| Church Committee Hearings - CIA Director Richard Helms (Part II) | ||
|---|---|---|
| This clip is not available for streaming at this time. Please contact WPA. | Tape Master: | 3610 |
| Catalog #: | 459612 | |
| Clip Number: | 459612-1 | |
| Orginal Film: | 91766 | |
| Timecode: | ||
| Location: | TV Studio and Senate Caucus Room | |
| Year Shot: | 1975 (Actual Year) | |
| Audio: | Yes | |
| Color: | Yes | |
| Headings: | GOVERNMENT: Hearings, Church Committee | |
| Description: | Tape 2 Opens in hearing room with Senator WALTER HUDDLESTON questioning former CIA director RICHARD HELMS and deputy director THOMAS KARAMESSINES, Huddleston asks if they considered shellfish toxin to fall under the scientific definition of the presidential orders for destruction of chemical and biological weopns - Helms responds there was no discussion particularly about shellfish toxin with anyone - Karamessines also says that no particulars were discussed (00:00:53) Huddleston asks about use of verbal orders - is this standard operating procedure considering the sensitivty of the matter - Helms responds yes - Huddleston asks if written orders wouldn't have insured execution in this very important matter - Helms reponds yes and that also defining what is exactly a toxin would have helped as well -Huddleston asks doesn't Helms think a written directive would have been good in this situation - Helms responds yes -Huddleston asks how serious of an international issue would it be if other countries were to find out a presidential order was not followed, asks this of Helms as the ambassador for Iran (his current position) - Helms sees it as a minor offense lost in the confusion of busy office - Huddleston ends his inquiry by pointing out if communication is strictly oral in the CIA why was it that Dr. GORDON, man who would have destroyed toxin, did not do so because he says he didn't receive a written notice (00:03:00) Senator MATHIAS quotes James Madison about the importance of public hearings process - wants to know of Helms how orders are carried out by CIA - Helms reponds he as director receives written notices from National Security council and also from president's assistant for national security affairs or the president himself would request something then Helms himself would carry out order, left up to Helms to carry out order and he explains the departmental process of execution from there - Mathias asks how many people would know and be involved in executing orders - as few as possible - Mathias asks how orders were executed - Helms responds methods to various to explain (00:08:50) Helms: "I had genuinely thought these things (refering to toxins) had been destroyed at Fort Deitrich" (00:19:10) Mathias asks if it was a matter of organization, if less compartmentalization was used could the presidential order havebeen carried out - Helms responds he doesn't want to take refuge in this excuse (00:19:20) Senator Gary Hart confirms the two men were aware CIA had relation with Fort Deitrich in toxin development and testing and goes on to test them on their knowledge by questioning them about three toxin experiments conducted at Fort Deitrich: first Hart gives background of test conducted to see possibilities of drinking water contamination - Neither of men are familiar with this test and have no knowledge of CIA personel being involved in test - Hart details another vulnerability test, this one conducted on the New York subway to see how easily it would be susceptible to a chemical or biological attack - reads the test description from memorandum originating within CIA - Neither men are familiar with this test - Hart quotes CIA memorandum detailing third test to chemically destroy crops - Neither men are familiar with the study - Hart wants to know why if part of the tests were to develop offensive capabilities did these men not know about the tests - Men resond it is the normal day to day activity of CIA departments (00:20:24) | |
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