Part Fourteen
Memorie.al / CIA activities in Albania to overthrow Enver Hoxha’s regime have also brought about clashes between the US and other states. It is known that there were many frictions with the British, while a declassified document reveals clashes with Italy as well. According to the document, the Italians attempted to interfere in the Committee for “Free Albania.” There were also clashes with Britain, which was conducting parallel operations.
Continued from the previous issue
Codename of the project “OBOPUS”
Objective: The project “OBLIVIOUS” aims to preserve the National Committee of “Free Albania” as a declared instrument for CIA military and propaganda activities against the regime in Albania.
Origin: The main lines of the project “BGFIEND” approved on June 22, 1949, by ADPC. The territorial plan for Albania. The plan belongs to political warfare operations and comes from CIA headquarters.
Situation
Since 1948, when Tito’s regime broke with the Soviet Union, Albania has been isolated from land contact with Soviet satellite countries. This, in addition to the country’s harsh terrain and the Albanians’ old clandestine traditions, especially in the tribal areas of the North, seems to make Albania a promising target for clandestine operations, with the objective of overthrowing the current communist regime.
The presence of a large number of Albanian refugees in Europe suggests the development of a political center outside Albania, composed of representatives of anti-totalitarian elements friendly to US policies for the Balkans, which could serve as a starting point for anti-communist elements inside Albania.
American and British intelligence services in the summer of 1949 were responsible for forming the National Committee of “Free Albania” (NCFA), which is a political center of representatives of democratic Albanian refugees, and which could serve as a cover for covert operations in Albania. And since then, the operations of the political and military branches have been carried out in the name of the NCFA.
Proposal
The NCFA is a representative grouping of Albanian refugees that acts as a focal point for those who are ultimately interested in the liberation of Albania. The grouping acts as an official cover for the CIA’s unofficial activities and serves as a tool for the public denunciation of the cause of Albanians enslaved in Albania. It is controlled by the CIA and the British MI6 services. The leaders of the NCFA have been made clear that under no circumstances are they considered the “Government-in-exile” of Albania.
Tasks and proposals
Publication of the newspaper “Shqipëria” in the Albanian language, and use of its main content for propaganda brochures dropped from the air into Albania. Timely publication of periodic reports on Albania, published in English, French, and Italian, distributed to major Western press agencies.
(Preparation of the content of the “Shqipëria” publication has been carried out according to the project “OBTUSE,” which is supported and assisted by “OBLIVIOUS.”) Preparation of propaganda brochure texts and clandestine radio broadcast scripts. The operation of “poison pen letters” by mail against the top leaders of the communist regime in Albania.
Monitoring of Radio Tirana, monitoring of the world press for news on Albania that could be used in our propaganda program. Connections with emigrant groups, especially those belonging to the National Committee of “Free Albania.”
Personnel
A headquarters officer will maintain contact with the NCFA headquarters in New York. All other connections will be maintained by the CIA’s Albania group, except for contacts with the agent for the “Shqipëria” publication in Rome, who will be in contact with an SE officer.
Local groups and leaders
The NCFA is composed of representatives of the main political groups of Albania as well as independents. Its executive committee is composed of leaders of all groups, following its reorganization in December 1953, which included elements that were previously not represented.
Target groups
The target group is the Albanian people, in the sense that all NCFA efforts aim to create an atmosphere of resistance against the regime and ultimately the liberation of the people from it. The communist government of Albania is to become the object of ridicule and attempts at desertion.
Duration
The project “OBLIVIOUS” will have an indefinite duration, and its completion will depend on success in its objectives of overthrowing the communist regime in Albania or establishing another regime friendly to the West.
Security
The NCFA will be the official organization used as a cover for clandestine operations carried out in its name. Knowledge of activities: NCFA members are aware of the official support and interest of the US. The British branch of services is also involved in the creation and functioning of the committee, while the Greek government is aware of operations carried out from Greece against the regime in Albania in the name of the NCFA.
Operational security: Important American officers working with Albanians use pseudonyms. Although Italy has been informed by the State Department that the US supports the goals of the NCFA, it has not been fully informed about our financial support and assistance. The newspaper and news bulletins are published openly by the NCFA, while materials for air drops into Albania are printed in Frankfurt at secure locations.
Clandestine activities carried out in the name of the NCFA from Greece are done with the knowledge and assistance of the Greek side. The primary security concern is that US government support for the NCFA does not become the subject of documented proof before important bodies such as the UN or other international organizations, and embarrassing articles in newspapers and media. Current methods of fragmenting operations are believed to reduce the risk of this scenario to a minimum.
Risks
Exposure to the UN or other international groups of support for the NCFA by US state agencies would embarrass the US government. But for the operations, the measure of distancing and non-acceptance of responsibility has been maintained.
Available personnel
Closing the project would create a problem for the engagement of NCFA personnel, and attempts at their resettlement must be made. Disaster plan: Important NCFA personnel are included in disaster/evacuation plans toward Italy or other Mediterranean countries, but not toward the United States.
Coordination
The OBLIVIOUS project is included in the program for the country of Albania and is directly linked to other projects against Albania. OBLIVIOUS is an integral part of the program for the country of Albania. Officials… are kept informed of NCFA activities and give their instructions.
The political directions of the program are given by the State Department. The program’s propaganda is approved jointly by American and British representatives. The British Foreign Office is consulted on policies with the State Department.
July 1953
Psychological warfare
Resumption of food article drops into satellite countries for propaganda purposes. After the suspension of food item drops due to anti-American propaganda about bacteriological warfare, the new drops have been received successfully by the population and the effect of the communist campaign has been small.
The new drops have been accompanied by the message of the National Committee of “Free Albania” (NCFA) offering to communist leader Enver Hoxha humanitarian aid for the people in a time of great difficulties, which was refused. Currently we have ample reserves of articles for drops as well as a large number of inexpensive parachutes for operations.
Our experience shows that food drops are made relatively easily, while the enemy’s bacteriological warfare campaign of last year has lost its effect. Regardless, care must be taken that the drops do not end up in the hands of the communists.
The memorandum shows that the British, with whom we coordinate many operations, have a large number of articles in plastic packaging that should have been dropped since the beginning of 1953 on behalf of the NCFA. Although the British believe in the psychological effect of food item drops, they submitted to the CIA’s prohibition of the action, while they have regularly been interested in their resumption.
According to the situation in most Soviet satellite countries, it is believed that it is the appropriate moment to resume propaganda drops, mainly with food items and some household items, which complement the recent successful campaign of anti-communist brochures in three Balkan countries: Albania, Bulgaria, and Romania. Therefore it is recommended to the branch that the prohibitions on propaganda drops be lifted so that we and the British may immediately continue with this tested and quite effective tool. / Memorie.al
Continued in the next issue
