“AGENCY: SSCIA RECORD NUMBER: 157-10004-10138 JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY INFORMATION RECORDS SERIES : INTERVIEW SUMMARY (EXCERPT) AGENCY FILE NUMBER : Date: 07/01/94 Page:1 ORIGINATOR : SSCIA FROM : TO: TITLE : EXCERPT OF INTERVIEW WITH WILLIAM HARVEY DATE”
“William 21 Harvey as head of Task Force W? Did that group task Harvey 22 directly, or did Harvey's assignments have to come through Helms .a 23 and through the DCI as opposed to this group that did not includ e 24 the DCI? 25 Mr. Halley. My understanding of it at the ti”
“Me Til 30.24% TOP SECRET 83 Phone (Area 202) 544-4000 everything. And he lived there for 16 or 18 years of his life. 1 Mr. Schwarz. Earlier you mentioned that you put Mr. 2 Harvey in touch with the Israeli's during the Cuban business. And we have had a lot of testimony ”
“Hunt. I never had any, no. In fact, I’ve only seen 20 him once in my life, to the best of my recollection. 21 Mr. Baron. As you may know, William Harvey was tasked 22 in 1961 with setting up an executive action capability at 23 the CIA, tasked originally by Richard Bissel”
“2 INTERVIEW AND MEETING SUMMARY 1 RDornor-1 Page — of _2 ^1 FILE: Prepared a daily briefing for the White House on Cuban intelligence. Preparing review of books such as "The Invisible Government" and damage reports (i.e., reports setting forth what sensitive informat”
“purely a cover. 18 In the first place, Mr. Harvey had a very successful tour 19 4 1 0 F irs t S tre e t, S .E ., W a s h in g to n , D .C . 2 0 0 0 3 in Berlin where he ran the Berlin tunnel operation, which was 20 one of our major successful intelligence operations. 21 ”
“© Phone (Area202)544-6000 TOP SECRET 91 1 run by William Harvey? Mr. Halley. To develop the capability to carry on the 2 3 assassination? •4 Mr. Baron. Yes. 5 Mr. Halley. No. I have no knowledge of Harvey being 6 focused on a project or given the capability of car”
“TOP SECRET WILLIAM HARVEY Short Chronology* Biographical 1940-47 ■ Counterespionage work as FBI agent 1947 Joined CIA as head of Soviet Intelligence Branch 1948 Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Special Operations (which became DDP) 1952 Chief of Station, Berlin”
“ly, I was asked if Mr. William Harvey was removed 25 : TOP SECRIT Photocopy from Gerald Ford Library NW 66000 Docld:32105805 Page 8 GERALD FORD LIBRARY 1 2 3 4 5 from the Agency because of his involvement in the assassination plans against Prime Minister Castro. The facts are tha”
“. William Harvey was removed 25 : TOP SECRIT Photocopy from Gerald Ford Library NW 66000 Doc ld: 321 05805 Page 8 GERALD FORD LIBRARY 1 2 3 4 5 from the Agency because of his involvement in the assassination plans ag ai nst Pri me Minis ter Castro. The facts are that in Ju ne 196”
“to the staff. 24 25 TOP SEC RET Photocopy from Gerald Ford Libr ar y NW 6 60 00 Doc ld :3 21 12 724 Page 8 Thirdly, I was asked if Mr. William Harvey was removed S. FORD ERALD LIBRARY 1 2 from the Agency because of his involvement in the assassination plans 'against Prime Ministe”
“e with a bri ef on th at question so that we are-fully advise d w ith re spe ct to the law. Mr. Colb y. Right. 20 The second subject, Mr. Chairman. Senator Mondale asked 21 for our command and control regulations for the approval of 22 covert action projects. These were supplied ”
“action projects. These we re supplied to the staff on 23 the first of Ma y an d ar e availa bl e to the staff. 24 Thirdly, I was asked if Mr. William Harvey was removed 25 : TOP SECRIT Photocopy from Gerald Ford Library NW 66000 Docld:32105805 Page 8 GERALD FORD LIBRARY 1 2 3 4 5”
“2. Harvey's Testimony Concerning Authority a. Harvey's Perception of Authority 3 Harvey stressed that at all times he was acting as a line officer re porting to his immediate superior within the Agency, the Deputy Director for covert actions (first Bissell, then Helms.)* (”
“e first of May and are available to t he staff. 24 Thirdly, I was asked if Mr. William Harvey was re mo ved 25 : TOP SECRIT Photocopy from Gerald Ford Library NW 66000 Docld:32105805 Page 8 GERALD FORD LIBRARY 1 2 3 4 5 from the A ge ncy because of his involvement in th e assassi”
“e that we discussed was that of former Agency employee, Bill Harvey, now deceased. The period in his NW 65924 Docld:32347079 Page 5 3. SEGREE career in which they are interested is from the end of 1961, when he was first assigned responsibility for the plot with the criminal synd”
“phone (A re a 2 0 2 ) $ 4 4 -6 0 0 0 TOP SECRET 56 1 Mr.Tweedy. The only other person who was aware of it © 2 was my deputy. Mr. Baron. That would be? "*813 Mr. Tweedy. Glenn Fields. He was aware of it in that 5 sense. 6 Mr. Baron. Did he take any action in realtion”
“n Church. Such use of private investigato rs? Mr . Colby. Ye s. 7 8 9 1 0 11 1 2 1 3 14 1.5 16 M ANH N MAINM Chairman Church. And then I would ask the staff also 17 : 18 19 410 First Street, 5.L., Washington, U.0. 20003 20 furnish the Committee with a brief on that question so th”
“ch. And then I would ask the staff also 17 : 18 19 410 First Street, 5.L., Washington, U.0. 20003 20 furnish the Committee with a brief on that question so that we are-fully advised with respect to the law. Mr. Colby. Right. The second subject, Mr. Chairman. Senator Mondale asked”
“NW 50955 DocId: 32203774 CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO Page 26 DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT AS SANITIZED 1/- ~-9% Le PERSONS/ENTITIES: DATES; CATEGORIES: { HARVEY, William” 26 Jan. 1961 EXECUTIVE ACTION PSIEVER, Arnold! BISSELL, Richard OCCURRENCE: ”
“ality of such? Mr. Colby. I will. Chairman Ch urch. Such use of private inves tigator s? Mr. Col by. Yes. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1.5 16 MANH N MAINM Chairman Church. And then I would ask the staff also 17 : 18 19 410 Fi rst Street, 5.L., Was hington, U.0. 20003 20 furnish the Commi”
“e gulations for the approval of 22 covert action projects. Thes e we re s up pl ie d t o t he sta ff on 23 the first of May and are available to the staff. 24 25 TOP SECRET Photocopy from Gerald Ford Library NW 66000 Docld:32112724 Page 8 Thirdly, I was asked if Mr. William Harve”
“rs? 15 Mr. Colby. Yes. 16 Chairman Church. And then I would ask the staff also 17 : 1 8 19 fu rni sh the Committee with a brief on that question so that we are-fully advised with respect to the law. Mr. Colby. Right. 20 The second subject, Mr. Chairman. Senator Mondale asked 21 f”
“furnish the Committee with a brief on that questi on so that we are-fully advised wit h re spe ct to the law. Mr. Colby. Right. The second subject, Mr. Chairman. Senator Mondale asked 21 for our command and control regulations for the approval of 22 covert action projects. These ”
“nator Mo nd al e asked 21 for our command and control regu latio ns f or t he a ppr ova l o f 2 2 co vert action projects. These were supplied to the staff on 23 the first of May and are available to the staff. 24 Thirdly, I was asked if Mr. William Harvey was removed 25 : TOP SE”
“e-fully advised with respec t to t he l aw . Mr . Col by. Ri gh t. The se con d s ubj ect , M r. Cha irman. Senator Mondale asked 21 for our command and control regulations for the approval of 22 covert action projects. These were supplied to the staff on 23 the first of May and ”
“en I would ask the staff a ls o 17 : 1 8 19 f ur nis h t he Com mit tee wi th a b rie f o n t hat qu estion so that we are-fully advised with respect to the law. Mr. Colby. Right. 20 The second subject, Mr. Chairman. Senator Mondale asked 21 for our command and control regulation”
“TOP SECRET 51 Phone (A rea 202) 544-6000 1 and had, as far as I know, personally, at least, nothing to do 2 with assassination. 5 I have checked pages 1 and 2 and 3 and my page 4. 4 Mr. Schwarz. Are pages 4 through 7, in your judgment. 5 pages that were written by be-”
“he law. Mr. Co lby. Right. The second subject, Mr. Chairman . Senator Mondale asked 21 for our co mm and and control regulations for the approval of 22 covert action projects. These were supplied to the staff on 23 the first of May and are available to the staff. 24 25 T OP S ECR”
“ocld:32202027 Page 1 [R] ITEM IS RESTRICTED : 450-4 LERVIEW AND MEETING SUMMARY Page 2 of TOP SECRET In 1959 Harvey came back to head Division D of the Foreign Intelligence Staff, which is the unit basically in charge of obtaining COMINT intelligence and supporting operations rel”
“14-00000 f new road Brs ; *4 JUNS joyfso W. Harvey, C.I.A. Aide, Dead; Linked to Anti-Castro Plotting i William K. Harvey, reported-: At.the time of his death, Mr. jly the , head of- a special Cen- Harvey was law editor, fori se- tral-Intelligence Agency group Bobbs-Me”
“19A Da. W £1 30 P hone (A re a 2 0 2 ) 5 4 4 -6 0 0 0 1 the first man contacted by Mr. Maheu, worked through a 2 Cuban exile leader. And he offered — and he said that he could do something of this nature provided he got some funds 4 and the assistance. And he was supporte”
“e are-fully advised with respect to the law. Mr. Colby. Right. 20 The second subject, Mr . C hai rma n. Senator Mondale asked 21 for our command and control regulations for the approval of 22 covert action projects. These were supplied to the staff on 23 the first of May an d are”
“and and control regulations for the approval of 22 covert acti on projects. These were sup pli ed to the staff on 23 the first of May and are available to the staff. 24 25 TOP SECRET Photocopy from Gerald Ford Library NW 66000 Docld:3211 2724 Page 8 Thirdly, I was asked if Mr. Wi”
“furnish the Committee w ith a brief on that question so that we are-fully advised w ith r esp ect to the law. Mr. Colby. Right. The second subject, Mr. Chairman. Senator Mondale asked 21 for our command and control regulations for the approval of 22 covert action projects. These ”
“NW 50955 DocId: 32203774 wASPlin AS SANITIZED Lee Page 23 11-4-94 (ICA) PERSONS/ENTITIES: DATES: CATEGORIES: HARVEY, WILLIAM L Spring, 61 EXECUTIVE ACTION P KUBARK 1781 Jan. 26, 1961 OCCURRENCE: Harvey was asked about notes written by him andpollver from their— meetin”
“-32- Harvey stated that he did not tell McCone or the Special Group about the operation at that time because: "I did not consider either, A, that this.should be in any sense in this amorphous stage, surfaced to the Special Group, nor, as I have attempted to explain before t”
“Agency members. (Harvey, Ex. 12, Memorandum of Meeting, October 16, 1962, by Helms, p. 1). Helms testified that he did not recall any such daily meetings with the Attorney General, but he had the impression there may have been several at first, but then they ceased. (Helms, 7”
“-6- Harvey testified that the "executive action" capability was intended to include assassinations (Harvey, 6/25/75, p. 35). His cryptic handwritten, notes of the January 25/26 meetings, pre served at the CIA, contain phrases which suggest a discussion of. assassinatio”
“. Colby. Yes. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1.5 16 MANH N MAINM Chairman Church. And t hen I would ask th e s taff also 17 : 18 19 410 First Street, 5.L., Washington, U.0. 20003 20 furnish the Committee with a brief on tha t que stion so that we are-fully advised with respect to the law .”
“-5- discussion of. executive action with Bissell, which, he said, might have transpired in "early January" (Harvey, 6/25/75, p. 52). When Bissell was shown these notes, he agreed with Harvey about the'timing of their initial discussion (Bissell, 7/17/75, p. 10). had -- ”
“Phone (Area202)$44-6000 TOP SECRET 10 1 used, that is Project MONGOOSE, or whatever you said. I do not 2 know the exact words you used. I am not familiar with that 3 terminology. 4 Mr Baron. During the whole period of your involvement 5 with JMWAVE, you were not made awar”
“NW 50955 DocId: 32203774 Page 27 CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT AS SANITIZED 11-4-94 (D)(A) PERSONS/ENTITIES: DATES: I CATEGORIES: EXECUTIVE ACTION Silver, Arnold) -Harvey, William 1/26/61 Bissell, Richard OCCURRENCE: Harvey”
“INTERVIEW AND MEETING SUMMARY F. 302 Page 1 of 6 Bl4 A*3 745 a *1j2.; Fie: 4t. This morning Joe DiGenova and I interviewed Bruce Cheever at the Carroll Arms. We focused on Cheever's tenure as deputy director of Task Force W. Background: 1938-43 Marine Corps 1943-44 OSS”
“TOP SECRET 52 Phone (A rea 202) 544-6000 1 26, 1961 and is about the subject of Executive Action? 2 Mr. Harvey. Yes, it is. o Mr. Schwarz. And it followed your conversation with Mr. 4 Bissell that you have recounted? 5 Mr. Harvey. I think probably that might be — well, whe”
“Church. Will you provide the Committee wi th the opinion of your Counsel with respect to the le gal ity of such? Mr. C olby. I will. 14 Chairman Church. Such use of private investigators? 15 Mr. Colby. Yes. 16 Chairman Church. And then I would ask the staff also 17 : 18 19 furn i”
“was depending somewhat on Mr. Harvey's recollec-; 21 tion and notes in the first instance. But as I recall, he 22 was very clear as a matter of independent recollection that 23 he had been horsed along a couple of times by the White House 24 on proceeding with the develop”
“13-00000 « 4’ SECRET -2- RABNEY was the pseudonym of an Agency officer who is currently active in a sensitive nonofficial cover agent role in 'Europe. During the 1960-63 period he served as an operations Officer at Headquarters and in Europe. 3. Mr. Harvey was issue”
“-5 - discussion of executive action with Bissell, which, he said, might have transpired in "early January" (Harvey, 6/25/75, p. 52). When Bissell was shown these notes, he agreed with Harvey about the timing of their initial discussion (Bissell, 7/17/75, p. 10). had —”
“-6- Harvey testified that the "executive action" capability was intended to include assassinations (Harvey, 6/25/75, p..35).: His cryptic handwritten notes of the January 25/26 meetings, pre- served at the CIA, contain phrases which suggest a discussion of : assassinatio”