LETTER TO FRANK CHURCH FROM W. E. COLBY RE AGENCY SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC HEARINGS ON COVERT ACTION IN CHILE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01434854
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: November 20, 1975

Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01434854
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASH1NGTON,D.C. 20505
20 November 1975
The Honorable Frank Church, Chairman
Select Committee to Study Governmental
Operations With Respect to Intelligence
Activities
United States Senate
Washington, D. C. 20510
Dear Mr. Chairman:
In view of the President's decision that this
Agency should not participate in public hearings on
covert action in Chile, I am unable to accept your
invitation to appear as a witness on the morning of
4 December 1975.
We continue to believe that public discussions of
specific covert activities in any given country are not
in the best interests of American national security.
Moreover, they could create a risk of potential harm
to individuals and other entities thus exposed. Although
I understand your concern for protecting sensitive sources
and methods and your desire to concentrate on the issue
of control and management, the very nature of covert
action precludes, in my opinion, public discussion.
We remain quite willing to discuss specific covert
action programs in executive session, with the proviso
that such testimony will remain classified. We have
already done so in the past and will continue to do so
in the future.
As far as my position with regard to public testimony
of former or present Agency employees, it remains as stated
both in communications with the Committee and in my recent
letters to Ambassador Korry and Mr. David Phillips.
Sincerely,
1 ,
0-1371� W. E. Colby --'
Director
k,
cc�
-z.
-4
0 m
\IN
z
7.76-191)
Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01434854