MEMO FOR: (Sanitized), CHIEF/INTELLIGENCE LAW DIVISION, OGC. SUBJECT: STAR GATE PROGRAM ISSUES

CIA-STARGATE

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In this document from April 14, 1995, the Chief of the Intelligence Law Division of the Office of General Counsel and the Chief of the Undergrounds Program discuss legal issues and responsibilities related to the Stargate program. The Stargate program involves the use of paranormal phenomena for intelligence purposes, including assessing foreign activities related to the paranormal, using "remote viewing" to collect intelligence on foreign targets, and researching techniques to enhance the use of paranormal phenomena for intelligence collection. The CIA is involved in reviewing the Stargate program, as directed by Congress. Additional requirements include transferring the program from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) to the CIA by July 1995 and developing a management strategy for the new program at the CIA. The CIA has taken steps to assemble a panel to conduct a technical review and has started declassifying some records from their own program in the 1970s. They are also conducting an exhaustive review of all documents related to the program's activities and responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The document also mentions the operational and training scenarios in which the viewers in the Stargate program use their abilities to collect information about specific targets. The authors of the memo request a written response to their questions and any additional advice.

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Body:  Approved For Release 2000/08/10 : CIA-RDP96-00791 R000200130001-2
 14 April 1995
 SG 1 I       MEMO FOR:
 SG11
 FROM:
 Chief/Intelligence Law Division
 Office of General Counsel
 Chief, Undergrounds Program
 Emerging Programs Group, ORD
 SUBJECT:        Star Gate Program Issues
 Thank you for considering the potential legal issues and
 responsibilities relating to ORD's actions during its review
 of DIA's Star Gate program. As you know from our previous
 conversation,   Star Gate involves use of paranormal phenomena
 for intelligence purposes.   The program has three basic
 aspects to it: assessment of foreign activities to develop or
 exploit the paranormal for any uses which might affect our
 National Security, application of "remote viewing" to collect
 intelligence against foreign targets, and the R&D of
 techniques to improve the use of paranormal phenomena for
 intelligence collection.   The CIA (ORD in particular) was
 involved in its own program,  similar to Star Gate, during the
 early 1970s which is now also the subject of this review.
 CIA's review of Star Gate is a directed action by
 Congress.   Other requirements of this action include the
 transfer of Star Gate from DIA to CIA by July 1,  1995, and
 development of a management strategy for the new program at
 CIA. In response to this directed action, CIA already has
 taken steps toward assembling an open-world, Blue Ribbon
 Panel at the National Research Council so that an unbiased,
 technical review can occur. We have also begun to declassify
 some of our own records from the early 1970s and we are going
 to create a declassification review panel to eventually look
 at all the records.   Finally, we have initiated an
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 exhaustive, detailed review of all documents relating to
 program activity in this area partly in response to an FOIA
 request, and to satisfy congressional direction that we
 review all files at CIA and DIA.
 My questions regarding our actions in this process are
 as follows:
 The viewers sit in a room unattended where their
 thoughts apparently transcend time and space and they perform
 collections against targets anywhere in the world.  For
 example, in one "operational scenario," they respond to
 tasking from various customers who have asked questions
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 regarding what information the viewers can provide about a
 particular person, place or thing, etc.   In another "training
 scenario," the viewers construct in their own minds the
 information perceived by a "beacon".  The beacon is an
 individual looking around at a particular location. The
 product provided usually consists of drawings supplemented by
 written phrases further explaining the drawings. The product
 relates to whatever the target is, and often provides
 ancillary information.
 Again thank you for your assistance.   We would
 appreciate having a written response to these questions so
 that our records will be complete.   We anticipate potential
 scrutiny in these matters at some future date.   In addition,
 if you have other advice, please let us know.
 Sincerely,
 Approved For Release 2000/08/10 : CIA-RDP96-00791 R000200130001-2
 Approved For Release 2000/08/10 : CIA-RDP96-00791 R000200130001-2
 Secret
 Distribution:
 Cy 1 - Addressee
 Cy 2 - -
 SG1I
 Cy 3 - EPG/Ames for logging
 Secret
 Approved For Release 2000/08/10 : CIA-RDP96-00791 R000200130001-2