HISTORY OF UNDERCOVER EFFORTS DATE BACK TO GEN. WASHINGTON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-01208R000100030050-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 22, 2011
• Sequence Number: 50
• Publication Date: March 21, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

l__ II
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/22 : CIA-RDP90-01208R000100030050-5
SAN DIEGO RANCHO BERNARDO JOURNAL (C
21 March 1985
director of operations at the CIA.
But, intelligence operations in the
United States date back to the
American revolution when Continen-
tal Army Gen. George Washington
had secret agents spy on the British;
Washington even went one step
beyond and had planted false battle
plans in British army camps.
By Beth Weiner
When news- of the CIA's involve-
ment in the mining of Nicaraguan
ports are made public, there was an.
uproar among American govern-
ment leaders and citizens.
And months later, when it was
revealed the CIA had written a
"how-to-do-it guerilla warfare
manual" for Nicaraguan - rebels,
there were numerous investigations
because of the storm of protest.
Yet, the CIA is the only U.S. agen-
cy authorized to operate covert ac-
tion programs, and while it is not
America's largest intelligence agen-
it is the most prominent, accor-
cy,
ding to Bill Nelson, former deputy
History of undercover efforts
date, back to Gen. Washington
h
ty Council. The council serves as the
President's chief advisory panel on
national security and has jurisdic-
tion over the CIA.
Part of the CIA's function is to ad-
vise the National Security Council on
intelligence activities, and this infor-
mation is essential in protecting U.S.
security.
The director of the CIA is responsi-
ble for protecting intelligence
sources and methods from
unauthorized disclosure, Nelson
said. Yet, it is that provision which
has been used numerous times by
the CIA when its officials have
withheld information from congres-
sional and public inquiries
At the CIA's disposal though, is
sophisticated equipment such as
electronic satellites, radar, photo in-
telligence and secret electronic
monitoring of communications.
Since World War II, this field of
technical intelligence collection has
blossomed with state-of-the-art
devices, and today there are dozens
of technical intelligence systems.
American intelligence plans were Nelson said the CIA also gathers
haphazard though for the next 170 information through photographic
years. But Japan's surprise attack intelligence and through acoustic
on the United States at Pearl Harbor intelligence. These methods of
in 1941 demonstrated the importance technical intelligence, gathering
of gathering effective intelligence have come a long way from the days
information. when this information was collected
And six months after the attack, _i by hand-held cameras or cameras
the Office of Strategic Service, attached to U-2 spy planes.
which was the CIA's predecessor, Although the CIA has about 18,000
largest in-
began under the direction of Brig. employees, it is not the
Gen. William Donovan. telligence community. The
The OSS worked with European Security Agency has 20,000
resistance groups analyzing Nazi employees and support from at least
troop strength. Even though it was 40,000 members of the armed forces
successful in its sabotage operation, overseas. Its annual budget is over
the OSS was eliminated after World $1 billion, and it is under the direr-
.. 1 Linn of the Secretary of Defense.
"The OSS did not fit the bill, but NSA's main uuuca CL< ....... government officials realized the and intercept international com-
importance of a permanent munications, decode foreign infor-
peacetime intelligence agency," mation, and maintain the security of
Nelson said. "We did not want a ~ U.S. codes.
repeat of Pearl Harbor." Even though each branch of the
In 1947 the National Security Act armed services has its own in-
was passed, creating the Central In- telligence arm, the Defense In-
telligence Agency, the Department telligence Agency, established in
of Defense, and the National Securi- 1961, coordinates and works to
e ser-
eliminate duplication 01 t
vices' intelligence efforts. The DIA
reports to the Secretary of Defense
through the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The State Department's Bureau of
Intelligence and Reseach is one of
the smallest intelligence com-
munities with only 300 employees
and a budget under $14 million. It
supplies the Secretary of State in-
telligence information from U.S.
foreign service posts and the in-
telligence community.
The National. Reconnaissance Of-
fice, established in 1961, is under the
Air Force's control, but its existence
is , not - acknowleged by the U.S.
government. Yet, its budget is in the
billions of dollars and its personnel
are not "subject to personal
scrutiny," Nelson said.
Another, and perhaps more well-
known member of the U.S. in-
I telligence community, is the
Federal Bureau of Investigation. In
addition. to interstate law enforce-
ment, the _ FBI conducts
counterintelligence activities in the
50 states.
"The climate for the intelligence
community has improved under
Reagan," Nelson' said. In an ex-
ecutive order issued during his first
term, he declared, All reasonable
and lawful means must be used to
ensure that the U.S. will receive the
best intelligence available.'
"We all are part of a team working
to protect our nation and its
citizens," Nelson said.
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