CIA FRONT GROUPS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73-00475R000100820010-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 17, 2014
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: January 2, 1967
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

:171YZES HTATEIZA.1..1)
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2014/01/17 CIA-RDP73-00475R000100820010-6
did'
/-1 frt./A
Li
,
Prong, ?L.7-rozzs
your recent editorial, de-
.c.'iption of the Central.Intel-
iigence Agency as standing, '
outside the law in its capacity
f?r endangering individual se-
cu:ity with seeming impunity,
you overlooked mention of .
the even vaster possibilities
for similar type damage inher-
ent in CIA front organizations
designed to possess the ob-
vious advantage of appearing
to be unconnected with covert
activities of official inspira-
tion. In such situations,'. dam7
age to individuals is far more,
? insidious if for no other rea-
son than the additional diffi-
culty of dragging the responsi-
ble matrix organization into.
the 'publicity spotlight it must
preferentially shun.
Composed of both agency
? operatives and "innocents"
1 who are carefully recruited
for the timely exploitation of
their ? professional skills to
help mask other activities
hardly in keeping with the
publicly defined aims and ob-
jectives of their apparent em-
ployers, front organizations
can be and too often are a
serious menace to the individ-
ual liberties and working ca-
reers of their non-CIA affili-
ated employes. Many individ-
uals of this last category would
doubtless' have opted not to
join such organizations if
their true nature had been
manifest to them at the time
they were recruited. Other in-
dividuals .would .have been
.just as content to go along
with the acting role required
of them and a not insignifi-
cant number would ? have felt
happier about being taken'
into the complete confidence
. ? .
o those preparing to use
them ostensibly in connection
with national security inter-
ests and requirements.
The basic issue here?and it
is but one more concerning
which the American public is
entitled to an answer ? is
whether or not the Central in-
telligence Agency has any 1.
moral or legal basis for using ..
and exploiting U.S. citizens, ?1
whether in the United States
or abroad, without their prior
knowledge and fullest consent
in connection with covert ac-
tivities while paying them for '1
fulfilling legitimate roles the
ultimate success of which are
hardly ever allowed, given
their only secondary or terti-
ary importance in relation to
,the basic purpose of the ma-
trix organization in setting up
its dummy front..
Worse still in its long range
implications, perhaps, is the
? damage done to the imagery
of legitimate organizations in
the labor, religious, charitable
and other fields of overseas
activities by CIA connections
which may range from levels
1 of complete control to that of
continuing infiltration. It is
1 suggested that a courageous
congressional investigation
; would certainly bring many
surprises to light concerning
the extent to which legitimate
1 and well-intentioned private
endeavors ? not to mention
those deliberately .set up for
such purposes ? are being
used in connection with sup-
posed national security re-
quirements and projections
some of which at the least ap-
pear, Lb be both badly con-
ceived and all too often coun-
'? tor-productive in their con-
sequences.
JOSEPH J. PALISI, ?
' ? i'orrnerlY of the American Instl.
? tute for Free Labor Develop.
rnent (AI-FLD).
Washington. ?
e
in Part - Sanitized CODV Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2014/01/17 CIA-RDP73-00475R000100820010-6