LETTER TO WILLIAM H. WEBSTER FROM WILLIAM S. COHEN RE DELIBERATIONS ON THE INTELLIGENCE OVERSIGHT BILLS

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
01430790
Release Decision: 
RIFPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
1
Document Creation Date: 
December 28, 2022
Document Release Date: 
January 19, 2018
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
F-2013-00120
Publication Date: 
July 12, 1988
File: 
Body: 
DAVID L BOREN, OKLAHOMA, CHAIRMAN WILLIAM S. COHEN, MAINE, VICE CHAIRMAN LLOYD BENTSEN. TEXAS WILLIAM V. ROTH, JR., DELAWARE SAM NUNN, GEORGIA ORRIN HATCH, UTAH ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, SOUTH CAROLINA FRANK MURKOWSKI, ALASKA BILL BRADLEY, NEW JERSEY ARLEN SPECTER, PENNSYLVANIA ALAN CRANSTON, CALIFORNIA CHIC HECHT, NEVADA DENNIS DECONCINI, ARIZONA JOHN WARNER. VIRGINIA HOWARD M. METZENBAUM, OHIO ROBERT C. BYRD, WEST VIRGINIA, EX OFFICIO ROBERT DOLE, KANSAS, EX OFFICIO SVEN E. HOLMES, STAFF DIRECTOR AND GENERAL COUNSEL JAMES H. DYKSTRA, MINORITY STAFF DIRECTOR KATHLEEN P. MEGHEE, CHIEF CLERK Approved for Release: 2017/06/29 C01430790 United tates *Hatt SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE WASHINGTON, DC 20510-6475 The Honorable William H. Webster Director of Central Intelligence Central Intelligence Agency Washington, D.C. 20505 Dear Judge Webster: July 12, 1988 #88-2637A As you know, in the course of our deliberations on the intelligence oversight bills, there have been repeated references to the CIA operation to extricate U.S. hostages from the Canadian embassy in Tehran in 1980. We have heard repeatedly that the Canadian government explicitly conditioned its cooperation in this matter upon the U.S. Congress not being notified of the operation. In reviewing their records, however, including two subsequent hearings before the SSC1 and one before the HPSCI where this matter was discussed at length, neither Committee has found any mention of this aspect of the operation. Inasmuch as it is important to both Committees to have the historical record accurate on this point, we request that you provide both Committees with any contemporaneous documentary evidence in CIA's possession which documents the assertion that the Canadian government specifically conditioned its cooperation in the operation upon the U.S. Congress not being notified of the operation. We ask that the Committees be advised of such evidence by July 25, 1988. Sincer ly, D id . Boren Chairman 47-ts car- /I lam S. Cohen e Chairman CC: The Honorable Louis Stokes Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 13- L1O-JR Approved for Release: 2017/06/29 C01430790