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think I agreed to use it." Although he also said that he did not tell Gottlieb that he would refuse to use it.
COS said that even though Gottlieb had told him that clearance for the assassination of Lumumba had come from the President and the DCI, he wanted verification from Headquarters of an assignment of such magnitude. COS said: "I responded to Headquarters with a double-talk message, saying that I had met the messenger and requesting confirmation. I then received a cable containing double-talk confirmation, something like 'your assumption confirmed.'"
COS said "I never knew who was sending me these cables. They also said 'Director' and I sent my cables with a special slug. My cables were probably marked to 'Director' which is never actually seen by the DCI. COS thought that he destroyed his copy of cables on this subject on instructions contained in those cables. He said that only a single copy of the cables had existed at the Congo Station. COS said that he was instructed by Gottlieb that he was not to discuss this assassination mission even with his own deputy. COS said that he did not discuss the operation with Glenn Fields. He also said that he would not have discussed the operation with Dr. Lester Houck because Houck was removed as Branch Chief in early fall due to dissatisfaction with his performance.
COS said that he thought an assassination effort was "a bad idea, both morally and practically." However, COS said that he may not have expressed his grave concern to Gottlieb because he was so taken aback at receiving the assignment. COS thought that he told Gottlieb that he did not have a good means of access to Lumumba.

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