On May 13, 2021, The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review request with the CIA, seeking to lift redactions on the document known as the “KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation” manual, dated July 1963. The case, EOM-2021-00117, aimed to reveal more about the CIA’s interrogation techniques by lifting the redactions on the originally released manual. Although the declassification revealed very little new information, it did shed light on some articles related to interrogation that were used as reference material when the manual was written, prompting further requests by The Black Vault for various “Studies in Intelligence” documents. It appears they have…
Author: John Greenewald
On February 22, 2024, The Black Vault received a long-awaited response from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed on August 25, 2021. The request sought all records related to the “Havana Syndrome,” a mysterious condition that has affected U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers since 2016. Havana Syndrome first came to light when U.S. Embassy staff in Havana, Cuba, reported experiencing unexplained health issues, including headaches, dizziness, and hearing loss. Similar incidents have since been reported by American personnel in various countries, leading to speculation about the cause, ranging from sonic attacks to…
In June 2023, The Black Vault filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for all records and materials submitted or communicated to the Office of the Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) by David Charles Grusch in or around May 2022. David Grusch is known as the UFO Whistleblower, and the request aimed to obtain various forms of correspondence, reports, memos, notes, transcripts, photos, videos, and other documents related to his communications with the ICIG. On January 5, 2024, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) responded to The Black Vault’s request with a “Glomar response,” stating that…
The “Air Intelligence Division Study: Analysis of Flying Object Incidents in the United States,” dated December 10, 1948, is a crucial document in the history of UFO research. Originally classified as Top Secret, it was ordered to be destroyed in 1950, but surviving declassified copies have been obtained and studied by researchers such as Michael Swords, Jan Aldrich with Project 1947, the late Clifford Stone, and many others. This document provides an early analysis of UFO sightings and the government’s approach to understanding these phenomena. Its survival has made it a valuable resource for understanding the initial stages of official…
Multiple Incidents: Commander, the White House dog, has bitten or attempted to bite Secret Service personnel and other staff on multiple occasions. Serious Injuries: Some agents sustained severe injuries, including deep open wounds and significant blood loss, requiring medical treatment and stitches. Ongoing Documentation: The Secret Service is compiling a list of personnel affected by Commander’s aggressive behavior, detailing the nature and extent of the incidents. The Secret Service has released documents in response to a FOIA request regarding the White House dog, Commander, and his interactions with Secret Service personnel. The case identified as number 20240012 was filed by…