LETTER TO E. HENRY KNOCHE FROM DAVID W. BELIN RE THERE HAVE BEEN ALLEGATIONS THAT THE CIA WAS INVOLVED IN A PLAN TO ASSASSINATE FIDEL CASTRO

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01481974
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: April 15, 1975

Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01481974
COMMISSION ON CIA ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES
Washington, DC 20500
Nelson A. Rockefeller,
Chairman
John T. Connor
C. Douglas Dillon
Erwin N. Griswold
Lane Kirkland
Lyman L. Lemnitzer
Ronald Reagan
Edgar F. Shannon, Jr.
April 15, 1975
Mr. E. Henry Knoche
Assistant to the Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. Knoche:
David W. Belin,
Executive Director
As you know, there have been allegations that the CIA was
involved in a plan to assassinate Fidel Castro. For the
purposes of this letter, we will assume that these allegations
are correct, and based upon this assumption I would like to
know the answers to the following questions:
1. Did anyone with the CIA tell any member of the Warren
Commission or any lawyer serving on the Warren Commission
staff that such plans had been underway? If the answer is
yes, we would like to know what person or persons with the
Agency delivered said information, to whom it was delivered,
when it was delivered, what specifically was told or said,
what documents there are to support the answers to the fore-
going questions, and what response, if any, was received from
the Warren Commission. If the Commission was not told about
this, why was it not told and who made the decision not to
deliver such information to the Warren Commission?
2. There is evidence that Castro, prior to November 22, 1963,
knew about the existence of such plans and the possible in-
volvement of the U.S. Government. Did the CIA at any time prior
to the completion of the Warren Commission investigation have
any documents or other information indicating that Castro may
have known about such plans? If the answer is yes, would you
please furnish us with copies of all such documents and details
of any such information.
3. Several months prior to the assassination of President
Kennedy there is,sNidence of a public speech by Castro that
was i441b IL5i14 Associated Press whereby �Castro alluded
fl
Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01481974
Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01481974
�2--
to possible assassination attempts on his life and possible
retaliation. Would you please advise us if there is any
evidence that this Associated Press report may have appeared
in any newspapers in the United States, including specifically
any newspapers in Dallas or New Orleans. Would you also
advise us if you have any other information of public state-
ments of any Cuban leader prior to November 22, 1963 indicating
any awareness of possible assassination plots on the lives of
Cuban leaders.
4. Would you please advise us if there is any information in
CIA records to indicate that at any time prior to November 22,
1963 any foreign government or any foreign group was consider-
ing a possible assassination of any American leader. If so,
would you please advise us of all details and also advise us
who in the United States Government outside the CIA was ad-
vised of these plans or possibilities.
5. Prior to his death Lyndon Johnson supposedly stated that
he believed that although there was no doubt that Oswald
killed Kennedy and Tippitt, nevertheless Oswald might have
been a part of a conspiracy in retaliation to possible United
States assassination attempts in Cuba. Would you please advise
us of any information in Agency files showing whether or not
there was any communication to President Johnson of any possible
plans involving the attempted assassinations of any Cuban
leader and if the answer is yes, also give us all details
involving this matter.
Sincerely yours, .
David W. Belin
Executive Director
Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01481974