review of i The elements of
the study may be found at the following tabs:
TAB A: Ministry of Interior
Prisons and Interrogation Systems
TAB B: Ministry of Interior Reeducation Camps and Prisons (Northern SEV Except the Hanoi Area)
TAB C:
Ministry of Interior and National Defense Prisons and Reeducation Camps (Southern SRV Except Ho Chi Minn City)
TAB D.
Ministry of Interior and National Defense Prisons and Interrogation Facilities (Ho Chi Minh City Area)
TAB E:
Ministry of National Defenseeeducation Camp Complex (Northern)
TAB F: Ministry of National Defense Military Security Department
AL^jPRTIONS CLASSIFIED
The Honorable John F. Kerry
During our search for information on this subject,a
__ iretatement in the introduction to the publication which states that the DRV planned to keep some Americans secretly. in light of the seriousness of this implication, we are assembling the documentation used in the study in an attempt to clarify howonclusion was reached. The author of the report is participating in the review. We are taking this very seriously and hope to have this review completed by tho end of June. We will provide the report together with the results of our review to the Committee as soon as they are available.
An original of this letter is also being sent to Vice Chairman Smith.
Sincerely.
Y
Ministry of Interior Prisons and Interrogations System
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) Ministry of Interior and its predecessor Ministry of Public Security (MPS) were responsible for the administration and management of all labor reform, reeducation, prison, interrogation, and temporary detention facilities for various categories of domestic civil and political criminals, including civilian and military SRV government and communist party officials who committed criminal and political offenses. Through its Military Security Department/ which was overtly under the Ministry of National Defense General Political Department, it had extended responsibilities for all interrogation, prison, and detention facilities for military offenders, which were administered, managed and/or guarded by the Military Security Department or under the name of the mt'D General Political Department's Military Justice Department. The MOI and its predecessor MPS were also responsible for the administration and interrogation of non-Vietnamese foreign nationals in special detention and interrogation facilities which were usually reserved for national-level political, espionage, and security-related cases.
The MOI central authority for prisons dates back to the official overt establishment date of the security service on, and has been known by several name variants since itepartmental entity under its predecessor MPS. Between4 it was called (Prisons) Labor ReformVu Cai Laoka Reeducation ManagementVu Quan During the it was most often referred to as the Prisons Management Department (Cue Quan Ly Trai Giam) orr. It was also known as the Labor Reform Department (Cue Cai Tao Lao Dong/Cue Caieeducation Department (Cue Cai Tao), and Reeducation Management Department (Cue Quan Giao).
The Prisons Management Department was responsible for the direct administration and management of all central-level prisons, labor reform and reeducation camps. It provided staff guidance and direction to major city and provincial public security officeshich had their own prisons, reeducation camps, and district-level detention facilities. It
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ersonnel and offered six-month courses in prisons management, internal camp security, indoctrination (education management) and interrogation- Indoctrinators and interrogatorsmonth courses, while internal camp security personnel took six-month courses. Graduates were assigned todministered facilities, as well as to prisons and temporary detention facilities administered by the prisons management police offices of major city ond provincialchool Annex was established sometime0 at therisons Management Policeeeducation Camp in Dong Nai Province, southern SRV. As amp was the only camp in the southernrisons systems which gave courses in prisons management. hree-month course was givenrisons Management Police Department cadre.
As ofad the largest number of personnel in the MOI with atersonnel under its direct supervision. aintained staff offices at the Central Hoa Lo Prison and atran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi. As ofajor General (one-star) Le Huu Qua had been theirector since atB. Senior Colonel Nguyen Sangeputy director9 and was known as one of the harshest and most infamous prisons directors while at the Central Quyet Tien Prison. Senior Colonel Ngoan Syeputy Director who headed therisons Management Police Department in HCMC. Theepartment was located inside the Chi Hoa Prison in HCMC where Senior Colonel Ngoan Sy had his staff office.
In developing its prisons system in thes, thePS predecessor separated its professional interrogation functions from routine prisons management, internal prison security, inmate education management, and external prison security guard functions. This occurredrofessionally-staffed Interrogation Department (Cue Chap Phap) or4 evolved out of MPS Prisons Labor Reformnterrogation Office 4. The Interrogation Department was responsible for the pre-trial interrogation and investigation of criminal, political, and espionage suspects, and for providing staff guidance, direction and personnel to major city and provincial public security service interrogation offices/sections.
Between5 and the Interrogation Department was officially designated as thenterrogation
f
Department (Cue Chap Phap) of the MOI's People's Police Bloc.ontinued to be responsible for the pre-trial interrogation and investigation of major civil criminals and political offenders for statements to be used by state prosecutors in people's trial proceedings. ad the power of arrest and the authority to conduct warrantless physical searches for evidence, which were officially requested by the MOI's People's Police, Counterespionage and Intelligence, and Economic Security Blocs. ad no known responsibilities for the interrogation of foreigners and suspected espionage cases, which fell under the purview of the MOI's Counterespionage and Intelligence Bloc.
Thenterrogation Department was headed by Senior Colonel Trannd his deputy. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thiep- as headquartered inside the Central Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi andmall staff in the largehaped" building inside the main MOI Headquarters compound atran Binh Trong Street. adrofessional male and female staff interrogators under its direct control, an unknown number of whom were assigned to special interrogation facilities in the Hanoi area and in HCMC.
Following the reorganization of the MOIeneral department structure in thenterrogation Department and therisons Management Police Department were reorganized. nterrogation Department responsibilities for civil criminal pre-trial interrogations and investigations were placed under6 Police Interrogation-Investigations Department (Cue Canh Sat Dieu Tra Xet Hoi) of the newly established MOI General Department for People's Police (Tong Cue Canh Sat Nhan Dan/GDPP). nterrogation Department responsibilities for domestic and foreign political counterreactionary, counterrevolutionary, economic security, sabotage, espionage, and national security pre-trial interrogation and investigation cases were placed under4 Security Interrogations and Investigations Department (Cue An Ninh Dieu Tra xet Hoi) of the newly established MOI General Department for People's Security (Tong Cue An Ninh Nhan Dan/GDPS) which later became known as the General Department for Counterintelligence (Tong Cue Phan Gian/GDCI) As of4 was headed by Colonel Hoang Duy Vien and his deputy. Colonel Nguyen Cong Nhuan- Therisons Management Police Department was reorganized with functions split between4 Prisons Management- Police Department (Cue Canh Sat Quan Ly Trai Giam) of the GDPP and9 Reeducation Management Department (Cue Quan Ly Nguoi Hop Tap Cai Tao) of the GDPS which became the GDCI
4
Although the in the POW's, MND
12. During the Vietnam war years, the MPS had primary responsibility for the administration, care, detention.
interrogation, and exploitation. POW's. Ministry of National Defense (MND) was involved handling, interrogation and exploitation
entities were required to obtain MPS authorization before. POW's in MPS-administered facilities. Several MPS departments were involved. POW's during the period Although other MPS departments may have been involved, only the MPS General Research, Intelligence, Interrogation, Logistics (Rear Services), Prisons, and Technical Departments, and the MPS People's Armed Public Security Forces (PAPSF)
"PAPSF
responsibilities were limited to providing external perimeter guard force personnel for MPS-administered facilities. POW's-
MND was reported to have complete records onaircraft shot down in North Vietnam by date, time,was reported to have complete records on all captured The MND also had records, presumably lessdead air crew members who were shot down oversoil in areas where they were
U.S. POW's were not kept in MND-administered facilities, although some facilities were guarded by the MND.
MPS was similarly reported to have kepton. POW's who had been captured inand who had been transferred to prison facilitiesadministered by the MPS and where interrogations The Hoa Lo Prison, better know as the Hanoithe central processing detention and. POW's who were so detained and interrogated. administered and staffed by the MPS Prisons Since all. POW's who vera transferredwere first processed through the Hoa Lo Prisonplaced in other known prison annexes in NorthMPS Prisons Management Department should have recordstransfers. POW's between Hoa Lo and all otherannexes in North Vietnam. POW's. Thisrecords. POW's who were placed inwere reportedly jointly administered with the MPS byGeneral Political Department's Militaryor were reportedly jointly guarded by thePolitical Department's Military Justico Department.
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Military Justiceguard force for the Son Tay Prison and. POW detention facilities in North Vietnam3 and that the internal administration of these facilities was under the MPS which. POW prison records and directednterrogation. POW's al these facilities. agaBBBBBBBajpjBaa^pjBBBjpjBBjBBjilitary Justice Department was responsible for the Son Tay or Camp Hope Prison of0 Son Tay Raid fame, the Bat Bat or Briarpatch Prison, and the Dan Hoi or Camp Faith Prison. The Camp Hope Prison was not used again after the0 Son Tay Raid but the facility continued to be administered by the MND Military Security Department Although overtly under the MND General Political Department, the Military Security Department was in reality the2 Military Security Department. The Bat Bat Prison was jointly administered by the MPS Prisons Management Department and by the Military Security Department. One former inmate who was released in thes claimed it was guarded by the Military Justice Department, although his release certificate was signed by the Military Security Department. The Dan Hoi facility was locateduch larger compound which was occupied between thes1 byh Technical Reconnaissance (SIGINT) Regiment of the MND General Staff Department's Military Intelligence or Research Department (Cue Nghien Cuu/CNC).
7 Technical Department (Cue Ky Thuat)with providing mail and technical coverageacilities. Audio operations Office 1audio devices in detention cells andin the Central Hoaanoi Hilton") andumberU.S. POW detention facilities in North Vietnam Audioersonnel mannedwhich tape recorded conversations. POW'scells. Transcribed information was used tostatements. Audioersonnel wereas English interpreters during the interrogation of The Son Tay, Hoa Binh and Vinh Phu facilities werefacilities mentioned by their generallocations rather than by their morenames and locations.
Son Tay facility is most likely the MPS BatMo Chen (Son Tay, Xom Ap Lo, rison located at
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7 where over. POW's were detained and interrogated during5 and early2 The Hoa Binh facility is most likelyDuong Ke, amp located at7 someilometers southwest of Hanoi in former Hoa Binh Province where about. POW's were held during the period The Vinh Phu facility is most likely the "KA"ountainf the MPS Central vinh Quang Reeducation Camp located near Dao Tru village in Tarn Dao District, vinh Phu Province,. POW's were detained during
echnical Department Mail Censorshipersonnel were also assigned. POW detention facilities in North Vietnam with the mission of intercepting and breaking written communications codes. POW's in the facilities. ersonnel opened parcels and letters sent by relatives in. for contraband items (tiny saws, iron files) and censored outgoing letters written. POW's to relatives in. in order to detect secret writing messages. ersonnel also. POW's on their attempts to communicate between themselves and on methods used to send secret written messages to relatives in.
The MOI and its Hanoi Public Security Office (PSO) have at least twenty-two detention facilities in the Hanoi metropolitan area. However, information is not available on the detention facilities of the Hanoi PSO's fifteen district PSO's (Ba Dinh, Dong Anh, Dong Da, Gia Lam, Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Thanh Tri, Tu Liem, Dan Phuong, Hoai Due, Thach That, Phuc Tho, Ba Vi, Soc Son, Mer of the Son Tay and Ha Dong Township PSO's. . POW's were held at three major facilities during the period Two of these three facilities were used to detain American and foreign nationals who were arrested after the communist takeover of South Vietnam on Comments follow on five MOI detention and interrogation facilities in the Hanoi metropolitan area.
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Central Hoa Lo Prison
The French-built Central Hoa Lo Prisonas located in downtown Hanoi and was directly administered by the MOI, and its predecessor Ministry of Public Security4emporary pre-trial detention and interrogation facility. Hoa Lo was bordered by Hai Ba Trung, Hoa Lo, Hang Bong Ruom, and Quan Su Streets, andhared facility with the Hanoi PSO. The MOI and its Hanoi PSO used Hoa Lo to detain and interrogate major civil and political criminal suspects who had been arrested by the MOI or by the Hanoi PSO. Petty criminals were not reprimanded to Hoa Lo for pre-trial detention and interrogation. Political criminal suspects included anti-regime counterreactionary, counterrevolutionary, economic security, sabotage, and espionage cases. Hoa Lo could accommodate atnmates. After trial and sentencing, convicted Vietnamese inmates were transferred to MOI central-level prisons where they served their prison terms.
During the periodhe end of Operation Homecoming, Hoa Lo was the central processing, detention and interrogation facility. POW's captured in North Vietnam who called it the "Hanoi Hilton." To accommodate the inflow. POW's at Hoa Lo, northern prisoners and captured ARVN/GVN commando-spies, singleton agents, and Mike Force personnel were transferred to other MPS central-level facilities in and outside the Hanoi area. When Hoa Lo began filling up. POW's they were transferred to one of eleven known annexes in and outside the Hanoi area. These annexes included those that were known. POW returnees as:
inside the Ministry of NationalHeadquarters compound bordering on Ly Nam De
or the "Plantation" on Ly Nam Dethe street from the Ministry of Nationalcompound in downtown Hanoi.
Loc" orPrison off NationalearMai Airfield in southwestern Hanoi.
J
D. - Duong Ke, "Farnsworth" or Hoa Binh Camp aboutilometers southwest of Hanoi in former Hoa Binh Province.
E- Dan Hoi or "Camp Faith" ,eters north of National, across from Lai village, Hoai Due District, Hanoi.
Bird" or "Powerear the HanoiPlant on Pham Hong Thai Street, Hanoi.
"Mountain Camp" or "KA" Camp of thevinh Quang Reeducation Camp, near Dao Tru Village,District, Vinh Phu Province.
or Camp "ME" of the MPS CentralCamp, aboutilometers south of Hanoi nearand Phu Ly Villages in Phu Ly District, Ha Nam
I. Skidrow or Thanh Liet Prison, aboutiles south of downtown Hanoi near Bang Liet and Thanh Liet Villages, Thanh Tri District, Hanoi.
J. Son Tay or -Camp Hope", administered by the MOI'a MPS2 Military Security Department, targe of the0 Son Tay Raid.
K. Xom Ap Lo, "Briarpatch" Bat Bat, Mo Chen, or Son Tay Prison, jointly administered by the MPS and2 Military Security Department aboutilometers west of downtown Hanoi in Ba vi District, west of Suoi Hai Lake near Bi Vi Mountain.
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Thanh Liet Special Prison
Thanh Liet Special Prison (Trai Biet Giam)French-built prisonboutiles southHanoi near Bang Liet and Thanh Liet villages inDistrict, Hanoi. It was also known as the Bang Liet,and Xa Lim Bo Prison. Itentral-leveldetention and interrogation annex of the Central Hoaunder the MOI/MPS Prisons Managementaptured ARVN/GVN and Royal Lao Vangteam members were held in isolation at Thanhthe MPS exploited doubled. recruited) teamto lure in resupply drops and augmentationpolitical prisoners were also held at Thanhtrial on temporary confinement orders.
Released ARVN commando inmates noted that the. POW's did not arrive at Thanh Liet untilhen Thanh Liet received several Americans and three Hong Kong Chinese who had been captured in Hue City during8 Tet offensive. . POW's were held at Thanh Liet between8 anduring which period it was called "Campnd other names by. POW detainees who were returned to. during3 Operation Homecoming. Some. POW's spent some time in this facility.
Inll ARVN/GVN commando-spies, doubled radio operators and team members were transferred from Thanh Liet to the Central Quyet Tien Prison in Hoang Lien Son Province. Nine Royal Lao Vang Pao commandoes were held at Thanh Liet between0 and1 when they were transferred withther ARVN/GVN commandos to Central Prison No.n Hoang Lien Son Province.
As ofhanh Liet was still usedre-trial temporary detention prison by the MOI Prisons Management Police Department. Following the1 MOI reorganization, Thanh Liet became known as4 Facility of4 Security Interrogation-Investigations Department, General Department for Peoples Security (GDPS). The GDPS was later renamed the General Department for Counterintelligence (GDCI)
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the periodyear-old male French-Vietnamese metis was held4long with several Chinese-recruited Vietnamese spies. As of4 was composed of two areas: one was used to detain convicted and sentenced SRV government civilian and PAVN political prisoners, and the other was usedre-trial temporary detention facility. The detention of PAVN personnel indicates4hared facility with the MOI's Military Security Department (Cue Bao Ve Quan Doi/MSD).
Onthnic. naturalized citizen Bui Duy Tarn was arrested on charges of attempting to take sensitive classified material out of Vietnam which he had been allegedly given by SRV writer Madame Duong Thu Huong. She was arrested on national security charges onui Duy Tarn and Madame Duong Thu Huong were detainedarn was released and expelled from Vietnam on1 and Madame Huong was released on During the1 period, SRV poet Nguyen Chi Tien, SRV doctor Ngo Quang Trung, and ethnic Vietnamese Australian citizen Vo Dai Ton (an anti-SRV resistance leader who was captured whileesistance force en route to Vietnam1 by PAVN/Laos forces inere also held Vo Dai Ton was released on1 and returned to Australia after ten years of imprisonment in Vietnam.
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The Bat Bat (Mo Chen, Son Tay) Prison
The Bat Bat, Mo Chen or Son Tay Prisonas located aboutilometers west of downtown Hanoi in Ba vi District, west of Suoi Hai Lake near Ba Vi Mountain. It was about three kilometers southeast of Dam Long Lake, two kilomters southeast ofillage, and one kilometer south of Bang Ta village. Although more commonly called Bat Bat, it was originally known as the Mo Chen Prison. Bat Bat was one of three known prisons in the Son Tay area and was one of two called "Son Tay." It is not the Son Tay Camp of the. Son Tay Raid fame which was located west of Son Tay Township at Bat Bat was one of the original central-level prisons in North Vietnam4 and thes when it was known as Central Prison No. 1 (Trai Cai Tao Trung uong As the inmate population increased at Bat Bat, the MPS expanded its prison system in thes with the construction of the Central Quyet Tien Prisonew Central Prisonn Hoang Lien Son Province near the Chinese border. Bat Bat inmates were transferred to the Quyet Tien and Pho Lu Prisons to serve long prison terms at hard labor.
Bat Bat was reorganized with one subcamp under central MPS control and one adjacent subcamp transferred to its Military Security Department (MSD) which was overtly under the MND General Political Department. The two subcamps were locatedeters of each other. The MPS portion of Bat Batpecial pre-trial interrogation and detention annex of the Central Hoa Lo Prison and was categorized asemporary detention prison (trai tarn giara). The MSD portion of Bat Bat wasre-trial interrogation and detention facility for serious PAVN military offenders. Individuals sentenced to one year or less served their sentences at Bat Bat, while those who were convicted of more serious national-level offenses with longer sentences were transferred to MPS central-level prison facilities for the term of their sentences. The MPS portion of Mo Chen held political offenders and captured ARVN commando-spies, singleton agents, and ARVN Mike Force personnel- Captured ARVN/GVN commando-spies and singleton agents were held in this facility2 and at Commando-spy inmates were usually transferredear to the Central Yen Tho and Yen Hoa Prisons, later
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combined into the Central Tan Lap Reeducation Camp, before final transfer to the Central Quyet Tien Prison.
3. The Bat Bat or Mo Chen facility was one of several MPS facilities which. POW's between4 and3 in North Vietnam. The Bat Bat Prison. POW's between5 and between early57 when all. POW inmates were transferred back to the Central Hoa Lo (Hanoi Hilton) Prison and its Cuu Loc (Zoo) annex. . POW's knew it as the Xom Ap Lo Camp, theBriarpatch" or "Tic-Tac-Toe."
. Marine Corps Privatehat he was also at this same Son Tay Garwood's account of his stay heresegregated hut outside the confinement areas is describedbook "Conversations with the Enemy*.
Following the communist takeover of South Vietnam inumber of PAVN personnel who had rallied and cooperated with the GVN were shipped from the South to the North where they were placed in the MSD-administered area of Bat Bat. Ten American civilian missionaries and USG officials who were captured during5 in the southern SRV were transferred via air to Hanoi where they were placed in the MPS/MOI portion of the Bat Bat Prison. All were released with the PaulSAID official, group USG civilian contract barge operator Arlo Gay, captured5 in Rach Gia, was held here5hen he was flown to HCMC where he was released on6 with his family.
A former Vietnamese inmate claimed heaucasian American livingeter huttream and the detention area during Another former Vietnamese inmate claimed heaucasian Americanmall building near the camp kitchentream during At this time. Bat Bat was also known asamp and was commanded by Public Security Senior Captain Xinh. it held Northern political criminals, former PAVN defectors to the GVN, as well as two ARVN Military Security Service (MSS) colonels, one of whom was MSS Counterintelligence Directorate Chief Colonel Nguyen Xuan Hoc. One former ARVN officer who claimed to belong to an anti-SRV resistance group provided hearsay information from unnamed subsources who allegedly told him. POW's were being held7 at Bat Bat.
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As of. narcotics traffickers
were the only confirmed Americans still ieio in detention in the northern SRV. They were picked up on their yacht "Sea Tiger"7 off Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province, southern SRV with an unknown size marijuana shipment which they were smuggling out of Thailand. The two were first imprisoned in Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province, before being transferred to Hanoi where they were placed in the Bat Bat Prison.
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Ba Vi Prison
The Ba vi prisonas locatedilometers southeast of the Bat Bat Prison on the north side of provincialn Ba vi District, Hanoi. It was said to be an annex of the Bat Bat Prison, and held northern political prisoners in
the
no foreign nationals were reported in letention at this facility.
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Original document.
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