JFK files: Mystery of who ordered ‘unlawful’ CIA plots to assassinate foreign leaders

US meddling in foreign affairs, including frequent plots to murder foreign leaders, have been laid bare and branded “unlawful” in one of the thousands of former classified files just released by the US National Archives.

However, investigations into who in the US Government ultimately ordered the shady assassination bids, and whether it was actually JFK himself, were unable to point the finger of blame.

A document released today dated May 30 1975, entitled a “summary of facts on CIA plots to assassinate foreign leaders,” goes into detail on the well known CIA plots to execute Cuban communist leader Fidel Castro, using US Mafia hitmen.

Several attempts were made on the life of Castro from 1960 to late 1963 – just before JFK was gunned down on November 22 1963 in Dallas, Texas.

The report was commissioned as part of inquiries into whether the USSR or Cuba may have been responsible for the murder of President John F Kennedy (JFK) in retaliation for the failed killings.

However, the report also detailed CIA assassination plots against Generalissimo Rafael Trujillo in May 1961, who the US wished to overthrow in the Dominican Republic, by shipping arms to individuals there to carry it out.

It was also found that the CIA had discussed a plot to kill Patrice Lumumba the Prime Minister of Congo, who was also executed in early 1961, although it was found not to have gone on to be involved in the killing.

A similar situation occurred with President Sukarno of Indonesia.

The report said: “There was a discussion within the agency (CIA) of a possibility of an attempt on the life of President Sukarno of Indonesia which ‘progressed as far as the identification of an asset who it was felt might be recruited for this purpose.

“The plan was never reached, was never perfected to the point where it seemed feasible'”.

But, the probe conceded it was unable to get to the bottom of who ordered such hits outside of the CIA.

The report said: “The investigation is not complete with regard to the question of who, if anyone outside the CIA, authorised or directed the planning of any assassination attempts against foreign leaders.

“However, with particular reference to the plans directed against Fidel Castro, the investigation is sufficiently complete to show that the plans were undertaken by the CIA.”

It went on to say such plots should never have been planned by the US Government.

It added: “President Ford has announced that assassination is not and should never be a tool of US foreign policy.

“The executive director concurs and believes that it is against the constitutional and moral principles for which this nation stands for to be any direct or indirect participation of any agency of the United States Government in any plans involving the assassination of any persons in peacetime.”