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104-10145-10141 JFK Assassination Records Archives 1 (6/19/1978)

handle is hein.jfk/jfkarch40221 and id is 1 raw text is: 104101-1 04,                                                -
                                                 (                               199JUNfy




                                     Possible Downstream Problems  With HSCA


                            1.  To date the problems with HSCA have not  been major, but
                      some of the difficulties to date may assume increased  importance in
                      the remaining period of the investigation.  This memorandum  under-
                      takes to consider some of them.

                            2.  HSCA Requests and CIA Response.  HSCA appears to  be follow-
                     ing a  leave-no-stone-unturned approach to the investigation    Just about
                     every  name or reference of the files reviewed becomes the subject  of
                     a request.   Frequently the names are incomplete and identifying material
                     so limited  that research. becomes tremendously time-consuming.  If HSCA
                     has additional  information it has appeared on occasion reluctant to
                     provide it, possibly  because it will reveal the direction of the in-
                     vestigation.  Two things characterize  the present status of HSCA and
                     CIA responses.  There are a number  of requests that have not yet been
                     answered, and the larger portion of material  made available for review
                     has not yet been reviewed by HSCA  investigators.  CIA recently has made
                     arrangements to improve its responses to  requests, but the basic problem
                     will remain.  We feel HSCA is falling -behind and that it will be critical
                     of the Agency for its own failures in this respect.

                           3.  Access.  The FBI reportedly has provided  no direct access
                     to its files for HSCA investigators.  CIA is providing direct  access
                     to its files with very limited sanitization.  The result  is the in-
kpp e'              vestigators have had access to a lot of sources-and-methods material,
                    The criticism  that HSCA investigators can make is not in our  restrictions,
                    but  the effectiveness of our responses.  As noted above, steps  have been
                    taken  to remedy this.

                          4.  Access  to Agents. In contrast to very full access to Agency
                    files and documents  the line has been drawn on access to agents,  One
                    agent was  interviewed over CIA objections, following the failure to
                    notify CIA of  the intention to interview him as provided for in the
                    working agreements.   In one other case of which we are aware we have
                    objected to an agent being  interviewed and, in the absence of CIA
                    assistance, he was not contacted-nor  interviewed.  This is the subject
                    of a formal protest by the HSCA chairman.   The DDCI has offered a
                    method, alternative to direct access  to the agent, for obtaining the
                    answers desired.

                          5.  Defectors.  As a result of the dramatic  presentations in the
                    Epstein Book Legen  the HSCA has focussed on this  issue.  Staff members
                    have stated recently that they consider this to be one of  the two most


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