David Atlee Phillips

[Larry Hancock]

There are actually a number of such incidents on record, for both US and American defectors going both ways....its was most used when the individual felt they were under suspicion at work and needed to do it as a surprise action.  In that case they tended to declare themselves and stay under embassy protection.  In other instances they picked weekends, did make brief calls and arranged for meetings elsewhere later.  One of the best sources the US had in Russia came in as a walk in that way.... 

In any event, an American showing up unannounced on a Saturday asking for an urgent meeting, possibly protection and expressing fears of the FBI certainly would have gotten the attention of any of the KGB officers around at that time.  Part curiosity and part day job responsibility.  

[Matt Allison]

The only in-person contacts Oswald had with the Cuban Consulate and Russian Embassy happened on Friday October 27th, and Saturday October 28th. These are the only days that he could have been photographed by the surveillance cameras. Those cameras were working. But CIA told the HSCA they couldn't find the photos. Dan Hardway of the HSCA also believes that the bulk materials Phillips had sent to DC on Tuesday Oct 1st were the photographic surveillance of the days Oswald visited those places. If true, that would be additional evidence Phillips was using Oswald in a "vest pocket" op, possibly related to the FPCC, and perhaps something more.

Looking at the dialogue inside the Mexi station the first couple weeks of October, Anne Goodpasture seems to realize that there is conflict with the supposed photo Mexi has of Oswald (which was the Mystery Man photo) and requests another photo from HQ. IMO. at some point, and certainly after the assassination, she had to realize that Phillips had absconded with the 9/27 and 9/28 photo surveillance of Oswald.

Phillips would have been far less concerned with the wiretaps and transcripts, as the tapes were generally wiped after 2 weeks, and he probably assumed there would never be any opportunity to do an Oswald voice comparison.

I would also proffer that one of the primary reasons photos of the real Oswald would never be publicly produced by the CIA, ever, was that they would then have to explain why on 11/22 they sent photos of Mystery Man, rather than photos of the real Oswald; "Why didn't you just send pictures of the real guy?"

How would they answer such a question? "Well, sorry about that, but back in September '63 our guy David Phillips here was using Oswald in an op and didn't want Oswald's photo floating around." The entire can of worms would obviously then be open.

[Benjamin Cole]

5 hours ago, Larry Hancock said:

There are actually a number of such incidents on record, for both US and American defectors going both ways....its was most used when the individual felt they were under suspicion at work and needed to do it as a surprise action.  In that case they tended to declare themselves and stay under embassy protection.  In other instances they picked weekends, did make brief calls and arranged for meetings elsewhere later.  One of the best sources the US had in Russia came in as a walk in that way.... 

In any event, an American showing up unannounced on a Saturday asking for an urgent meeting, possibly protection and expressing fears of the FBI certainly would have gotten the attention of any of the KGB officers around at that time.  Part curiosity and part day job responsibility.  

LH-

Always glad to have your authoritative addition to the conversation. If I was ever aware of "walk-ins," I must have forgotten it. 

Maybe that explains LHO's reception by three KGB'ers on a Saturday. 

When LHO initially pulled out his revolver, I wondered what they thought .

 

 

[Benjamin Cole]

29 minutes ago, Matt Allison said:

The only in-person contacts Oswald had with the Cuban Consulate and Russian Embassy happened on Friday October 27th, and Saturday October 28th. These are the only days that he could have been photographed by the surveillance cameras. Those cameras were working. But CIA told the HSCA they couldn't find the photos. Dan Hardway of the HSCA also believes that the bulk materials Phillips had sent to DC on Tuesday Oct 1st were the photographic surveillance of the days Oswald visited those places. If true, that would be additional evidence Phillips was using Oswald in a "vest pocket" op, possibly related to the FPCC, and perhaps something more.

Looking at the dialogue inside the Mexi station the first couple weeks of October, Anne Goodpasture seems to realize that there is conflict with the supposed photo Mexi has of Oswald (which was the Mystery Man photo) and requests another photo from HQ. IMO. at some point, and certainly after the assassination, she had to realize that Phillips had absconded with the 9/27 and 9/28 photo surveillance of Oswald.

Phillips would have been far less concerned with the wiretaps and transcripts, as the tapes were generally wiped after 2 weeks, and he probably assumed there would never be any opportunity to do an Oswald voice comparison.

I would also proffer that one of the primary reasons photos of the real Oswald would never be publicly produced by the CIA, ever, was that they would then have to explain why on 11/22 they sent photos of Mystery Man, rather than photos of the real Oswald; "Why didn't you just send pictures of the real guy?"

How would they answer such a question? "Well, sorry about that, but back in September '63 our guy David Phillips here was using Oswald in an op and didn't want Oswald's photo floating around." The entire can of worms would obviously then be open.

MA-

I harbor similar suspicions. 

[Larry Hancock]

Interesting what they may have thought, for all we know they might have believed he was being harassed b y the FBI...that would be in the spirit of the times and what they would be doing in a similar situation.   If nothing else though I suspect that they looked at each other and said they were happy it would be New York who had to deal with he and his wife....especially since they knew that Marina's formal request to return to Russia was already in file and in review in Moscow.