DEBRIEFING OF VLADIMIR I. TOUMANOFF RE (BLANK)

Created: 10/5/1960

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT: Debriefing of Vladimir I. Toumanoff re

1. Through the courteey of Mr.ad theof debriefing Toumanoff on Ij0 re his connect Ion with the MeanmaBsnnV ca-. Toumanoff said that Bob Owen, who was Acting Chief of Chancery and is normally 1st Secretary and Chlefof the Internal Section at the Embassy gave him the two samamnafsemnr envelopes, asked hln to reac them and be prepared to brief Ed Freers on the contents. Toumanoff said the envelopes were not sealed and they did not have the appearance, as he recalls, of having been torn open. Freers took Toumanoff into the secure room where Toumanoff began

briefing him on the rupted andoumanoff gave them matter, Freers told

- contents of the envelopes. Freers Inter-who came in for the briefing. After free trsnslatlon and his comments on the to "take It from there".

2. As far as Toumanoff knows the details of the case, some Soviet military officer gave the envelopes to some tourist with the request that they be taken to the Embassy. He did not know to whoa the envelopes were given In the Embassy. He did.not know'if Bob Owen read the contents. It must be assumed he either did or that he may have been told by Freers of the contents. He said that as far as he knew the Military Attaches ln Moscow did not know of the existence of these envelopes.

3. Toumanoff said that he thinks the case could be clean. If the letter had been written six months ago, there would have been no doubt In his mind that they were clean but he feels the time now Is ripe for many provocations. On the other hand, he said, because of the disillusionment inside the USSR due to Khrushchev's dumping of the Summit that some people could turn to the USA.

k- He saideading of the letter left him with these Impressions: that they were written under emotional strain by an able and disciplined mind. The letter does not

FOR RELEASE

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have the sound of the work of the Soviet police. Iting of genuineness. Regarding the technical aspects of the dead drop site and signal site, he said Itancy piece or work. He said the author workedrop which Is Inconspicuous and which he feels would be safe to use. He had praise for the neat piece of work.

5- Initially, Toumanoff could not remember any other items in the envelopes beyond the letter and the sites. Then after some recollection he mentioned the photograph; then after more recollection and some prompting he remembered the

list or names. He said he did not really study the list

Just noted that the names sounded genuine rather thanlike pseudonyms adopted for that purposeauch as Kirov or othera which some Soviets like to use. He la of the opinion that this was the listing of military officers ooina to an espionage school and that possibly they could show up in various Soviet embassies as military attaches.

fed Toumanoff on the fact thet only onein the Department, namely Dick Davis, was briefed by us

-il2tlercauestcd ^at he not speak to anyone about this case without our approval. This he said he under-

be ?Ud to 1on other leads, which are written separately.

Original document.

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