LETTER TO DAVID BORNE FROM WILLIAM H. WEBSTER RE YOUR LETTER OF 12 JULY REQUESTING THE AGENCY PROVIDE CONTEMPORANEOUS DOCUMENTATION THAT THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT CONDITIONED ITS COOPERATION IN THE 1980 EXFILTRATION OF SIX AMERICAN FROM THE CANADIAN MISSION

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 15791847
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: May 4, 2020
• Case Number: F-2013-00944
• Publication Date: July 29, 1988

S EC..RE T
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Centrai Inteisencr nscii9
Washtngton C 20505
Oak 2522-88
The Honorable David Boren
Chairman
Select Committee on Intelligence
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Mr. Chairman:
2 9 _JUL 1988
This is in response to your letter of 12 July requesting
the Agency provide contemporaneous documentation that the
Canadian Government conditioned its cooperation in the 1980
exfiltration of six Americans from the Canadian Mission in
Tehran on Congress not being notified in advance of the
operation.
A search of our records has revealed no contemporaneous
documentation that Canada requested Congress not be informed of
the operation. This is not surprising. Given the extreme
sensitivity of the Canadian support to our exfiltration effort,
several aspects of the operation were not committed to paper.
We have discussed Canada's support to this operation with
Agency officers, some of whom are now retired, who recounted
the events surrounding the exfiltration of the six Americans.
These officers recall that a Canadian official informed senior
Agency officials on 16 November 1979 that six Embassy employees
had made their way to the Canadian Mission. This was critical
intelligence as the Agency was desperately seeking information
on the location of the hostages during the preceding two
weeks. The Canadian official stated that Canada would help in
the exfiltration of the Americans. The official insisted,
however, that the knowledge of the Americans presence in the
Mission and Canada's assistance in their exfiltration had to be
extremely limited. Two officers from the Directorate of
Operations recall that the Canadians requested "that
information must not go beyond this room." Given the almost
certain violent retaliation that would occur against Canadian
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officials in Tehran if the Iranians became aware of the
Canadian assistance, the Agency agreed to honor this request.
The Canadian official did agree to the necessity of briefing
the President, but re-emphasized his country's requirement that
no one beyond the President should be briefed.
Precise recollections vary, eight years after the fact, on
whether the Canadian specifically requested that Congress not
be informed about the operation. Two Directorate of Operations
officers recall that the Canadian official stipulated that
Congress not be informed; two other officers present at the
same meeting do not recall a specific statement to this
effect. Based upon subsequent discussions, these Agency
officers believed that there was an implied agreement with
Canada that Congress not be informed of the operation.
'While I can understand your interest in having an accurate
historical record on this matter, I believe that the crucial .
point to keep in mind is the .distinct possibility that in the
future a country will condition its cooperation with the Agency
on Congress not being notified until the extraordinary
sensitive part of the covert acticl operation is completed.
Without the flexibility to delay Congressional notice in such
situations, the Agency may not be able to carry out a covert
action designed to save innocent American lives. This
possibility must be seriously considered in determining the
wisdom of mandating Congressional notice within 48 hours. A
copy of this letter is being provided to Vice Chairman Cohen
and Chairman Stokes and Ranking Minority Member Hyde of the
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Sincerely yours,
Is/ MrillivallVaga
William H. Webster
Director of Central Intelligence
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