LETTER TO THE HONORABLE OTIS G. PIKE FROM W. E. COLBY RE APPROPRIATE WAYS IN H

Created: 9/3/1975

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

cStral intelligence agency

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September5

review STAFF |

The Honorable Otis G. Pike, Chairman Select Committee on Intelligence House of Representatives Washington, D.

Dear Chairman Pike:

Oneft withacket of materials concerning approaches that might be appropriate in handling the variety of demands your Committee.will be making upon the Agency in the months tothen we have had discussions regarding security and other aspects of your Committee's investigation. In addition, the Committee's Staff Director and Counsel haveeries of discussions with our Special Counsel and members of my staff. With this then as background, let me suggest certain approacheselieve will insure our ability to respond promptly and fully to the needs of the Committee.

Documents:

nquiry,artial

documents dealingartic

Agency will promptly respond with an answer,or attatement as to when thebe available. To insure that there are noas to the materials requested, it maybeyour staff to initially discuss the scope of awith our staff before it is reducedave encouraged our staff to contactmembers and discuss the precise nature of anyclear on its face. Further, our staff has beenmake materials available as soon as they are readyto holdesponse until all of thehave been compiled. When documents areclearance is being sought from another

your Committee will be "

Upon receiptritten request from theChairman, Staff Director or Committee Counsel fordealincarticular area of inqui

To assist us in servicing your requests we have also asked that,the various requests for documents be coordinated in order that we might be advised as to the House Select* Committee's priorities among the various demands. We . ave seteading room at the Agency where documents will'be made available for examination..

With respect to the documents to be made available to the Committee, there are certain sensitive materials that must be protected not only froa- exposure but even the risk of exposure. Included in this sensitive category re: '

--identities of agents and sour-ces; k

--identities of persons involved in Agency operations who would be subject to personal, physical danger, to extreme harassment or to economic or other reprisals if their names were to be publicly identified;

provided confidentially by cooperating foreign intelligence services;

--details that would reveal the nature of

sensitive intelligence methods and techniques of collection, by technical and human means;

--identities of cooperating Americans and American organizations and contacts to whom weonfidential relationship. -

In making such deletions, our staff has been instructed to describe theIA officerource, in order to place the material in context. Where your staff believesarticular name or detail is critical to their inquiry, this then should be brought to the attention of our staff and the matter can beelieve this procedure is consistent with your statement to me that the Committee is not interested in our sources and methods, or in the names of agents.is such.

actions-will be advised.

Finally, some proposed testimony and requests for documents may enter the area of the executiveprocess in which the need to protect the confidentiality of advice or recommendations to policy-making bodies has long been recognized. This would apply, for example, to Presidential orommittee deliberations relating to approval of CIA Whereircumstance' exists, the Committee

We will want to work together, too, to protect certain other information which, if improperly disclosed, could impair the legitimate rights of privacy ofm sure we can deal with these matters so as to protect this essential privacy while satisfying the Select Committee's needull understanding of intelligence activities.

II.

You doubtless will want to interview present and former CIA employees. It is our understanding that prospective witnesses will be advised of thethe inquiry and may be accompanied by counsel, as provided by the CommitteeCurrent employees will, of course, be made available to the Select Committee for staff interviews and for testimony. This on rare occasions may require special arrangements, including testimony under alias, to protect the- identity of employees whose safety or future utility might be jeopardized by exposure. Kith respect to the interview of Agency employees who are currently on detail to other agencies in the government and whose testimony relates to CIA matters, we will arrange with the host agency to make the employee available upon request of the Committee. Where the employee iso testify with respect to matter'; concerning his detail or matters relating to the host agency,we will bring your request to the attention of the host agency. Thus, if your staff will advise us of whom they wish to interview, we will make the appropriate arrangements with our employees. ave no authority to direct the cooperation of ex-employees,ill be happy to assist you n anyan. ery few cases, their identities also will have to be protected.

As you know, each employee had toecrecy agreement upon entering on duty. This requires that he keep forever secret all classified information gained during his employment, unless he obtains prior authorization to disclose it from the DCI. These secrecy agreements signed by our employees and ex-employees need not impair the necessary work of your Committee. In view of the security protection comtemplated by yourave determined that dis-i^ closure of otherwise protected information to the Select Committee or its designated staff members will, in most instances, constitute an authorized provision of information within the meaning of the secrecy agreements. The attached Employee Bulletin may be used to indicate authorization for

any Agency employee to furnish information to the Select Committee or to appropriate staff members on matters which otherwise would be covered by their secrecy agreement. Where, however, the answer to the particular question covers the highly sensitive matters mentioned above, the employee or former employee is obligated to consult with the Agency before responding. In this regard, the Agency would appreciate being notified before the Conmittee contacts each Agency employee or ex-employee who is to be interviewed or called to testify. eparate letter addressed to CIA ex-employees which should, be shown to them for the same purpose.

Since so many of our activities involve sensitive areas,ropose an approach which should did'the Committee in expediting its investigation. If the Committee will notify Mitchell Rogovin, Special Counsel to the Director, of*"the areas of its inquiry at the outset, we would beosition to highlight particularly sensitive issues and work out methods to insure that your Committee obtains what it needs without unnecessary risk to the sensitive matters. We will then beosition to bring to the Committee's attention whether any particularly sensitive issues may be involved. Such an approach will insure you .get the..information you need to perform your task and at the same time safeguard sensitive intelligence sources and methodsm obligated by law to protect..

In conclusion, we ask that your Committee make an early determination as to the ultimate disposition df its records upon completion of its tasks. m sure you will join me in recognizing that permanent, safe storage and security safeguards will be necessary to protect the sensitivity of the Committee's records. To this end you may wish to discuss permanent disposition with the Archivist of the United States. This matter of ultimate disposition of the records of your Committee continues to concern the Intelligence Community. ope that this important matter can be disposed of promptly. .

t-

It is in our mutual interests to ensure that your review proceeds as smoothly and as expeditiously as possibly. Toward that end,ave instructed all CIA

personnel to respondpirit of cooperation. opy of that instruction is attached. m prepared to consult with the Committee at. any time to determine appropriate courses of action.

Sincerely,

Attachments: As Stated

Original document.

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