(UNTITLED) MEMO RE SEARCH FOR VICTIMS OF CIA'S DRUG RESEARCH.

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00298287
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 23, 2025
• Document Release Date: March 3, 2000
• Publication Date: March 9, 1979

tearRANTIN FOR:
WA:
FROM:
9 March 1979
Deputy Director for Administration
ONNIIIIIIIMMIR Special Assistant/DDA
Victims. Task Force
1. The potentially most controversial activity in the
search for victims of CIA's drug research is about to begin.
This memo is to make the activities planned a matter of record
and to assure that you are aware of them. I plan to go to the
West Coast and points between in order to attempt to- identify
victims of CIA's drug research activity. Many of the activities
I am about to undertake are on the ill-defined fringe of CIA's
charter. It is my opinion that the nature and spirit of the
DC1's commitment to the Congress requires this investigation.
The controversial aspect of this activity results from CIA having
no authority to investigate Americans and to engage in domestic
_intelligence collection. The Attorney General, however, has in
a letter dated 17 July 1978, ruled that CIA can and should under-
take this activity within certain prescribed limitations.
2. Very briefly, I intend to travel to the West Coast and
return along with a Drug Enforcement Administration Officer.
The DEA officer has been assigned at our request to assist in
our investigation; the DEA has no independent reason to investi-
gate this matter at this time. In the course of this trip we -
intend to:
A. Interview former CIA employees formerly associated
with MKULTRA.
B. Interview present and former DEA officers who visited
the safehouses or who otherwise might be of assistance
in deciphering the very cryptic papers left by White.
C. Review and photograph George White's diary now located
at the Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California.
D. Investigate leads we now have as a result of investiga-
tive efforts to date, as well as to follow up leads
6. The DEA has investigative authorities we do not have.
Situations may develop which I feel go beyond CIA's charter
but which are within the charter of DEA. In such instances I
shall withdraw and allaw, but not direct, the DEA officer to
proceed as far as his authority allows.
7. In some instances, I will be requesting officers,
especially former CIA and DEA officers, to give me information
which is personally embarrassing to them and which they may deem
to be against their interests. I will assure each officer that
my assignment is to attempt to identify victims, not to put for-
mer officers in jeopardy. I will take few notes when talking
to former officers who elect to furnish the needed information -
and then only with t4elr permission. And I am currently attempt-
ing to have such notes declareZthe official property of the
U.S. Senate to shelter them from FOIA requests.
� 8. A liason relationship with the FBI has been developed
on this subject. To assure adequate backstopping I have re-
quested that their San Francisco office be informed of my presence
in the area.
c.c. DEA
Distribution:
Original - Addssee
I - DDA Chrono
1 - IG
1 - SA/DDA
4101110111MIMP(9 Mar 79)
2
obtained from the diary, to include:
(1) *views of many people including111111111111r
and other citizens.
(2) Searches of public records available primarily
in San Francisco and possibly elsewhere in
California.
(3) Possibly an effort to review hospital admission
records if there is no alternative to establish
an individuals 's identity.
(4) Travel within California as required by the leads
developed. I will also use funds for courteous
entertainment when I feel such use is in the best
interest of the U.S. Government.
I will travel overtly as CIA, use CIA contact credentials when
and if required, and will at no time use any type of cover for
these activities. In order to assure that all CIA equities
have been properly protected, my plans have been coordinated
within the Agency with:
The Office of the General Counsel, the Director of
Public Affairs, and the
11111111
Other offices made aware of my plans, although less
formally, include: the IG Staff, OLC, and the Office of
Security.
5. I am very much aware of limitations placed an the CIA
investigations of individuals. I will not attempt to collect
or to learn of biographic or personality data on individuals
beyond that required to identify specific individuals as victims.
Some alleged victims will only be identifiable through their
employment or the activities in which they were engaged when
they were drugged. In such instances some information on and
about individuals Will have to be obtained in order to establish
identification. No effort will be made to contact victims and
if victims are identified every effort will be made to protect
their privacy consistent with establishing their identity. No-
tification is recognized as a separate activity.