“I will splinter the CIA into a thousand pieces and scatter it into the wind.” President John F. Kennedy.

Tuesday 7 March 2017, WikiLeaks began its new series of leaks on the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Code-named “Vault 7” by WikiLeaks, it is the largest ever publication of confidential documents on the agency. Here is the official CIA statement regarding the claims made by WikiLeaks. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today

The first full part of the series, “Year Zero”, comprises 8,761 documents and files from an isolated, high-security network situated inside the CIA’s Center for Cyber Intelligence in Langley, Virginia.

CIA Statement on Claims by Wikileaks

March 8, 2017

We have no comment on the authenticity of purported intelligence documents released by Wikileaks or on the status of any investigation into the source of the documents. However, there are several critical points we would like to make. CIA’s mission is to aggressively collect foreign intelligence overseas to protect America from terrorists, hostile nation states and other adversaries. It is CIA’s job to be innovative, cutting-edge, and the first line of defense in protecting this country from enemies abroad. America deserves nothing less. It is also important to note that CIA is legally prohibited from conducting electronic surveillance targeting individuals here at home, including our fellow Americans, and CIA does not do so. CIA’s activities are subject to rigorous oversight to ensure that they comply fully with U.S. law and the Constitution. The American public should be deeply troubled by any Wikileaks disclosure designed to damage the Intelligence Community’s ability to protect America against terrorists and other adversaries. Such disclosures not only jeopardize U.S. personnel and operations, but also equip our adversaries with tools and information to do us harm.

Samuel Halpern: Did you ever see any pieces of CIA?

The decryption passphrase for the CIA Vault 7 leak is:

“I will splinter the CIA into a thousand pieces and scatter it into the wind.” The quote — credited to President John F. Kennedy — was given to a New York Times journalist by a Kennedy administration official and published on April 25 1966 in an article titled “C.I.A.: Maker of Policy, or Tool?” The 6:15-minute video centers on Samuel Halpern — who was involved in the investigation of the assassination — discussing JFK’s relationship with the Central Intelligence Agency. The JFK quote is referenced at the 2:50-mark.

REFERENCES

CIA Statement on Claims by Wikileaks — Official website

“C.I.A.: Maker of Policy, or Tool?” — Official website