Analysis of MKULTR A, 1977 Joint Hearing (Part 17) by Dr. Jeffr ey Russell, PhD

Testing and Use of Chemical and Biological Agents by the Intelligence Community

This is a report prepared by the Select Committee to specify their results and how it relates to policy and law. Fears that hostile countri es would use chemical or biological agents agains t Americans led to the development of a defensive program to counter act this threat. This reason was soon replaced when the use of drugs in interrogation and control of enemy agents was discovered. Research and development prog rams to find materials to alter human behavior were initiated in th e late 1940s and early 1950s. These experimental pro grams used human subjects, both witting and unwitting, to determine the potential effects of chemical and biological agents. These testing programs w ere considered high ly sensitive. [Note: The term

“highly sensitive” was used

back then as a reason to cover things up like this. Today, they just

say it’s “national security” and that covers everyth ing.] This is where they started learning how

to compartmentalize secret programs. These programs resulted in massive abridgments of the rights of American citizens, sometimes with tragic consequenc es. The manner in which these tests were administ ered demonstrated a fundam ental disregard for the value of human life. [Note: Operation Paperclip brought over hundreds of Nazi scientists and researchers who were accepted by the CIA with open arms. Some of the worst were placed in covert compartm entalized programs which in many cases were just a continuation of the diabolic research activities they were engaged in under Nazi rule.]

The Committee’s investigation also raised serious questions about the command and control

procedures in place at the CIA. In fact, the CIA waived normal protoco ls when chemical and biological testing was invo lved to protect their sec urity. There were also other intelligence agencies involved. For instance, the Army was doing expe rimental testing with LSD overseas. Naturally, the different intelligence agencies were not sharing data due to compartmentation. A. The Programs Investigated 1. Project CHATTER: This wa s a Navy program begun in 1947 which focused on the

identification and testing of “truth drugs” for use in interrogation and recruitment of agents.

The drugs researched included

Anabasis a phylla