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Cia RDP88G01116R000600690003 8

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Cia RDP88G01116R000600690003 8

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Kenny Pinheiro
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 DATE TRANSMITTAL SLIP 2.9 JAN 1987 ua ‘THE RECORD ‘BUILDING Per Genna (D/ExecStaff's Office), action on ER 5687 86 is on a back burner. Therefore, there will not be a response imminently and possibly never. ROOM NO, | BUILDING EXTENSION FORMNO 5a, QERATESFORMQS® Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 - CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 201 1/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G011 416F000600690003- 8 EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT * ‘ (ROUTING SUP To: ACTIONT INFO| DATE | INITIAL 1 [oer X (wo attacts) 2 [poet AGO 4 Jones 3 [Dor 6 7 3 9 ODA DDO Dbsat [Chm/NIC yo [6c nfs 12 [Compr 13 [D/Ou 14 |D/PAO_ 15 [VC/NIC 16 |D/Exec Staff X 17 [AVES X (wio attachs) oT ER x 2 toma | 25x1 7h vec 86 oop cn Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 «@ @ Next 2 Page(s) In Document Denied od Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 ‘Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 . CIA-RDP86G011 16R000600690003-8 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY VOL. 21 No. WINTER 1977 ik ? a TR-SINT 77-004 we 1365 SECRET NOFORN Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 ‘Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23. CIA-RDP88GO01 1 1eRO00G008900035 =i SECRET NOFORN ‘An untapped collection possibility PARAPSYCHOLOGY IN INTELLIGENCE: A PERSONAL REVIEW AND CONCLUSIONS Dr. Kenneth A. Kress ‘The Central Intelligence Agency has investigated the controversial phenomenon called parapsychology as it relates to intelligence collection. The author was involved with many aspects of the last such investigations. This paper summarizes selected highlights of the experiences of the author and others. The intent is not historical completeness. Files are available for those interested in details. Instead the intent isto record some certainly interesting and possibly useful data and opinions. This record is likely to be of future benefit to those who will be required to evaluate intelligence- related aspects of parapsychology. “The Agency took the initiative by sponsoring serious parapsychological research, but circumstances, biases, and fear of ridicule prevented CIA from completing @ scientific investigation of parapsychology and its relevance to national security During this research period, CIA was buffeted with investigations concerning illegalities and improprieties of all sorts. Ths situation, pethaps properly so, raised the sensitivity of CIA's involvement in unusual activities. The Proxmire Effect,” where the fear that certain Government research contracts would be claimed to be ill founded and held up for scorn, was another factor precluding CIA from sensitive areas of research. Also, there tend to be two types of reactions to parapsychology: positive or negative, with little in between. Parapsychological data, almost by definition, are elusive and unexplained. Add a history replete with proven frauds and many people instantly reject the subject saying. in effect, “I would not believe this stuff even if it were true.” Others, who mostly have had personal “conversion” experiences, tend to bbe equally convinced that one unexplained success establishes a phenomenon. These prejudices make it difficult to evaluate parapsychology carefully and scientifically. ‘Tantalizing but incomplete data have been generated by CIA-sponsored research. ‘These data show, among other things, that on occasion unexplained results of genuine intelligence significance occur. This is not to say that parapsychology is a proven intelligence took: it isto say that the evaluation is not yet complete and more research is needed, Attention is confined to psychokineties and cemote viewing Psychokinetics is the purported ability of a person to interact with a machine or other object by ‘unexplained means. Remote viewing is akin to clairvoyance in that a person claims to sense information about a site or person removed from a known sensory link Anecdotal reports of extrasensory perception (ESP) capabilities have reached US. national security agencies at least since World War TI, when Hitler was said to rely on astrologers and seers. Suggestions for military applications of ESP continued to be received after World War II. For example, in 1952 the Department of Defense was lectured on the possible usefulness of extrasensory perception in psychological warfare’ Over the years, reports continued to accumulate, In 1961, the reports A, Pubatich, “On the Posie Uslunes of Extrasersory Perception in Perchological Warfare Gelivered to 2 1959 Pentagon conference. The Washington Post, August 1, 197 SECRET 7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 ‘Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 - CIA-RDP86G01116R000600690003-8 SECRET Parapsychology induced one of the earliest U. S. Government parapsychology investigations when the chief of CIA's Office of Technical Service (then the Technical Services Division) became interested in the claims of ESP. Technical project officers soon contacted Stephen L Abrams, the Director of the Parapsychological Laboratory, Oxford University, England. Under the auspices of Project ULTRA, Abrams prepared @ review article which claimed ESP was demonstrated but not understood or controlla- ble! The report was read with interest but produced no further action for another decade. . ‘Two lasge physicists, Dr. Russell Targ and Dr. Harold E. Puthoff, re awakened CIA research in parapsychology. Targ had been avocationally interested in parapsy- chology for most of his adult life. Asan experimentalist he was interested in scientific : Gbsereations of parapsychology. Puthoff became interested in the field in the early z 1970s, He was a theoretician who was exploring new fields of research after extensive work in quantum electronics. In April of 1972, Targ met with CIA personnel from the Office of Scientific Intelligence (OSI) and discused the subject of paranormal abilities Targ revealed that sesereet acts with people who purported to have sen and documented some Soviet ae ganons of psychokinesis Films of Soviets moving inanimate objects by “mental t renters were made available to analyst fom OSI. They in tur, contacted personnel E Pee the Olfige of Reearch and Development (ORD) and OTS. An ORD Project t Gilcee then vsted Targ who had recently joined the Sanford Research Insitute : {GIy Targ proposed that some psychoknetic verification investigation could be done at SRI in conjunetion with Puthoft “These proposals were quickly followed by a laboratory demonstration, Aman was found by Targ and Puthoff who apparently had psychokinetic abilities. He was taken on a surprise vist to a superconducting shielded magnetometer being used in. quark (high energy particle) experiments by Dr. A. Hebbard of Stanford University Physics Department. The quark experiment required that the magnetometer be as well shielded as technology would allow. Nevertheless, when the subject placed his Sttention on the interior of the magnetometer, the output signal was visibly disturbed, indicating a change in the internal magnetic field, Several other correlations of his mental efforts with signal variations were observed. These variations were never seen before or after the visit. The event was summarized and transmitted to the Agency in the form of a letter to an OSI analyst? and as discussions with OTS and ORD officers. “The Office of Technical Services took the first ation. With the approval of the same manager who supported the ESP studies a decade previously, an OTS project officer contracted for a demonstration with the previously described subject at SRI For a cost of $874, one OTS and one ORD representative worked with Targ and Pathoff and the previously mentioned man for a few days in August, 1972, During this demonstration, the subject was asked to describe objects hidden out of sight by the CIA personnel. The subject did well. The descriptions were so startlingly accurate that the OTS and ORD representatives suggested that the work be continued and expanded, The same Ditector of OTS reviewed the data, approved another $2,500 soak order, and encouraged the development of a more complete research plan. By October, 1072, Iwas the Project Officer I was chosen because of my physics background to work with the physicists from SRI. The Ofice of Technical Service fanded a $50,000 expanded effort in parapsychology." The expanded investigation Ta Abrams, “Extasensory Perception”, Draft report, 14 December 1965. HL E. Pthff, Stanford Research lnsitute; Letter to K. Green/O8t, June 27, 1972, “Office of Technical Service Contract 8473, 1 October 1972 (CONFIDENTIAL) 8 SECRET Bolin, Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 ‘Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP86G011 16R000600690003-8 Poropsychology SECRET Included tests of several abilities of both the original subject and a new one. Curious data began to appear: the paranormal abilities seemed individualistic, For example, cone subject, by mental effort, apparently caused an increase in the temperature measured by a thermistor; the action could not be duplicated by the second subject The second subject was able to reproduce, with impressive accuracy, information sealed inside envelopes. Under identical conditions, the first subject could reproduce nothing. Perhaps even more disturbing, repeating the same experiment with the same subject did not yield consistent results. I began to have serious feelings of being involved with a fraud. Approximately halfway through this project. the SRI contractors were invited to review their results. After careful consideration of the security and sensitivity factors, the results were shared and discussed with selected Agency personnel during that and subsequent meetings. In February, 1973, the most recent data were reviewed: thereafter, several ORD officers showed definite interest in contributing their own expertise and office funding ‘The possibility of a joint OTS/ORD program continued to develop. The Office of Research and Development sent new Project Officers to SRI during February, 1975, and the reports which were brought back convinced ORD to become involved Interest was translated into action when ORD requested an increase in the scope of the effort and transferred funds to OTS? About this time, a third sensitive subject, Pat Price, became available at SRI, and the remote viewing experiments in which a subject describes his impressions of remote objects or locations began in earnest. The possibilty that such useful abilities were real motivated all concerned to move ahead quickly. ‘The contract required additional management review before it could be continued or its scope increased. The initial review went from OTS and ORD to Mr. William Colby, then the DDO. On 24 April, Mr. Colby decided that the Executive Management Committee should pass judgment on this potentially sensitive project. By the middle of May, 1973, the approval request went through the Management Committee. An approval memorandum was written for the signature of the DCI, then Dr. James Schlesinger * Mr. Colby took the memorandum to the DCI a few days later. T was soon told not to increase the scope of the project and not to anticipate any follow-on in this area. The project was too sensitive and potentially embarrassing, It should be tabled. It is interesting to note that OTS was then being investigated for involvement in the Watergate affair, and that in May, 1973, the DCI issued a memorandum to all CIA employees requesting the reporting of any activities that may have been illegal and improper. As Project Officer, clearly my sense of timing had not bbeen guided by useful paranormal abilities! During the summer of 1973. SRI continued working informally with an OSI officer on a remote viewing experiment which eventually stimulated more ClA- sponsored investigations of parapsychology. The target was a vacation property in the ‘eastern United States. The experiment began with the passing of nothing more than the geographic coordinates of the vacation property to the SRI physicists who, in turn, passed them to the two subject, one of whom was Pat Price. No maps were permitted, and the subjects were asked to give an immediate response of what they remotely viewed at these coordinates. The subject came back with descriptions which were apparent misses. They both talked about a military-like facility. Nevertheless, a ‘C/TSD: Memorandum for Auistant Depaty Director for Operations: Subect: Request for Approval of Contract; 20 Apri 1979 (SECRET), *W. E. Colby; DDO; Memerandum for Director of Central Intelligence: Subnet Request for Approval of Contact: 4 May 1973 (SECRET) SECRET 9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 ‘Sanitized Cor roved for Release 2011/06/23 . CIA-RDPBSG011 16R000600690003- SECRET Parapsychology striking correlation of the two independent descriptions was noted. The correlation caused the OSI officer to drive to the site and investigate in more detail To the surprise of the OSI officer, he soon discovered a sensitive government instalation a few miles from the vacation property. This discovery led to a request to have Price provide information concerning the interior workings ofthis particular site. All the data produced by the two subjects were reviewed in CIA and the Agency concerned. . The evaluation was, as usual, mixed” Pat Price, who had no military or intelligence background, provided 2 list of project titles associated with current and past activities including one of extreme sensitivity. Also, the codename of the site was provided. Other information concerning the physical layout of the site was accurate. Some information, such as the names of the people at the site, proved incorrect. ‘These experiments took several months to be analyzed and reviewed within the ‘Agency. Now Mr. Colby was DCI, and the new directors of OTS and ORD were favorably impressed by the data. In the fall of 1973, a Statement of Work was outlined, and SRI was asked to propose another program. A jointly funded ORD and OTS program was begun in February, 1974 The author again was the Project Officer. The project proceeded on the premise that the phenomena existed; the objective was to develop and utilize them. ‘The ORD funds were devoted to basic studies such as the identification of | measurable physiological or psychological characteristics of psychic individuals, and | the establishment of experimental protocols for validating paranormal abilities. The OTS funds were to evaluate the operational utility of psychic subjects without regard to the detailed understanding of paranormal functioning, If the paranormal function- ing was sufficiently reproducible, we were confident applications would be found. Before many months had passed, difficulties developed in the project. Our tasking in the basic research area proved to be more extensive than time and funds would allow. The contractors wanted to compromise by doing all of the tasks with less completeness. The ORD scientists insisted that with such a controversial topic, fewer bbut more rigorous results would be of more value. The rigor of the research became a serious issue between the ORD project officers and SRI, with myself generally taking a i position between the righteousness of the contractor and indignation of the research- ers. Several meetings occurred over that isue. ‘As an example of the kinds of disputes which developed over the basic research, | consider the evalvation of the significance cf data fom the "ESP teaching machine" experiments, This machine was a four-sate electronic random number generator used to test for paranormal abilities. SRI claimed the machine randomly cycled through four states, and the subject indicates the current machine state by pressing a button The state of the machine and the subject's choice were recorded for later analysis. A subject “guessing” should, on the average be correct 25 percent of the time. SRI had a | subject who averaged a statistically very significant 29 percent for more than 2,500 trials, requested a review of the experiment and analysis, and two ORD officers quickly and skeptically responded. They first argued that the ESP machine was TK. Green; LSD/OSI; Memorandum for the Record; Subic: Verification of Remote Viewing Experiments at Stanford Research Inattte, 9 November 193. (SECRET) * Office of Technical Service Contract, FAN 1125-4000 Office of Research and. Development (Contract, FAN 4162100; 1 Febroary 1974 (CONFIDENTIAL 10 SECRET Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 Poropsychology SECRET possibly not random. They further argued the subjects probably learned the nonran- dom machine patterns and thereby produced high scores. During this review, it was noted that whether the machine was random or not, the data taken during the experiment could be analyzed to determine actual machine statistics. The machine randomness was then unimportant, because the subject's performance could then be compared with actual machine performance." The ORD Project Officers, however, did not believe it would be worth the effort to do the extra analysis of the actual data, | disagreed. I had the Office of Joint Computer Services redo the data analysis. The conclusion was that during the experiment “no evidence of nonrandomness was discovered” and there was “no solid reason how he was able to be so successful" I further ordered the subject retested. He averaged more than 28 percent during anothe? 2,500 trials. This information was given in written and oral form to the ORD Project Officers, who maintained there must be yet another flaw in the experiment of analysis, but it was not worth finding. Because of more pressing demands, the issue could not be pursued to a more definite conclusion, Concurrent with this deteriorating state of affairs, new Directors of ORD and OTS were named again. Since neither Director had any background or experience in Paranormal research, the new Director of ORD reviewed the parapsychology project and had reservations. I requested a meeting in which’he said he could not accept this reality of paranormal functioning, but he understood his bias. He said that inasmuch as he could not make an objective decision in this field, he could simply follow the advice of his staf. The ORD Project Officers were feeling their own frustrations and uncertainties concerning the work and now had to face this unusual kind of skepticism of their new Director. The skepticism about the believability of the phenomenon and uality of the basic research adversely affected the opinions of many people in OTS. Support for the project was vanishing rapidly As these pressures mounted, the first intelligence collection operation using Parapsychology was attempted. The taget was the Semipalatinsk Unidentified Re~ search and Development Facility:3 (URDF-3, formerly known as PNUTS). The experimental collection would use our best subject, Pat Price. From experience it was obvious that Price produced bad data as well as good. Borrowing from classical communication theory concepts, this “noisy channel” of information could neverthe- less be useful if it were characterized. An elaborate protocol was designed which would accomplish two characterization measurements. First, we needed assurance the channel was collecting useful data. I reviewed the photos of URDF-3 and chose two features which, if Price described them, would show the channel at least partially working Referring to Figure 1a, these features were the tall crane and the four Structures resembling oil well derricks. It was agreed that if Price described these structures, I would be prepared to have him sign a secrecy agreement. making him witting, and collect more relevant intelligence details Secondly, after a working channel was thus established, a signal-to-noise or quality characterization, was required. This would be done by periodic tests of the channel—that is. periodically Price would be asked to describe features of URDF-3 which were known, The accuracy of these descriptions would be used to estimate the quality of the data we had no obvious way of verifying. E,W, tok LSIVORD, Memoranda for OTS/CB abc. Essence or Nan Radnee of Foust hone Rann S Comat 1 se Wi CORPSE AL "5.1 Canc LSK/ORD, Mennandn far OTS/C Sb: Repro Reped Civ, SA Random Stimulus Generator Results 12 June 1975 (CONFIDENTIAL) an 1G Bue: O}S/AD/BD: Menorndu for Dr. Kes abet Ana fhe Sb Machine elaine Ooh 10 (CONPIDESTE AD) SECRET un Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 [ Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 = CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 ‘Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 SECRET Parapsychology ‘The experiment began with my branch chief and me briefing Targ and Puthoff ina wal tater, at SRI, Price was briefed by Targ and Putholf, Since Targ and Putholt presumably Knew nothing about URDF-S, ths protocol guarded against cueing and or telepathy. Initaly Price was given only the geographic coordinates & cues fas map marked with the approximate location of URDF-S, and told it was See RDAE test site, Overnight, be produced the drawing on the bottom right of Figure Ib. Price further mentioned ths was 2 "damned big crane” because he so 8 ator walk by and he only came up tothe azleson the wheels (ote sketch bp left, Figure 1b). Ths performance caught my attention; but with two more days of work, Figure ead about the derricks, Eventually, a decision was needed. Because the seers so impressive, my branch chief and I decided the derricks description requirement should be relaxed and we should continue, When the decision was made to make Price witting, I decided to test him. My branch chief and lsat in a conference room while Trg and Puthoff brought a smiling erence inte the room. 1 was introduced as the sponsor, and I immediately asked Price if he knew me. Yes. Name? Ken Kress. Occupation? Works for CIA. since twas then a covert employee, the response was meaningful After having Price Signi secrecy agreement, and some dscusions I confronted him agai. I rolled out jarge version of Figure 1a and asked if he had viewed this sit. Yes, of course! Why didn't you see the four derricks? Wait, I'l check. price closed his eyes, put on his glasses (he “sees” better that way) and in = few erie de anewered. “I didn't se them because they are not there any more.” Since My Seance ar three or four months old there was no rejoinder to the implied accusation aut May data were not good, We proceeded and completed voluminous dats package In a few weeks, the latest URDF-S reconnaissance was checked. Two derricks were partially disassembled, but basically all four were visible. Im general, ost of Paice data were wrong or could not be evaluated, He did, nevertheless, produce some I rveving descriptions, like buildings then under construction, spherical tank sections a ne cane in Figure Ib. Two analysts, a photo interpreter at IAS and a nuclest | “analyst at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories agreed that Price's description of the t analyst aS aveurate, the nuclear analyst wrote that “one: he, the subject. actually saw it i Theoagh remote viewing, or vo: he was informed what to draw by, somesns | nowledgeable ef URDF.3." But, again, since there wat so much bad information | Know iegraith the good, the overall result was not considered useful. As prof, of ' inet icwing, the data are at best inconclusive. The ORD officers concluded that ww 7, Swand; C/ESO/TAS: Memorandum for Disetr, Office of Technical Sec: SI: See eae eer cin Undentied RAD Faity No.8, USSR 20 August 1974 (SECRET) sre dnman Lov Alans Stenic Labratory; “Aa Anaya ofa Remote Viewing Experiment of RDF"; 4 December 1975 (CONFIDENTIAL) 12 SECRET Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 Poropsychology SECRET (s) TARGET SITE (o) CRANE COMPARISON Figure 1: Comparison of Target Site and Drawing by Remote Viewer srsaio 978 cn SECRET MOFORN wainrel SECRET 13 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 Sanitized Coy roved for Release 2011/06/23 : Cl DP88GO1116R000600890003-8 SECRET Poropsychology since there were no control experiments to compare with, the data were nothing but lucky guessing. began to doubt my own objectivity in evaluating the significance of paranormal abilities to intelligence collection. It was clear that the SRI contractors were claiming, Success while ORD advisors were saying the experiments were not meaningful because ‘of poor experimental design. As a check on myself, I asked for a critique of the investigation from a disinterested consultant, a theoretical physicist with broad intellectual background. His first task was to evaluate the field of parapsychology without knowledge of the CIA data. After he had completed this critique, I asked him . to acquaint himself with the CIA data and then to reassess the field. The first investigation produced genuine interest in paranormal functioning as a valid research area, After being acquainted with CIA data, his conclusion was, " a large body of ‘eliable experimental evidence points to the inescapable conclusion that extrasensory perception does exist as areal phenomenon, albeit characterized by rarity and lack of reliability." This judgment by a competent scientist gave impetus to continue serious inquiry into parapsychology Because of the general skepticism and the mixed results of the various operational experiments, a final challenge was issued by OTS management: OTS is not in the esearch business; do something of genuine operational significance. Price was chosen, nd suggestions were solicited from operational personnel in both OTS and the DDO. ‘An intriguing idea was selected from audio operational applications: the difficult and dangerous job of targeting and installing audio collection systems. A test to determine if remote viewing could help was suggested. The interiors of two foreign embassies ‘were known to the audio teams who had made entries several years previously. Price was to visit these embassies by his remote viewing capability, locate the coderooms, fad come up with information that might allow a member of the audio team to determine whether Price was likely to be of operational use in subsequent operations. Price was given operationally acceptable data such asthe exterior photographs and the geographical coordinates of the embassies. {In both cases, Price correctly located the coderooms, He produced copious data, such as the location of interior doors and colors of marble stairs and fireplaces that were accurate and specific. As usual, much was also vague and incorrect. Regardless, the operations officer involved concluded, "It is my considered opinion that this technique—whatever it is—offers definite operational possibilities.” This result was reviewed within OTS and the DDO, and various suggestions for potential follow-on activities were formulated." This package of requirement, plus the final results of the current contract, were reviewed at several meetings within OTS and ORD. The results of those meetings are as follows 1. According to the ORD Project Officers, the research was not productive | or even competent; therefore, research support to SRI was dropped. The Director “+. A. Ball; “An Overview of Extrasensory Perception"; Report to CIA, 27 January 1975 \« C/AOB/OTS, Memorandum forthe Recon; Subject: Parapsychology/“Remote Viewing”; 20 Apel 1976 (SECRET). ‘+ Chief/Divsion D/DDO, Memorandum for C/D&E: Subject: Perceptual Augmentation Tech: niques, 24 January 1978 (SECRET). AC/SE/DDO; Memorandum for C/D&E: Subject: Perceptual ra attioa Testing: January 1975 (SECRET? C/EA/DDO Memorandum for Director of Technica! seer Subject Exploration of Operational Potetal of “Paranormal”, 5 February 1915 (SECRET): SUBAJELINE/DDO, Memorandum for OTS/CB: Sebect Libyan Desk Requzement for Pachic Experiments Relating to Libya, 1 January 197 SECRET). Cl/Staff/DDO: Memorandum forthe Record Subject SAI Esperisent; 12 December 1914 (SECRET) 4 SECRET Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 roved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 Poropsychology SECRET of OTS felt the OTS charter would not support research; therefore, all Agency funding in paranormal research stopped. 2. Because of the mixed results, the operational utility of the capability was considered questionable but deserved further testing. 3. To achieve better security, all the operations-oriented testing with the contractor was stopped, and a personal services contract with Price was started. 4. Since I was judged to be a positively biased advocate of paranormal functioning, the testing and evaluation of Price would be transferred to a more pragmatic OTS operations psychologist The OTS psychologist picked up his new responsibilities and chose to complete an unfinished DDO requirement. The origin of the requirement went back to the fall of 1974 when several OTS engineers became aware ofthe parapsychology project in OTS and had volunteered to attempt remote viewing. They passed initial remote viewing tests at SRI with some apparent successes. To test these OTS insiders further, I chose a suggested requirement to obtain information about a Libyan site described only by its geographic coordinates. The OTS engineers described new construction which could be an SA-5 misile training site” The Libyan Desk officer was immediately impressed. He then revealed to me that an agent had reported essentially the same story. More coordinates were quickly furnished but were put aside by me. The second set of Libyan geographic coordinates was pasted by the OTS psychologist to Price. A report describing a guerrilla training site was quickly returned. It contained a maprlike drawing of the complex. Price described a related underwater sabotage training facility site several hundred kilometers away on the sea coast. This information was passed to the Libyan Desk. Some data were evaluated immediately, some were evaluated only after ordering special reconnaissance cover- age. New information produced by Price was verified by the reconnaissance. The underwater sabotage training facility description was similar to a collateral agent's report. The Libyan Desk officer quickly escalated the requirement to what was going. ‘on inside those buildings, the plans and intentions, ete." The second requirements list ‘was passed to Pat Price. Price died of a heart attack a few days later, and the program stopped. There have been no further C1A-sponsored intelligence collection tess. Since July, 1975, there has been only modest CIA and Intelligence Community Staff interest in parapsychology. The Office of Scientific Intelligence completed a study about Soviet military and KGB applied parapsychology." During November of 1976, Director George Bush became aware that official Soviets were visiting and questioning Puthoff and Targ at SRI about their work in parapsychology. Mr. Bush requested and received a briefing on CIA's investigations into parapsychology. Before there was any official reaction, he left the Agency. Various intelligence community ‘groups, such as the Human Resources Subcommittee on R&D, have exhaustively reviewed parapsychology in CIA, DOD, and the open research, but have failed to conclude whether parapsychology is or is not a worthwhile area for futher investiga- tion. Several proposals from SRI and other contractors were received by CIA but none were accepted. There are no current plans for CIA to fund parapsychology Investigations "" OTS/SDB; Notes on Interviews with F.P., EL, C.J. K G. apd V. C, January 1975 (SECRET) "DDO/NE: Memorandum for OTS/BAB; Subject: Experimeatal Callection Activity Relating to Libys; 8 Outober 1975 (SECRET) "7. Hamilton; LSD/OSI; “Soviet and East European Parapsychology Research,” SIT7-10012, April 1977 (SECRET/NOFORN) SECRET 15 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 nitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/23 : CIA-RDP88G01116R000600690003-8 SECRET Paropsychology Postscript reaction of various elements of CIA to ‘ional and highly controversial subject. Alo of interest wre the concurrent reactions of other agencies 19 ‘parapsychology. In August, 1973, veith several members of DIA. The DIA people were [At this point, I have traced the action and what is certainly an unconven parapsychology was discussed Paeally interested in the Soviet activities in this area ‘and expressed considerable basal pour own fledgling results Numerous meetings have occurred during the inst several yds. DIA remains interested on alow prion basis. ed of CIA interest in the paranormal. We iscovseh the Aramy interest was generated by data which ‘emerged from Vietnam.

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