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

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 15790773
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: May 4, 2020
• Case Number: F-2013-00944
• Publication Date: July 12, 1988

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: 2020/02/26 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: 2020/02/26 C01430790