FBI Responds to Call for Disclosure of JFK Assassination Files

[Nigel Allen]

Here is a press release from the FBI.

FBI Responds to Call for Disclosure of JFK Assassination Files
To: National Desk
Contact: Federal Bureau of Investigation Press Office,
202-324-3000

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- FBI Director William S. Sessions
said today the FBI is fully responding to the legislation
enacted by Congress and signed by the President calling for the
maximum disclosure of investigative records contained in the
JFK assassination files.
"It is essential that the American people be able to see,
consistent with the law, the few remaining FBI records that have
not been released to the public concerning this tragic event in
American history and know every fact available in order to once and
for all determine for themselves what happened on that tragic day in
November 1963," Sessions said.
In May 1992, Sessions, in anticipation of a new law changing
the standard by which the records had been processed, instructed
that the FBI immediately begin preparing for public release
the remaining records. These instructions were issued following
Sessions' assurance to Congress that the remaining records would
be processed regardless of whether legislation was enacted.
Sessions said, "I will ensure the maximum disclosure of
the FBI investigative records relating to the assassination of
President John F. Kennedy, consistent with the law and need to
protect certain narrow but highly sensitive categories of
information. This is being accomplished by a task force at FBI
Headquarters I ordered in May of this year to respond to the public
interest in greater disclosure of records relating to the
assassination."
In all, files relating to the investigation of the assassination,
the FBI's cooperation with the Warren Commission and the
investigations of Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby contain
approximately a half million pages. After amendment of the Freedom
of Information Act in 1974, the FBI began receiving requests for
information relating to the assassination. By 1978, over 220,000
pages (93 linear feet of files) were made available to the public
for review in the FBI's public reading room. This represents a
great majority of the information contained in FBI files. The
remaining pages began being processed in May, by the task force and
all of the pages will be processed consistent with the new law.
"The public interest demands a final review of this terrible
incident in American history and maximum disclosure consistent with
the law clearly serves that purpose," Sessions said.
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