22 APRIL 1977 BRIEFING OF THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE ON THE EDWIN P. WILSON CASE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79M00983A001300140005-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 6, 2005
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: April 22, 1977
• Content Type: MFR

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22 April 1977
OLC 77-1932
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: 22 April 1977 Briefing of the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence on the Edwin P. Wilson Case
1. On 22 April 1977 Admiral Stansfield Turner, DCI, E. H. Knoche,
DDCI, and John Waller, IG, testified before the Senate Select Committee
on Intelligence on the Edwin P. Wilson case. The Committee staff had
been notified by the Agency of an impending second article in the
Washington Post on the case and the Committee asked to hear the facts
prior to the publication of the article. The briefing was held from
3:00 p.m. to approximately 4:00 p.m. in room 407 of the Capitol.
Ben Marshall, Security Director of the Committee, arranged for a security
sweep-and technical monitoring of the room. A transcript was taken by
Fred Ward.
2. Present from the Committee were:
Robert Morgan (D., N.C.)
Gary Hart (D., Colo.)
Daniel P. Moynihan (D. , N.Y.)
William D. Huddleston (D., Ky.)
Clifford Case (R. , N.J.)
Richard G. Lugar (R., Ind.)
Malcolm Wallop (R. , Wyo.)
Daniel K. Inouye (D., Hawaii), Chairman.
Barry Goldwater (R., Ariz.), Vice-Chairman
Members of the staff present were:
William Miller
Earl Eisenhower
Dan Childs
Mike Epstein
Spencer Davis
Elliot Maxwell
Tom Moore
Sam Bouchard
Ed Levine
Stan Taylor
Barbara Che.snik
Audrey Hatry
Ben Marshall
Anne Karalekas
John Elliff
Paula Schwartz
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4. Accompanying the Director, DDCI and Mr. Waller were:
. George L. Cary, Legislative Counsel
Executive Assistant to the DCI
Assistant Legislative Counsel
FBI Special Agents James F. Price and Paul V. Daly also appeared
before the Committee on the Wilson case.
5. At Bill Miller's request, Mr. Knoche, Theodore Shackley,
ADDO, and Roger Kirk, DD/INR/State stood by to explain Executive Branch
objections to release of the Committee's interim report 25X1
However, no witnesses were called and the Committee vote o alter e
statement slightly and refer it to the President for his views on release.
The changes in the statement did not satisfy Agency objections.
6. Mr. Waller opened the testimony by reading a summary
statement on the Wilson case, emphasizing aspects relating to CIA and
present CIA employees. The basic facts are that on 7 September 1976 a
former employee informed a senior DDO official that former CIA employee
Edwin P. Wilson, who ostensibly had a contract with the Libyan Government
to clear World War II mine fields prior to oil exploration, also had a secret
agreement to furnish equipment and training assistance in terrorist-related
activities. Other former CIA employees worked with Mr. Wilson in this
endeavor. Mr. Wilson was assisted in obtaining explosive timing devices
by a current employee of the DDS&T. The FBI was alerted to these allegations
on 13 September, the Intelligence Oversight Board was informed on
22 September,. and the staff of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
was informed in early October. The FBI conducted an investigation in late
1976 and requested that CIA defer its investigation. The DDS&T employee
was placed on administrative leave with pay pending completion of the
investigation. In December 1976, the FBI advised CIA that it had found no
information which could lead to a criminal. prosecution of the DDS&T
employee. The CIA Inspector General then launched an investigation, which 25X1
substantiated FBI findings but which also uncovered the following facts: the
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7. Mr. Waller also discussed the activities of a second current
Agency, employee who was also the subject of an Office of the Inspector
General investigation.
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8. Senator Inouye was quite disturbed at what he viewed as
excessively light punishment received by the first employee. He contrasted
this with his actions against a Committee staff member who had taken his
briefcase out of the Committee office in order to work on classified material
at home. He further questioned Agency officials about the various penalties
which- would ensue from security violations at CIA. Admiral Turner
subsequently said "off the record that he was personally reviewing the actions
of both Agency employees, and implied that he might well decide that stronger
punishment was warranted.
9. Both Senators Hart and Moynihan questioned Agency officials
about regulations or other means to prevent contact by former employees
with present Agency employees. Senator Hart stated that he believes the
general public impression is that former employees have a carte blanche
ability to get help from friends still employed by the Agency. Both Senators
Moynihan and Hart said regulations would be desirable, and Senator Hart
said this would be a very fruitful area for the Select Committee to investigate.
10. As he had during Admiral Turner's confirmation hearings,
Senator Moynihan lamented the fact that outrageous charges can be made
against CIA, and that CIA's no comment response or meek denial often results
in the charges being generally believed both in this country and abroad.
Senator Moynihan cited the example] and pleaded with FB~5X1
officials to solve this case.
11. There vvere'.no follow-up items.
Assistant Legislative Counsel
Distribution:
1 - DCI I ER
1 - DDCI
1-IG
1 - DDS&T 3
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1 - OLC Chron
r it
nT.r':-FM_ims12 May 1977) 1rItrT
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