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heard of anything like this." COS's best recollection was that he had the following interchange with Sidney Gottlieb:

COS: Where did this brilliant idea come from?
Gottlieb: The top.
COS: Who at the top?
Gottlieb: The Director has instructions from President Eisenhower.

COS said that he could not recall the exact language of the interchange, although this was his best recollection. He said Gottlieb made it clear that the President wanted to find a way to remove Lumumba from the scene. He said that when Gottlieb explained the source of authorization for the assassination plot, he made it clear that the President was the source. COS said it was possible that Gottlieb used a euphemism, but it was more likely that he mentioned either "President Eisenhower" or "the President." In response to a question from the staff to paraphrase again the import of Gottlieb's instruction to him, COS said that Gottlieb told him something to the effect that "I am giving you instructions on highest authority to assassinate Lumumba any way you can." COS said that Gottlieb did not insist that the assassination had to take place by means of the biological agents he was supplying.

COS said that this was not an exploration of the possibility of assassination or the establishment of a mere capability for assassination. "They were serious about it ... it was clear that the policy decision to assassinate Lumumba had been made." COS said

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