Office of the Historian

259. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Turner to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, April 30, 1980

The Pakistani Chief of Intelligence has asked for our assistance in providing the support of a C–130 to transport arms from Karachi to the areas inside Pakistan where they are transferred to the Afghan guerrillas. We understand that his reason for asking us for this support lies in the extreme secrecy of this entire operation. Within the Afghan government the army is not knowledgeable of this activity, not even the entire Cabinet is aware of it.

The Intelligence Chief is concerned that utilization of Pakistani Army and Air Force C–130’s would blow his cover.2

Stansfield Turner3
  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Meetings File, Box 79, Sensitive X: 5/1–11/80. Secret.↩
  2. At the bottom of the memorandum, Carter wrote: “OK if I am assured that Pres. Zia approves. J.” In a May 1 memorandum to Turner, attached but not printed, Brzezinski wrote: “The President has reviewed your April 30 memo on C–130 support for Pakistan. He has approved this support on the condition that he be assured that President Zia approves the proposed arrangement.” In a memorandum to Brzezinski, May 13, Turner reported that a CIA officer had recently met with ISID Director General Akhtar Khan in Islamabad, who relayed Zia’s endorsement for the C–130 request. Turner concluded: “After reviewing the Pakistani request in some detail with General Akhtar, we are convinced that the C–130s can make an important contribution in the objectives of our Afghan program. We are therefore taking steps to arrange the transfer of two C–130s from the U.S. Air Force to the Pakistani Air Force in the most expeditious way.” (National Security Council, Carter Administration Intelligence Files, Box I–031, Apr–Aug 1980)↩
  3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩