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What did the Church Committee find about the CIA secretly opening Americans' mail?

The records show that the CIA's HTLINGUAL project was an illegal secret operation to intercept mail sent to the Soviet Union and China from 1952 to 1973 ¹¹². Although its stated purpose was foreign intelligence, the program also targeted domestic peace and civil-rights activists, and mail to prominent Americans including Martin Luther King Jr. was opened ³⁷. Of the roughly 28 million letters examined, about 215,000 were opened ⁵. The final report of the Senate select committee in 1976 found that postal officials were deliberately misled about the programs, and that the Director of Central Intelligence wrongly told the President in 1970 that all federal mail opening had ended ⁴⁶. In his 1975 testimony, Howard J. Osborn said the CIA sometimes opened mail without the Post Office's knowledge and acknowledged he knew the activity was illegal ⁹¹¹.

Checked 2026-10-18. Only documented and supported facts are used.

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[1] supported

The CIA's HTLINGUAL project was an illegal secret operation to intercept mail sent to the Soviet Union and China.

"HTLINGUAL (also HGLINGUAL ) was an illegal secret project of the United States of America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to intercept mail destined for the Soviet Union and China"

HTLINGUAL

[2] documented

No high-ranking government official was ever briefed about three of the four CIA mail opening programs.

"No high-ranking government official was ever briefed about three of the four mail opening programs."

Final report of the Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, United States Senate : together with additional, supplemental, and separate views (1976)

[3] supported

Although its stated purpose was gathering foreign intelligence, the mail program also targeted domestic peace and civil-rights activists.

"The program had the stated purpose of obtaining foreign intelligence , but it targeted domestic peace and civil-rights activists as well."

HTLINGUAL

[4] documented

Postal officials whose cooperation was needed for the mail opening programs were deliberately misled about the programs' purpose, the custody of the letters, and whether mail was being opened at all.

"purposefully misled as to the purpose of the projects, the question of custody of the letters, and the fact of mail opening itself."

Final report of the Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, United States Senate : together with additional, supplemental, and separate views (1976)

[5] supported

Of the roughly 28 million letters the program examined, about 215,000 were opened.

"A total of 28 million letters were examined, and 215,000 were opened."

HTLINGUAL

[6] supported

In 1970, the Director of Central Intelligence signed a document for the President stating that all federal agency mail opening programs had been discontinued, even though he knew the most extensive CIA mail opening program was still operating.

"In 1970, the Director of Central Intelligence signed a document for submission to the President which stated"

Final report of the Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, United States Senate : together with additional, supplemental, and separate views (1976)

[7] supported

Mail to and from prominent Americans, including Martin Luther King Jr., Linus Pauling, and Bella Abzug, was opened during the operation.

"Mail to and from prominent individuals such as Bella Abzug , Bobby Fischer , Linus Pauling , John Steinbeck , Martin Luther King Jr. , Edward Albee , and Hubert Humphrey was opened during the course of the operation."

HTLINGUAL

[8] supported

Howard J. Osborn voluntarily appeared before the Church Committee on October 21, 1975, to testify about CIA mail opening.

"On October 21, 1975, Osborn voluntarily appeared before the US Senate Select Committee investigating Intelligence activities, known as the Church Committee , with regards to mail opening."

Howard J. Osborn

[9] supported

In his testimony, Osborn said the CIA opened some mail without the Post Office's knowledge and, at least once, opened and copied a letter to an unnamed US Congressman.

"it also opened some of the mail without the Post Office's knowledge, and had at least on one occasion, opened and copied a letter to an unnamed US Congressman."

Howard J. Osborn

[10] supported

The CIA mail operations were conducted in New York City and San Francisco.

"These operations were being conducted in New York City and San Francisco."

Howard J. Osborn

[11] supported

Osborn acknowledged that he knew the CIA's mail-opening activity was illegal.

"Osborn acknowledged that he knew what the CIA was doing was illegal."

Howard J. Osborn

[12] supported

From 1952 to 1973, the CIA was involved in a mail opening project called HTLINGUAL.

"From 1952 to 1973, the CIA was involved in a mail opening project called"

Howard J. Osborn