Doc 0000146171

- - l ., ·'. . ( ( . 'fi' ~.) 2 0 OCT 1975 NmORANDUi-1 FOR: Director of Central Intelligence · FROt1 Inspector General SUBJECT : Destruction of Records on Drugs and Toxins Action Requested: l. None. This memorandum is for your information.· Background: ·2. At your request, \·Je looked into the destruction of Agency" records related to drugs and toxins. lie limited our investigation to avoid inter fering with other ongoing investigations of this matter, including that of .the FBI. He held discussions \'lith several people in the DD/S&T, Records Center, and Archives _and revieNed a number of OTS files. Our findings and conclusions follm'l. Summary Conclusions: .• 3. NKULTRA Records: This \·Jas an umbrella project for funding sensitive TSD activities including research into methods for controlling human behavior: . · --No drug-related.MKULTRA files were turned up during our investigation. · -- A number of documents concerning the destruction of r~KULTRA drug records are attached at Tab A. In genera 1 , they show that the records were destroyed on the instruction of Dr. · Sidney Gottlieb, then Chief~ TSD, on 31 January 1973. · Both Branch fi 1 es and records retrieved from Archives \'/ere destroyed. · by --Tab A also ~ontains statements Nessrs. :-~-··· .-- :~-:~~-:~_..----~~~:-·:·:·-_..:_:~ · · · · · ·-··I of OTS. ·These statements indicate that the destruction of f1KULTRA ·drug files ~t1as ordered by Mr. Helms • . L J • ' . l . I ... 1 -- ( ( ...•.I. " •, -- Tab B contains a 2 february 1973 f·10R by . . . I I former chief of Archives and Records Center. The destr~~i~on notices attached to · IMOR show that the records bearing Job No. sa-746 (f1KULTRA)' .. and Job No. 68-256 (other files possibly dealing \·lith drugs as \-Jell as \·lith BH/CH detection) \'lere destroyed on 30 January 1973 rather than the more commonly accepted 31 January 1973 date mentioned in most of the Tab A documents. -- \·le identified three HKULTRA files \·thich, it turned • out, deal with · · ·· · -· ·[aspects of the project. According to Dr. Sayre ·stevens, nci.{fles related to those aspects of l·1KUL TRA have been destroyed. -- However, some l·lKULTRA material is mentioned on a list of items retired to Archives by OTS on ll !·larch 1974. There is no record of destruction of this material, but a The image displays a digital representation of a document cover page. On the left, a stylized illustration of a vault door is shown, with a blue light emanating from its center. To the right of the vault illustration, bold white text reads "THE BLACK VAULT" with a blue glow effect. Below this title, white text provides information about the document's origin, stating it was obtained from "The Black Vault" and pertains to the "MKULTRA/Mind Control Collection" of declassified CIA documents. A website address, "http://mkultra.theblackvault.com," is presented in yellow text at the bottom, indicating where the full collection can be accessed. There are no photographs, handwritten annotations, official stamps, forms, diagrams, tables, redactions, or visual evidence of experimental procedures present on this page. The document is a one-page memorandum with typed text. There are handwritten annotations at the top right, including "IG Autject - IG 75-3228" and a circled "8". A date stamp reads "20 OCT 1975". There are no photographs, diagrams, forms, tables, or visual evidence of experimental procedures. Some content is obscured by what appear to be redactions, but it's difficult to determine their exact nature or location due to the blurriness of the original image. the project. According to Dr. Sayre ·stevens, nci.{fles related to those aspects of l·1KUL TRA have been destroyed. -- However, some l·lKULTRA material is mentioned on a list of items retired to Archives by OTS on ll !·larch 1974. There is no record of destruction of this material, but a careful search has failed to turn it up. The box containing this material \·tas recalled from ·Archives by OTS on 8 January 1975 and returned to Archives sometime thereafter, probably \'lithin thirty days. OTS advises ttiat the HKULTRA crypt in this j.nsta:nce \'/as not re1 a ted to drug activity but to -=: -_ · ___ .. ·-·- ._ --· Mo•----. . . . ·. -~--------lThe fact remains,·-- .J. however~ that the' material is. missing ..\ 'ilth no satisfactory explanation. . . --- \·le revie\'ied an Archives file containing the minutes of the CIA Research Board from 1953-1962. The mjnutes mention several briefings of the Board by Dr. Gottlieb and others on at least some aspects.of the drug and toxin programs. Copies of these documents are· attached. at Tab C. 4. HKNAOHI Records: This was a TSD project at Camp Detrick \·thich maintained an R&D competence to provide a minimal support capability in defensive and offe.Tl~ive BW/CH: -- There are t\.10 existing l4KNAONI files. These files contain CIA documents covering the period 5 May 1952 to 18 February 1970 and reports originated at Camp Detrick·during the period 1960. to 1969. · · -- These files do not present a detailed account of f.ll<NA01~I activity over the years. From his investigation of the project~ Dr. Stevens has concluded that gaps in the files are the result of a conscious policy on the part of those involved to keep very little paper on the project from its inception in 1952 to its demise in 1970. People formerly connected \·lith the project intervie\·ted by Dr. Steven:; asserted that the practice of keeping little or no record of the activity \·las s-tandard HKtlAO:H proceGure. 2 ,_ ! L-..· -: C, fJ... . .... . . ..b... • .J ( ( . ., J -- Dr. Stevens also learned that the Army has no records on MKNAO:-t! or on the Special Operations Division~ Fort Detrick. He surmises these records \•Jere destroyed \·rhen the BH/CH materials were destroyed at the President • s order •. -- There is one final consideration connected with the possible destruction Dr. Stevens also learned that the Army has no records on MKNAO:-t! or on the Special Operations Division~ Fort Detrick. He surmises these records \•Jere destroyed \·rhen the BH/CH materials were destroyed at the President • s order •. -- There is one final consideration connected with the possible destruction of records related to ~lKNAOHI. Approxi mately one safe drm"Yer full of Dr. Gottlieb's personal files were destroyed by his secretary·at his order in June 1973,. shortly before Dr. Gottlieb's retirement.·. The secretary Ha.s new to OTS at the time and had been \'mrking for Dr. Gottlieb for only six \-.reeks •. She kne\'i little about OTS activities, \ crypts,. or projects.· She remembers· destroying some technical journa1 s , papers \'Jr.itten by Dr. Gottlieb, some files de a1 i ng with sensitive personnel matterss and some SECRET SENSITIVE papers about \"Yhich she recalls nothing. Given the sensitivity of MKNAOl~I, some MKNAOMI papers caul d have been .included among those destroyed in June 1973. Ho\'lever, \'Je have no evidence this \'/as the case. · · · · ,' -- In general, \·le concur in Dr. Stevens'. belief that no papers. \·Jere removed from the two extant f·!KNAOHI files. NKNAOMI records-keeping procedures appear to account.at least partially for the lack of a :continuous detailed record ·of f1KNAOt1! activity over the years. Sol)'le papers relating to HKNA014I may have been destroyed in June 1973 or at some other.time, but this cannot be demonstrated wi.th the information now-available to us. J \ 5. ·~:-.· .. ~~-~ and Other Drug Related .Nater.ial :.:- .-----=~: involved CIA. contractors -testing .drugs on human volunteers: .. __ .::_9n 24 June 1975~ on f1r. Duckett's ord~rs~ --~~.-·: -- - ~:~~.~] . __ i of his o.ffi ce examined OTS hcil dings at Records Center in search of material \'/hich might have some bearing on the drug related investigation.·. Six.boxes: of material of possible interest \·Jere returned to the Office of the OD/S&T .for review. Subsequently, they \'/ere returned to Records Center. later these were recalled by OTS with an additional four boxes of·files from Records Center. · . -.- ~le reviewed three file~ f~c;>m th~se boxes in July 1975." · These \'Jere files on Project•_. _ . ___ }'which involved the testin-g Jbf drugs on human volunteers by various institutional contractors is i of CIA. A copy of the 31 July 1975 HOR covering our review attached at The visual content of this page is primarily text. There are no photographs, diagrams, tables, or forms visible. There are no handwritten annotations, signatures, or official stamps aside from a page number ("2") and a few scattered ink dots. A minimal amount of content appears to be visually obscured due to smudging and pixelation, but there are no complete redactions. The document consists of typed information with bullet points and numbered sections related to project records. The page is a typed document with handwritten annotations. At the top right, "420" is handwritten. There are also several bracketed red text markings visible, indicating redacted content. The document discusses MKNAOMI records, personnel files, and destruction of documents. It also mentions "Drug Related Material" and "contractors testing drugs on human volunteers." A footer indicates page "3". No images, forms, diagrams, or tables are present. -.- ~le reviewed three file~ f~c;>m th~se boxes in July 1975." · These \'Jere files on Project•_. _ . ___ }'which involved the testin-g Jbf drugs on human volunteers by various institutional contractors is i of CIA. A copy of the 31 July 1975 HOR covering our review attached at Tab D. ' 3 , / .. c ... . · . . . . · . . . .; .. ( · i OTS/ ru-m, revi e1·1ed the ten boxes of OTS files recalled. troin Rec'ords Center. In addition to the ...... -; material described above, these boxes contain a considerable - amount of material dealing with·animal screening tests of various compounds> but they contain no material dealing Hith tests jnyQ1.v5nghumans or identified as connected \'tith Project NKULTRA. ·-- ... _ . _:Memorandum covering ~is revie1·1 is attached at Tab E. --Three boxes.of OTS material formerly stored in Records Center \•Jere destroyed by OTS in January 1973 at the time of · the destruction of MKULTRA records. · · ·,l10R at Tab B comments on .the destruction of 'this materiaf.-)' Some of the records in these three boxes de a 1 t \'lith en vi ronmen ta 1 sampling _for BH. an9 ~H ~anufacturing activity _· · .. . . . ... .... . . . .. . J .. At least one file listed as 11Project ARTICHOKE - 1951-195411 must have dealt with drug connected activities. OTS has attempted to identify the activities covered by the balance of the missing material · with little success to date. A 10 October 1975 memorandum describing the OT.S efforts in this connection is attached at Tab F• . -- On 3 Ottober 1975, the Director of Medical Services for1-1arded to us copies of unaddressed, undated, and unsigned documents .dealing \'tith LSD-25 (See Tab G). These documents \'tere unearthed by m·IS from the Archives files of its Operations Division. They \'/ere found in a folder labeled "TSD File, 1956- 1960." . . 6. ~1e beli~ve it likely that a tho'rough search of Agency records -- . particularly ODD operational· records -- \-/ould continue to produce additional pieces of the drug activity puzzle. \ole believe it unlikely that such a search · would produce ·any major intact repository of information on this subject. Recognizing that such a search \'lould heavily burden people already overtaxed with investigative activities, \'/e are ·'inclined to doubt that continue to produce additional pieces of the drug activity puzzle. \ole believe it unlikely that such a search · would produce ·any major intact repository of information on this subject. Recognizing that such a search \'lould heavily burden people already overtaxed with investigative activities, \'/e are ·'inclined to doubt that the return would justify the investment. )J-P',.,~! ~~....1 .·- ~- ~ Donald F. Chamberlain • In~pector General 4 ..... .. ··-.· ~...... -r i The page contains typed text, with some handwritten annotations, including a signature and typed name with a title at the bottom right. There are no photographs, diagrams, forms, tables, or visual evidence of experimental procedures. There are no official stamps. The page is mostly text, with a few dots and dashes that appear to be either parts of the original document's formatting or minor printing imperfections.