The newly released document provides limited additional information beyond what was already made public in the unclassified report. However, certain sections of the annex contain more detail about activities at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and its collaboration with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). For instance, the annex acknowledges that WIV researchers conducted coronavirus research in collaboration with PLA scientists, though it emphasizes that the coronaviruses studied were not direct ancestors of SARS-CoV-2.

One notable point of interest in the annex, which mirrors the public report, is the mention of WIV researchers falling ill in the fall of 2019. The annex states that some researchers displayed symptoms that were consistent with, but not diagnostic of, COVID-19. However, there are no indications that these individuals were hospitalized due to the symptoms, and some may have been ill with unrelated conditions. This detail is echoed in the unclassified report, though the annex provides slightly more specificity regarding the health of these researchers.

Most of the newly released material remains heavily redacted. The declassification letter explains that much of the report continues to be classified under sections protecting intelligence activities, foreign relations, and scientific or technological information relevant to national security. These redactions are supported by 50 U.S.C. § 3024(i) of the National Security Act, which is invoked to protect intelligence sources and methods.

The unclassified version of the report, released in June 2023, addressed potential links between the WIV and the origins of COVID-19. It highlighted two competing hypotheses for the pandemic’s origin: natural exposure to an infected animal or a laboratory-related incident. While most U.S. intelligence agencies assess that the virus was likely transmitted to humans through natural exposure, a few agencies, including the Department of Energy and the FBI, favor the hypothesis of a laboratory-related origin. The report also pointed out that no evidence suggests the virus was genetically engineered or deliberately released.

The declassified annex, while providing some additional context, largely aligns with these conclusions. The exemptions and redactions in the document demonstrate the sensitive nature of the intelligence surrounding this issue, particularly concerning the involvement of the PLA and the specific activities undertaken at the WIV.

###

Document Archive

ODNI Releases Partially Declassified Annex on Wuhan Lab and COVID-19 Origins [4 Pages, 1.34MB]

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The post ODNI Releases Partially Declassified Annex on Wuhan Lab and COVID-19 Origins first appeared on The Black Vault.

The directive was signed and implemented by William H. Taft IV, who served as the Deputy Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan. Taft, a prominent figure in defense and legal circles, was known for his role in shaping U.S. military policy during the Cold War era. His tenure included significant contributions to the strategic doctrines that governed the use of weapons of mass destruction.

According to the document release, which took more than four years to get completed, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) initially had no objections to releasing the directive in full. However, the Joint Chiefs of Staff intervened, resulting in specific portions being redacted. The redactions were made under Executive Order 13526, 3.3(b)(5), which protects information that could potentially reveal active U.S. military war plans or operational elements of past plans that remain relevant.

The release of this document provides insight into U.S. chemical weapons policy during a critical period in the late 20th century. The directive explicitly details the U.S. strategy to deter the use of chemical, toxin, and biological weapons by maintaining military capabilities to retaliate effectively. It states, “The U.S. reservation to the Geneva Protocol of 1925… allows for retaliation with chemical weapons against a violator if chemical, toxin, or biological weapons are used against U.S. allies even if U.S. forces are not directly attacked.”

The directive also outlines the procedures for the deployment and employment of chemical weapons, emphasizing the importance of maintaining readiness and survivability of chemical-capable forces. For instance, it asserts that “Chemical weapons shall be employed only against suitable tactical targets of military value,” and underscores that the use of such weapons in response to enemy chemical attacks requires the approval of the President of the United States.

The redacted portions also would have seemed to have added more important context when it comes to the use of chemical weapons. For example:

In this particular portion above, you can see that the redacted portions outline the intended damage caused by a retaliatory chemical weapon strike. The paragraph later talks about the want to inflict “at least” but the next portion is redacted.

Another section talks about the “maximum effectiveness” of chemical capabilities, but the opening remarks are fully redacted.

The MDR process, which led to the release of this document, allows for the declassification of government records in response to a specific request. The Black Vault utilized this process to obtain the directive, shedding light on a piece of Cold War history that had remained hidden for decades.

The document is available below for download.

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Document Archive

 Release of the 1987 DoD Directive S-3145.2: Chemical Weapons Policy [10 Pages, 2MB]

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The post Release of the 1987 DoD Directive S-3145.2: Chemical Weapons Policy first appeared on The Black Vault.

This request (case number 1363960-000), filed on December 16, 2016, asked for a review of the FBI’s Cyber National Threat Assessment for the year 2008, as found in the reference citation above. The document, dated June 22, 2009, is an intelligence assessment by the FBI.

The document provides an in-depth analysis of the cyber threats to the United States, focusing on remote system intrusions or unauthorized access against the nation and its critical infrastructure. It covers the period from June 30, 2007, to July 1, 2008, while also incorporating earlier material for context. The assessment addresses various aspects of cyber threats, including tactics, techniques, and procedures used against process control systems, financial institutions, government networks, and the supply chain. It also explores the potential use of tools and technologies such as IPv6 and virtual worlds by malicious actors.

One of the key highlights of the document is the emphasis on the persistent threat posed by botnets. The assessment states, “Botnets continue to pose a threat to US critical infrastructures. These networks of compromised computers can be used to wage denial of service attacks against targeted online entities, conduct phishing and spamming campaigns, and steal passwords and other login credentials”.

The document also sheds light on the evolving nature of cyber threats, noting that attackers continuously develop new methods to exploit vulnerabilities. It mentions that “Attackers typically collect passwords, login credentials, keystrokes, credit card numbers, and personally identifying information from botnet victims”, highlighting the diverse objectives of cyber attackers.

The document remains heavily redacted, citing exemptions such as (b)(1), (b)(3), (b)(6), (b)(7)(C), and (b)(7)(E). These exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act, which justify the withholding of information from public disclosure, are defined as the following:

• (b)(1): Information that is classified to protect national security.
• (b)(3): Information exempted from disclosure by other statutes.
• (b)(6): Information that would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
• (b)(7)(C): Information that could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
• (b)(7)(E): Information that would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions.

As noted in the release letter, the redactions were made by the United States Air Force – Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), National Security Agency (NSA), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM).

The heavy redactions in the document indicate the sensitivity of the information related to national security and law enforcement techniques, even after 15 years since it was originally written.

Document Archive

FBI intelligence Assessment, FBI Cyber National Threat Assessment – 2008, dated 22 June 2009 [30 Pages, 10.3MB]

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The post Declassified FBI Cyber Threat Assessment Illuminates 2008 Digital Dangers first appeared on The Black Vault.

The Black Vault attempted to get a CIA document that has been shrouded in secrecy for decades further declassified. Although no redactions were lifted in the process, it revealed that even more information by the CIA is withheld on a UFO case that suggests a technology beyond known human capability at the time.

Originally disclosed in 1978, the “Information Report” originally classified “Confidential” has a subject header of “Unusual Flying Object Sightings and Attendant Scientific Activity”. It had multiple, but relatively minimal, redactions when the single page was originally released. In January 2020, The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) case, seeking to uncover more details and get those redactions lifted.

The document, identified as REPORT NO. 00-B-93674, details an intriguing account from a source in Hungary, who in the winter of 1955 received a letter mentioning the mysterious “flying saucers”. These objects, described as “very fast speeding flyers,” were estimated to be traveling at a speed of “12,000 kilometers per hour,” or in excess of 7,400 miles per hour.

Although the MDR was unsuccessful getting any previous redactions lifted, the case did reveal that there was more information than previously known. It brought to light the existence of two additional pages, and those were redacted in full. The deletions were made on the basis of Sections 3.3(h)(2) and 6.2(d) of Executive Order 13526. Section 3.3(h)(2) of Executive Order 13526 establishes procedures for the automatic declassification of information that is more than 25 years old, unless it falls under specific exemptions outlined in the order. Section 6.2(d) concerns the protection of information that, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to cause identifiable or describable damage to national security or foreign relations. It allows for the continued classification of such information to prevent harm to the national security interests of the United States.

The revelation of these additional pages adds a new layer of mystery to the case. It raises questions about what further information might be contained within and why it is deemed so sensitive that it warrants complete redaction.

To put the reported speed of the flying objects into perspective, it is worth noting that the fastest aircraft in the world in November 1955 was the North American F-100C Super Sabre, which set a record on August 20, 1955, of 1,323 kilometers per hour, or 822.1 miles per hour.

The speed of 12,000 kilometers per hour (7,400+ miles per hour) mentioned in the CIA record far exceeds that, suggesting that the flying objects were of an extraordinary nature for the time they were seen. However, maybe they were not aircraft at all.

The CIA document did mention “rockets”, but it is unclear if the parenthetical was an attempt at an alternate translation by a CIA analyst, or if the word was truly relayed by the CIA’s source. However, to address the possibility these objects were, in fact, rockets; historical context is needed.

In 1955, the race for supremacy in rocket technology was in full swing, with both the United States and the Soviet Union pushing the boundaries of what was possible. While the exact speeds of rockets at that time are not well-documented, it is known that the era was marked by significant advancements in rocket propulsion and aerodynamics. The V-2 rocket, developed by Germany during World War II and later used by both the US and the USSR for research, could reach speeds of up to 5,760 km/hr or 3,580 MPH. However, it was the development of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and the early space race that truly pushed rocket speeds to new heights. By the end of the 1950s, rockets were capable of reaching speeds that far exceeded those of any aircraft, laying the groundwork for the exploration of space and the eventual moon landing. While the reported speed of 12,000 kilometers per hour (approximately 7,456 miles per hour) for the unidentified flying objects in the CIA document was extraordinary for its time, it foreshadowed the incredible velocities that rockets would achieve in the years to come.

But is there a connection? The Redstone rocket, believed to be one of the faster rockets around the same time, still fell thousands of miles per hour short of the speed mentioned in the CIA document.

Was the source and information available in the report wrong or grossly exaggerated? If so, why is there a need for such excessive secrecy nearly 70 years after the event?

The MDR case was completed and the document released in January 2022, though was never posted on The Black Vault. It is one example of, literally, hundreds and hundreds of FOIA releases that have yet to be put online by The Black Vault simply due to a backlog and lack of time.

Since two years have no elapsed, a new MDR was filed by The Black Vault on March 12, 2024. Those results will be posted, when available.

Document Archive

CIA Document Talks About “Flying Saucers” Traveling 7,400+MPH in 1955; More Information Discovered Yet Withheld By Agency [4 Pages, 1.2MB]

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The post CIA Document Talks About “Flying Saucers” Traveling 7,400+MPH in 1955; More Information Discovered Yet Withheld By Agency first appeared on The Black Vault.

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 likely been released through other FOIA requests, but requests have been filed to ensure they have been.

The KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation Manual provides a comprehensive guide on the interrogation process, focusing on psychological strategies rather than physical coercion. The manual covers various aspects, including the legal and policy considerations, the characteristics of the interrogator and the interrogatee, and different interrogation techniques.

The document emphasizes the importance of understanding the psychological state of the interrogation subject and how it affects brain function. It also discusses the use of drugs in interrogation, physiological responses as a means of evaluating information, the potential uses of hypnosis in interrogation, and the experimental investigation of interpersonal influence.

The July 1963 KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation Manual

Download July 1963 KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation Manual [132 Pages, 63.4MB]

The post The July 1963 KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation Manual first appeared on The Black Vault.

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NRO Information Review and Release Group (IRRG) Logs (Monday Weekly Emails) for 2022 [42 Pages, 8.4MB]

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The post NRO Information Review and Release Group (IRRG) Logs (Monday Weekly Emails) first appeared on The Black Vault.

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NSA Report to the President’s Intelligence Oversight Board (IOB) for 4QT 2001 [9 Pages, 2MB]

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The post NSA Report to the President’s Intelligence Oversight Board (IOB) for 4QT 2001 first appeared on The Black Vault.

It was first released in 2009, with numerous redactions. But then in August 2019, The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) to get it reviewed. The result, as received in June of 2022, was that many redactions were lifted, but clearly, not all.

Document Archive

Soviet Forces for Intercontinental Attack, 26 October 1972 [99 Pages, 27MB]

The post Soviet Forces for Intercontinental Attack, 26 October 1972 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Do you want to see all or part of the classified UAP report sent to Congress last June? As most of you know, so do I!

So, in my ongoing effort to keep you all updated on this process, I can safely say now that I am struggling to get updates from ODNI, and numerous follow ups over the course of MONTHS have gone unanswered.

To remedy this, last night, I filed an appeal with ISCAP in regards to my 32 CFR § 1704 MDR case that aims to get the classified UAP report reviewed for either a partial, or more unlikely, full release.

What this means in plain English is that I have enlisted the help of the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) to intervene on my behalf, should they agree with my appeal. They will then, hopefully, get ODNI to complete the case in a more timely fashion.

The appeal filed is based on the time that has elapsed since filing, along with the issues I am having getting updates or ETAs from ODNI about my case.

This is a boring, legal, struggle to get this done. However, I told you all I would be as transparent as possible.

I will update you all soon when things happen!

###

The post UPDATE: The Struggle To Get The Classified UAP/UFO Report Reviewed For Release first appeared on The Black Vault.

In November of 2021, The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request to have the redacted information further reviewed.

The below, was the result, and additional information was released.

One particular section now declassified, talks about how NASA was hiding “Unclassified” information from the general public and they wanted to thwart future FOIA requests/questions.

Document Archive

Data and Information Release Committee of the Program Review Board Meeting Summary – August 10, 1977 [7 Pages, 4MB]

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The post Data and Information Release Committee of the Program Review Board Meeting Summary – August 10, 1977 first appeared on The Black Vault.

On April 27, 2018, The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request to have it reviewed for possible release. On July 20, 2021, the NRO released the document, in full.

According to the record:

“This document is a chronological listing of the more important events in the evolution of the management of the National Reconnaissance Program, to include the internal structure of the National Reconnaissance Office as well as changes in the external environment which have affected the management of the program. It is not a complete compilation of every action on all issues, and additional material may be found in the file references and in the Management volume of the History of the NRO prepared by Robert Perry . The purpose of this chronology is to provide an overview and to permit ready recall of pertinent events and their timing.”

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“NRO Charter and Management Evolution” (Chronology of Events), Author Unknown, undated. Circa February 1989 [17 Pages, 9MB]

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The post “NRO Charter and Management Evolution” (Chronology of Events), Author Unknown, February 1989 first appeared on The Black Vault.

According to the directive:

This Directive incorporates the essential provisions of reference (a) and outlines responsibilities and functions, reference (b) , that are relative to appropriate security measures and procedures to counter the threat posed to U.S. defense and other sensitive facilities from overflights of U.S. airspace by foreign civil aircraft.

The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request for this record, which was previously unreleased. In a successful case, the entire directive was declassified and released. It is available below.

Document Archive

DOD Directive 3320.3 – Foreign Aircraft Overflight Security Program – 2/4/1985 [4 Pages, 1.5MB]

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The post DOD Directive 3320.3 – Foreign Aircraft Overflight Security Program – 2/4/1985 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The following document was first released in 2005. In February of 2019, The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request for the record to be further declassified. Although some information was, there was not a lot newly revealed.

The 2019 released version is shown below.

Document Archive

Trip to NSA at Ft. Meade, 29 November 1958 [4 Pages, 1.5MB]

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The post Trip to NSA at Ft. Meade, 29 November 1958 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Cryptolog was created in 1974 and was, according to the editor, “a new vehicle for the interchange of ideas on technical subjects.” Another editor called it “a mix of technical, expository, philosophical, futuristic, argumentative and historical articles – with a light touch here and there – there’s always an article or two to engage the reader.” Issues of Cryptolog were published initially on a monthly basis, but in the final years of its publication, were released on a quarterly basis. There were no issues published in 1993 and the final issue was released in July of 1997.

The Black Vault began not only archiving the released versions first put out in 2012, but later filing Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) requests to get them further reviewed.

Below you will find the October 1981 edition, and the huge MDR request success that got much of it further declassified.

Document Archive

Cryptolog (NSA Newsletter), October 1981 Edition, Released September 2020 [18 Pages, 7.5MB]

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Cryptolog (NSA Newsletter), October 1981 Edition, Released September 2020 – HIGHLIGHTED EDITION – [18 Pages, 7.5MB] – This version contains highlighted text, which discerns the newly released information after the MDR.

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Archived Versions

Cryptolog (NSA Newsletter), October 1981 Edition, Released October 2012 – This is the original release of the 1981 edition in 2012. It is archived here to represent how redacted the record originally was.

The post Cryptolog (NSA Newsletter), October 1981 Edition first appeared on The Black Vault.

This is the “Terrorism Review” for January 1999, as created by the CIA and released to The Black Vault in June of 2019.

The result was from a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request. The record had been released in July of 2011, but had many more redactions. The 2019 release was successful in getting many of them lifted.

I put a ‘clean’ version below, along with a highlighted version showing the new information released (information that was previously redacted.)

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Terrorism Review for January 1999, CIA – June 2019 Release – [39 Pages, 10MB]

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Terrorism Review for January 1999, CIA – June 2019 Release – Highlighted Version – [39 Pages, 10MB]

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The post Terrorism Review for January 1999, CIA first appeared on The Black Vault.

This National Intelligence Daily was issued on April 24, 1980. It appears in the CIA’s CREST database, as CREST #0005148740.  Originally, it was released in 2010 with heavy redactions.

In June of 2019, I requested a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR), and in March of 2020 – the CIA released the below version with less redactions.

Document Archive

 National Intelligence Daily – June 2, 1990 – 2020 Release  – [26 Pages, 11MB]

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The post National Intelligence Daily — April 24, 1980 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The year 2019 was undoubtedly exciting for UFO enthusiasts. It brought news that the U.S. government and military takes UFOs, or what they now call Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP), seriously. As they are potentially a threat to military personnel, the U.S. Navy announced in May it had implemented guidelines for reporting and investigating UAP activity. They also divulged in September that three videos circulating throughout the mainstream media, are, in fact, unidentified objects. And in December, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) declassified a document to The Black Vault which unveiled details about a UFO encounter that has remained a mystery for more than forty years. The record represents yet another piece of evidence for an ongoing concern that not only are UAPs a potential threat; but that threat is global and has existed for decades.

The “Intelligence Information Report” was first released by the CIA in 1978, however most of it was redacted. The only legible portion was a paragraph detailing an encounter with a UFO.

“On one evening in late Summer 1973, Source observed an unidentified phenomenon at Site 7,” the intelligence report revealed. “While watching a sport competition between Canada and the USSR on television, he stepped outside for some air and observed an unidentified sharp (bright) green circular object or mass the sky. The object was situated West of the site at an angle of sighting of approximately 70 degrees.”

Although the witness could not determine the altitude of the object, they believed it was above cloud level. They also recounted that, “within 10 to 15 seconds of observation, the green circle widened and within a brief period of time several green concentric circles formed around the mass. Within minutes the coloring disappeared. There was no sound, such as an explosion, associated with the phenomenon.”

For forty-two years, all of the other pages and paragraphs in the intelligence report have remained secret, until now. Thanks to the result of a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request filed by The Black Vault, additional details have been declassified that shed light on the incident.

It occurred at the Soviet operated Sary Shagan Weapons testing Range, located in what is now present-day Republic of Kazakhstan. It was here that during the 1970s, the Soviet Union was secretly launching experimental missiles, along with testing laser weapon systems utilizing powerful antennas.

The CIA intelligence document was crafted utilizing information from an unknown source. It outlined the types of weapons tested at the facility; locations of exactly where experimental weapons were stored and launched from; diagrams of buildings and housing units; and the report of “unidentified aerial phenomenon”.

According to experts, this mysterious encounter at a sensitive Russian weapons facility with a UAP is just one of many cases in the area.

“There has been ‘UFO’ activity around the area for decades,” says Paul Stonehill, author, lecturer, TV consultant and researcher of Russian and Eurasian paranormal phenomena. “USSR had taken UFO presence seriously since 1940s and established a special top-secret UFO/USO research program (academic/military) in 1978. But they are paying attention to the most sensitive UFO/USO presence areas (Arctic Russia; Russian Kuril Islands; Kamchatka, etc.). There is a new generation of highly educated, professional military scientists engaged in such research.”

The UFO encounter outlined in this CIA report also reinforces an ongoing issue that still plagues the U.S. military today. “There have been a number of reports of unauthorized and/or unidentified aircraft entering various military-controlled ranges and designated air space in recent years,” the U.S. Navy told The Black Vault in 2019. “For safety and security concerns, the Navy and the USAF take these reports very seriously and investigate each and every report.”

This same problem currently facing the U.S. Navy, is the same that tormented the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War.  And despite the U.S. denying interest in the UFO phenomena after the close of Project Blue Book in 1970, there are many intelligence records like this one, which outline the concern on a global scale. Stonehill added that, “the Soviets knew they were watched, and those at the top were aware that the ‘watchers’ were not Americans [or the]Chinese.”

Mr. Luis Elizondo, a former DOD employee who claims to have run a secret UFO investigation program for the Pentagon from 2010 – 2012, also echoes the threat potential behind the phenomena today. In fact, according to Elizondo, he quit his post because the DOD was not taking the threat seriously.

“In many instances, there seems to be a direct correlation the phenomena exhibits with respect to our nuclear and military capabilities. The Department must take seriously the many accounts by the Navy and other services of unusual aerial systems interfering with military weapon platforms and displaying beyond next generation capabilities,” Elizondo said in his undated resignation letter. “Underestimating or ignoring these potential threats is not in the best interest of the Department no matter the level of political contention. There remains a vital need to ascertain capability and intent of these phenomena for the benefit of the armed forces and the nation. For this reason, effective 4 October 2017, I humbly submit my resignation in hopes it will encourage you to ask hard questions: ‘who else knows?’, [‘]what are their capabilities’, and ‘why aren’t we spending more time and effort on the issue?’.”

It remains unclear exactly how serious the Pentagon currently takes the UAP threat. Although the Navy has gone on the record about their guidelines and the facts that their results will remain classified; others like the Air Force and the FAA have not followed suit as they are seemingly not interested in UFOs at all.

The CIA’s recent declassification shedding light on one more UFO mystery may just offer some hopefuls a glimmer of optimism that possibly in a few decades, we will know just a little bit more about whatever this phenomena is that could potentially threaten our skies, along with everything in it.

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CIA UFO Document Declassified Further Solidifies Threat Potential from Unknown Objects [14 Pages, 4.5MB]

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The post CIA UFO Document Declassified Further Solidifies Threat Potential from Unknown Objects first appeared on The Black Vault.

This is an odd example of how a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) case unfolded.

In November of 2018, I filed an MDR request for the CIA to review the Effectively of the CIA Counterterrorist Interrogation Techniques memorandum. When I first was sent a response, I received a document similar, with the same title, but with slightly different verbiage, formatting and information. I appealed based on the fact it was the wrong document, and won the appeal. Then, on December 4, 2019, I was sent the correct document released.

Below, you will find both releases of the.

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Effectively of the CIA Counterterrorist Interrogation Techniques, March 2005 [14 Pages, 5MB]

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The post Effectiveness of the CIA Counterterrorist Interrogation Techniques, March 2005 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The following document was just one of thousands of pages on UFOs released by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In July of 2018, I requested a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request on the record, since it had been many years since its last review, and it remained heavily redacted.

For reference, the CIA claims the material that remains redacted (which is pretty much everything) is due to Section 3.3(b)(1). This is defined in the executive order as:

Sec. 3.3 Automatic Declassification.

(b) An agency head may exempt from automatic declassification under paragraph (a) of this section specific information, the release of which should clearly and demonstrably be expected to:

(1) reveal the identity of a confidential human source, a human intelligence source, a relationship with an intelligence or security service of a foreign government or international organization, or a nonhuman intelligence source; or impair the effectiveness of an intelligence method currently in use, available for use, or under development;

Document Archive

The following is a table/side-by-side comparison of the previous release vs. the newest release. Captions will outline which page comes from which release.

FOIA Response Letter

CIA Crest Database

The following is the current information within the CIA’s CREST database on this document, as it stands on October 28, 2019 when the screen shot was taken. The information posted is likely not to change.

The post USSR – UFO Sightings – Someone Must Have Made a Political Decision, 1975 first appeared on The Black Vault.

This document transcript was originally released in 2012 with redactions. In December of 2018, I requested that the document be reviewed again when I filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request. There was additional information released, which includes the identity of the Kennon satellite in the interview, which was previously redacted.

According to Wikipedia:

“Hans Michael Mark (born June 17, 1929 in Mannheim, Germany) is a former Secretary of the Air Force and a former Deputy Administrator of NASA. He is an expert and consultant in aerospace design and national defense policy. Mark retired from the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at the University of Texas at Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering in July 2014.”

Gerald Haines was the official historian of the NRO, at the time, when he conducted this interview. It should be noted that Mr. Haines worked also for the CIA, NSA and others.

Document Archive

 Dr. Hans Mark Interviewed by Gerald Haines, 12 March 1997 [37 Pages, 17MB] – 2019 Release

 Dr. Hans Mark Interviewed by Gerald Haines, 12 March 1997 [36 Pages, 2.2MB] – 2012 Release

The post Dr. Hans Mark Interviewed by Gerald Haines, 12 March 1997 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The following document was published in the Cryptologic Quarterly, Summer 1994, Volume 13, Issue No. 2.

When it was first released, it was heavily redacted, and has remained released in that form since 2010. So, in October of 2016, I requested a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) of the record.

It took until the end of May of 2018 for the record to be released, however, it was a huge win since a lot of the information that was previously redacted, was released to the general public.  Upon this record’s release to The Black Vault, it had never been seen by the public in this way.

Document Archive

 Doing Business Smarter: A Proposal for Consolidating NSA’s Analysis and Reporting of Foreign Space borne Reconnaissance, 1994 [25 Pages, 4.2MB]

2018 Release

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/nsa/MDR-85685.pdf

2010 Release

 Doing Business Smarter: A Proposal for Consolidating NSA’s Analysis and Reporting of Foreign Space borne Reconnaissance, 1994 [22 Pages, 5.3MB]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/nsa/Doing_Business_Smarter.pdf

The post Doing Business Smarter: A Proposal for Consolidating NSA’s Analysis and Reporting of Foreign Space borne Reconnaissance,1994 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The following document was created in 1991 regarding the reduction of the nuclear weapons arsenal.

I requested an MDR as the last review was from a 2013 case, however, the actual review was done in 2016.  So, they would not conduct another Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR).  Ironically, the time requirement (2 years) was only weeks away, so when I got their response, it was already time for another review.

So, I requested another MDR on 4/20/18, and will post the results, when available.

For now, you can find the 2016 release below.

Document Archive

 Reducing the United States Nuclear Arsenal, September 28, 1991 [33 Pages, 3.8MB]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/dod/18-M-0748.pdf

The post Reducing the United States Nuclear Arsenal, September 28, 1991 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The document, “Beyond BOURBON-1948: The Fourth Year of Allied Collaborative COMINT Effort Against the Soviet Union” dated 1995 was first released in approximately 2010. The document had excessive redactions.  After a document has been reviewed, as long as two years have passed, you can request a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) to get the document re-reviewed for possible further release. In other words, get redactions lifted.

In October of 2016, I request an MDR on the document. The NSA reviewed it under MDR Case 85686, and released the record to me in June of 2017.

Declassified Document

 Beyond BOURBON-1948: The Fourth Year of Allied Collaborative COMINT Effort Against the Soviet Union, 1995 (Result of 2017 MDR Request) [61 Pages, 7.3MB]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/nsa/MDR85686.pdf

The post Beyond BOURBON-1948: The Fourth Year of Allied Collaborative COMINT Effort Against the Soviet Union, 1995 (Result of 2017 MDR Request) first appeared on The Black Vault.

Based upon all-source reporting over the last several years, it provides a broad, strategic framework for understanding the trends that will define the primary international terrorist threats to the United States.

It focuses primarily on radical Islamic groups because the Intelligence Community judges that the preponderance of the terrorist threat comes from radical Islamic groups.

A separate National Intelligence Estimate is under development that will assess more specifically the terrorist threat to the US Homeland over the next three years. The information cut-off date for this NIE is 28 February 2006.

Download Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States, April 2006

This was requested back in 2013, and I also filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) which was grouped together with another requester(s).  The file was finally further un-redacted (as it was previously released heavily blacked out in 2011) and sent to The Black Vault in October 2016.

 Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States, April 2006 [48 Pages, 7.8MB]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/terrorism/nietrends.pdf

The post Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States, April 2006 first appeared on The Black Vault.