Teletype: Washington Field to FBI Director re: SITOL (February 3, 1978)

DISCUSSIONS WITH NEW YORK AGENTS DURING THE WEEK OF JANUARY 30, 1978, HAS INDICATED THE COS IS AWARE OF THE BUREAU’S INVESTIGATION REGARDING THE [X] MATTER AND RELATED FEDERAL VIOLATIONS COMMITTED BY THE COS IN NEW YORK.

NEW YORK SHOULD BE ALERT FOR PRETEXT TELEPHONE CALLS AND VISITS BY COS MEMBERS ATTEMPTING TO LEARN THE STATUS OF THESE INVESTIGATIONS. THE PRETEXT TELEPHONE CALLS MAY POSSIBLY BE TAPED. ANY CONTACT WITH SUPPOSEDLY DISENCHANTED [X] MEMBERS DESIRING TO GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT FEDERAL VIOLATIONS COMMITTED BY THE COS SHOULD BE HANDLED WITH CAUTION AND THESE INTERVIEWS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED INSIDE THE NEW YORK OFFICE.

ADEQUATE SECURITY SHOULD BE AFFORDED ALL DOCUMENTS AND MATERIALS RELATING TO THE CAPTIONED INVESTIGATIONS AS MEMBERS OF THE COS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO INFILTRATE THE BUREAU IN THE PAST AND HAVE, IN FACT, INFILTRATED OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

NEW YORK WILL NOTE TAMPA FBI AND SAC TAMPA HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS CALLS AND VISITS FROM COS MEMBERS.

ALL THE ABOVE DEALS WITH SENSITIVE INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COS. DISCUSSION OR DISSEMINATION OF THIS INFORMATION IS ON A NEED TO KNOW BASIS.

BT