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Cryptonym: MERRIMAC

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Definition:
An Office of Security penetration and surveillance project designed to monitor dissident groups and potential threats to Agency personnel and operations.
Status:
Documented
Discussion:
A FBI memo in February of 1976 referred to Jack Bauman being "interviewed regarding his prior contact with E. Howard Hunt and Project Merry Mack, acronym for CIA's efforts to prevent any electronic penetration of their building during its construction." This does not sound like the MERRIMAC project, which was designed to monitor dissident groups and potential threats to CIA personnel and operations. It sounds like MHBOUND, which was "to maintain surveillance of activities to prevent hostile penetration and sabotage" during the construction of the new CIA headquarters at Langley, Virginia.
Sources:

104-10107-10031: QUESTIONABLE ACTIVITIES

"Office of Security proprietary agents covertly monitored dissident groups in the Washington area considered potential threats to Agency installations and personnel. In addition, Office of Security field offices collected intelligence on dissident groups."

1993.08.07.08:30:15:590032: CIA INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION ABOUT AMERICANS: CHAOS AND THE OFFICE OF S

Project "Merrimac...took the CIA into actual penetration with the dissident groups. And to the extent the collection requirement was broadened from warning of imminent attacks on CIA to general information about the groups' finances and policies, it brought the Office of Security even closer to performing essential security functions."

Church Committee: Book III - Supplementary Detailed Staff Reports on Intelligence Activities and the Rights of Americans Current Section: B. Project MERRIMAC

"The second general effort by the Office of Security to protect the CIA from threats posed by domestic disorder was Project MERRIMAC. MERRIMAC involved the participation of CIA assets in dissident groups in the Washington metropolitan area in order to obtain advance warning of demonstrations which posed a threat to CIA facilities and also to collect other intelligence about the groups and their members...(in 1967) the Office of Security initially chose four "indicator organizations" - the Women's Strike for Peace, the Washington Peace Center, the Congress of Racial Equality, and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee...in June (1967)...the collection requirement was expanded to include information about the organizations' financial operations and sources of support."

124-10274-10062: [No Title]

02/12/76: FBI memo from W. O. Cregar to W. R. Wannall: Subject: SENSTUDY 75: Page 2: "SA Andrew J. Duffin, through Mr. Walter Elder, CIA Review Staff, on 2/10/76, determined that CIA was in fact to participate in an interview of Bauman with an SSC Staff Member in the near future. He is to be interviewed regarding his prior contact with E. Howard Hunt and Project Merry Mack, acronym for CIA's efforts to prevent any electronic penetration of their building during its construction. CIA hopes that interview will negate the necessity of Bauman having to answer SSC subpoena, as they feel it will show he will not be the 'hot' witness that SSC anticipates..."

See Also:
Contributors:
Carmine Savastano • Bill Simpich

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