CIA FRONT GROUPS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000600180012-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 19, 1999
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: February 1, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

JAN 2 1967
Release : CIA-
CPYRGHT-? ~'?/fi, dt?~s
your recent editorial, de-
c: iption of t: e Central Intel-
ence Agency as standing
ltside the law in its capacity
ondan,rcring individual se-
", icy With seeming impunity,
you overlooked mention of
even vaster possibilities
for similar type damage inher-
er.ti in CIA :rout organizations
designoc1 to possess the ob-
vious advantage of appearing
to be unconnected with covert
activities of official .inspira-
tion. In such situations,, dam
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"
who are carefully recruited
for the timely exploitation of
,heir' 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
CPYRGHT
180012-7
- FOIAb3b
b uSC .
them ostensibly in connection
with national security i nter-
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'
moral or legal basis for using
and exploiting U.S. citizens,
whether in the United States
or abroad, without their prior
knowledge and fullest consent
in, connection with covert ac
tivitics while paying them for
fulfilling legitimate roles the
ultimate success of which are
hardly ever allowed, given
heir only secondary or tcrti-
'lry importance in relation to
the basic purpose of the ma-
rix organization in setting up
its dummy front....
Worse still in its long range
mplications, perhaps, is the
image done to the imagery
f legitimate organizations in
he labor, religious, charitable
nd other fields of overseas
lctivities by CIA connections
vhich may range from levels
complete control to that of
ontinuing infiltration. It is
`uggested that a courageous'
ongressional investigation
ould certainly bring many
urprises to light concerning
he extent to which legitimate
nd well-intentioned private .
ndeavors - not to mention
hose deliberately set up for
uch purposes - are being
sed in connection with sup-
osed national security re-
tiirements and projections
FOIAb3b
ome of which at the least al5-
or-productive in their con-
('fl CO
- JOSEPH J.
A'ormcrly of the 41110-
tute for Frec Labor Develop.
meat (AI-FLD),
Washington.
L %,/7 x1-o-:3 .
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP75-00149R000600180012-7