Mr. Mccone.

him with any funds or money or compensated him directly or indirectly in any fashion, and Lee Harvey Oswald was never associated or connected directly or indirectly in any way whatsoever with the Agency. When I use the term "Agency," I mean the Central Intelligence Agency, of course.

Representative Ford.

Does that include whether or not he was in the United States, in the Soviet Union, or anyplace?

Mr. Mccone.

Anyplace; the United States, Soviet Union, or anyplace.

Mr. Rankin.

Mr. McCone, is that the affidavit you are going to supply the Commission in connection with our request for it?

Mr. Mccone.

Yes; this is the substance of the affidavit which I will supply to you.

Mr. Rankin.

Mr. Chairman, I ask leave to mark that Exhibit 870 and have it introduced in evidence as soon as we receive it from Mr. McCone as a part of this record.

The Chairman.

It may be admitted.
(Commission Exhibit No. 870 was marked for identification and received in evidence.)

Mr. Rankin.

Would you tell us about your procedures in regard to having an agent or informer or any person acting in that type of capacity? Does that have to pass through your hands or come to your attention in the Agency?

Mr. Mccone.

No; it does not have to come through my personal hands.

Mr. Rankin.

Without disclosing something that might be a security matter, could you tell us how that is handled in a general way in the Agency?

Mr. Mccone.

Mr. Helms, who is directly responsible for that division of the Agency's activities as a Deputy Director, might explain. Would that be permissible?

Mr. Rankin.

Could we have him sworn then?

The Chairman.

Yes.

The Chairman.

Would you raise your right hand and be sworn. Do you solemnly swear the testimony you are about to give before this Commission shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Mr. Helms.

I do.

Mr. Rankin.

Mr. Helms, you heard the inquiry just directed to Mr. McCone. Could you answer the question directly?

Mr. Helms.

Yes; we have a specific procedure which we follow in all cases where the Agency is in contact, for the purposes of acquiring intelligence or whatever the case may be, with an individual. We not only have a record of the individual's name, but we also usually get information of a biographical nature. We then check this individual's name against our record. At that point we make a determination as to whether we desire to use this man or not to use him. It varies from case to case as to how many officers may be involved in approving a specific recruitment. May I go off the record?
(Discussion off the record.)

Mr. Rankin.

Mr. Helms, did you have anything to do on behalf of your Agency with determining whether or not Lee Harvey Oswald was acting in any of the capacities I have described in my questions to Mr. McCone?

Mr. Helms.

Yes; I did.

Mr. Rankin.

Will you tell us what you did in that regard?

Mr. Helms.

On Mr. McCone's behalf, I had all of our records searched to see if there had been any contacts at any time prior to President Kennedy's assassination by anyone in the Central Intelligence Agency with Lee Harvey Oswald. We checked our card files and our personnel files and all our records.
Now, this check turned out to be negative. In addition I got in touch with those officers who were in positions of responsibility at the times in question to see if anybody had any recollection of any contact having even been suggested with this man. This also turned out to be negative, so there is no material in the Central Intelligence Agency, either in the records or in the mind of any of the individuals, that there was any contact had or even contemplated with him.