
[108]Mr. Helms pointed out that the information on Oswald's visit to the
[109]Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico City came from telephone inter-
[110]cepts which were placed on both embassies. These intercepts were
[111]recorded on tape and reviewed by persons at our Station for any infor-
[112]mation affecting U. S. security. Such information is routinely passed
[113]to other agencies and entered in CIA files. Given the enormous bulk
[114]which is involved, the tapes are not kept on file but erased after a brief
[115]period of time. Thus the information on Oswald was similar to that
[116]provided on other American citizens who might have made contacts of
[117]this type. In Oswald's case, it was the combination of visits to both
[118]Cuban and Soviet Embassies which caused the Mexico City Station to
[119]report this to Headquarters and Oswald's record of defection to the .
[120]Soviet Union which prompted the Headquarters dissemination. At the
[121]conclusion of his remarks on this subject, Mr. Helms specified that
[123]10. The Commission, Mr. Rankin said, would be interested in
[125]) any information held by CLA on Jack Ruby. Mr. Rankin said the Com-
[127]- mission staff had prepared a roundup on Ruby, a copy of which he hanced
[128]Mr. Helms. He said he would appreciate anv file reflections or comments
[129]that CIA analysts might make on this material, Mr. Rankin and memters |
[130]of his staff then discussed Ruby's confirmed trip to Havana in 1959. The
[131]Commission has received information from an unspecified source that
[132]Ruby was in Havana again in 1963 under a Czech passport. Mr. Rantkin
[133]asked whether CIA could provide any assistance in verifying this story.
[134]Mr. sf elms replied that CIA would be limited in its possibility of assist-
[136]Sty i i¢oy These would be carried out he
[138]il. Mr. Helms was then asked if CLA had done any follow up to -
[139]its original telegraphic dissemination of the information on Oswald's
[140]visits to the Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico City. Mr. Helms
[141]replied that there had been no CIA action following our initial dissemi-
[142]nation. Mr. Willems then asked if there were any liaison problems
[143]faced by CIA in its efforts to deal with other agencies in matters affect-
[144]ing internal security. Mr. Helms replied that there were always under-
[145]standable human problems in conducting any liaison on any subject but
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