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with O'Donnell a plan to snatch Lumumba from "protective custody." But he does not specifically remember this.

COS said that "O'Donnell did not seem to do anything most of the time, and I didn't take him very seriously. He spent a lot of time drinking." COS said that he was not aware of any action O'Donnell took to carry out an assassination or a "snatch" of Lumumba.

COS said that the assassination plan had struck him from the beginning as a bad idea, so he moved slowly on it. "I showed some action to Headquarters by sending cables, but never pushed it."

COS said that he asked O'Donnell to clear with him any major actions he was contemplating in the Congo. COS believes that O'Donnell was in the Congo from September until approximately Christmas.

LUMUMBA'S ESCAPE

COS said that Lumumba's escape from "protective custody" was a surprise to him. He said that the CIA Station had nothing to do with it, although they investigated the incident.

COS said "I was in touch with many official Congolese about where Lumumba was and how he got out. But I did not get much good information. It was assumed that Lumumba was going to Stanleyville. The Congolese flew troops to points that he would have to pass on this route. I remember reviewing maps of these routes with the Congolese."

COS added, "I left the Congo for Rome because of the prospect that Lumumba might start an uprising against 'white devils.' But