TOP SECRET

Mr. Baron. And it was a more general reference --

Mr. Dillon. It was a very general way of getting somewhere. In one of those other papers something was said about getting rid of Lumumba. That was really more or less the objective, not necessarily to have him leave the earth, but just to get him out of the Congo and away.

Mr. Baron. Your clear impression that the suggestion contemplated assassination as one means of getting rid of Lumumba?

Mr. Dillon. As a possibility.

Mr. Baron. And let's fill in some of the context of the meeting. Do you recall where this meeting took place?

Mr. Dillon. I think it took place in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

I may say that after you spoke on the telephone the other day I called Mr. Gates, who was Secretary of Defense at that time, and who was a friend of mine then, and has continued to be, and asked him if he had any recollection of this particular meeting. And he says he did not. But I do think it took place in his office. And I don't recall whether he was there or not. It could be that he wasn't even there. But I think it was in his own office that it took place.

Mr. Baron. When we spoke before you said that you thought he probably was in attendance. Is that still your feeling?

Mr. Dillon. Well, because it was in his office. I don't

TOP SECRET