LETTER TO C. W. BILL YOUNG FROM JOHN N. MCMAHON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00914R001200110023-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Sequence Number: 23
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved,Fdr f2 " E 7f8~1f26 : CIA-RtYP83MOO914R001200
The Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
7 August 1982
The Honorable`C. W. - Bil-l 'Young
House of.Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20,15
Dear Cong`ra1:
At a recent hearing you inquired about
the KGB use of journalists. The attached
was prepared by our counterintelligence staff--
thought you might find it useful.
Sincerely,
of N. cMahon
Downgraded to unclassified
when separated from attachment
Distribution:
Orig Ads:e.
2 DDCT
1 DDO
I - D/OEXA
- ER
 Approved For Release 2007/04/26: CIA-RDP83M00914R001200110023-6
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Summary: Since the establishment of the Soviet civilian intel-
ligence-service (now the KGB) in 1917 and of the Soviet
military intelligence service (now the GRU) in 1922,
both Soviet services have relied heavily in the pursuit
of their operational goals--the recruitment of foreign
agents and the influencing of foreign opinion in the
Soviet interest--on the use of journalism. Both ser-
vices, but particularly the KGB, have since the 1920's
consistently placed staff operational personnel under
journalistic cover; and have sought to recruit foreign
journalists as agents of Soviet intelligence. It is
estimated'that of all Soviet journalists now serving
abroad, some 30% are career Soviet intelligence officers.
In citing that figure we may have erred on the conserva-
tive side.
A. How does the KGB make use of journalists?
In several ways, e.g., recruits them as agents of influence.
The KGB also recruits foreign journalists as channels of funds
and influence in Soviet-supported "peace" movements. F
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In general, the KGB (and the GRU) recruits foreign journalists
for every purpose in the Soviet intelligence catalogue - as
sources of positive information, as agents of influence in the
political and industrial spheres, as penetrations of national
security and intelligence services, and as placers of Soviet-
inspired covert propaganda in both national and international
press outlets.
B. How does the KGB?use.journalists for cover?
We.a.ssume that this question is meant to focus on the use of
Soviet media as'cover for the KGB. It is a proven fact that
both the KGB and the GRU use all Soviet media elements for
cover, and have done so from tie date of establishment of both
the KGB and the GRU. The following Soviet media outlets have
been used as cover by the KGB and GRU since the 1920's: Pravda
(the newspaper of the Central Committee, CPSU), Izvesti a t e
USSR "Government" newspaper), Komsomolska a Prav a t e news-
paper of the Central Committee-of the Youth Organization of
the CPSU), Trud (the newspaper of the Soviet All-Union Chamber
of Trade Unions), TASS, the official Soviet press organization,
Novosti, the "unofficial" Soviet organization for disseminating
news about the USSR to foreign audiences, Moscow.Radio and TV,
Africa and Asia (widely circulated in both continents),
Mezhkniga (the Soviet organization responsible for disseminating
Soviet publications to foreign countries), Soveksportfilm, the
organization for disseminating Soviet films to foreign audi-
.
ences, and New Times (a Soviet weekly-foreign affairs magazine
F of the 14 New Times foreign correspondents 25X1
abroad as of late 1979? 11 were staff KGB operations officers.
Among the most successful of all Soviet intelligence officers
was Richard Sorge, a GRU colonel who organized and ran a net-
work of spies which succeeded in penetrating the highest levels
of the Imperial Japanese Army and. Cabinet before and during
World War II. Sorge had succeeded in gaining employment with
the most prestigious pro-Nazi newspaper in pre-W.W.II Germany,
and was sent by that paper to Japan, where he successfully posed
as a bona fide German correspondent.
C. Are there any countries that will not permit the presence of
Soviet journalists?
Only those countries which do not have formal diplomatic rela-
tions with the USSR, e.g., Israel, Chile, Paraguay, South Africa,
will not permit the presence of Soviet journalists. All other
countries do, although most limit the total number and/or may
refuse visas. to individual Soviet journalists.
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