Internal FBI email re Granite Productions request and NORJAK holdback information
Document date 23 June 2005
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Id: Cooper-Part-52:208-209
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-52:208-209 Document: Internal FBI email re Granite Productions request and NORJAK holdback information Id: Cooper-Part-52:208-209 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-52%3A208-209 What is wrong (title, date, type, which pages belong together, copies)? What does the scan show?
A person reads every report. Corrections are made by hand, to the data — titles, dates, names, which pages belong together — never to the scans, and they can take a while to appear.
FBI 164-81, Vault Part 52 pp. 208–209 (DB Cooper-21878–21879), Memo, dated 23 Jun 2005 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-52%3A208-209
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[REDACTED](SE) (FBI)
From: [REDACTED] (SE) (FBI) Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 5:06 PM To: [REDACTED](SE) (FBI) Cc:
Subject: Norjak/ Granite Productions request
UNCLASSIFIED RECORD SE 164A-81
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Per your request, I will address each of the 13 items requested by Granite Productions. However, in general, and in the past we have directed most inquiries of this nature to public source information that is everywhere on this case. Much of it is not entirely accurate, but this helps us weed out people who claim first hand knowledge. Many people have viewed such shows as the Granite Productions proposal and used it as a basis to claim their husband/brother/etc. was Dan Cooper. Many people have submitted FOI requests. One FOI lawsuit is pending now. The only exceptions to this strategy in my knowledge was for a two 'mainstream shows (i.e. History Channel) in which we did live interviews. Even in those cases we never commented on the evidence we had, or provided any documents from the case file. The tone was mainly 'Here is the crime, here is the artist conception of the subject, the FBI still has an open case and will not stop looking to resolve this matter, etc". These interviews were done at the express request of FBIHQ due to the national exposure possibilities. We agreed only as it could benefit the case.
I believe we must treat this as any other pending FBI investigation with regard to release of information.
With regard to the specific requests from Granite Productions:
1. Flight Data from FAA and other sources concerning flight path: I know of no instance in which this was provided or discussed with anyone outside of LE. Suggest referring them to public reported sources.
2. Archive film footage of an experiment with the NW 727 after the hijacking. This was provided to Unsolved Mysteries/History Channel, a decision expressly made by SAC Mandigo due to the credible nature of the production and request from FBIHQ, an is also not evidence. I see no harm to the case to providing this tape, other than the precedent set and us having to provide another tape to everyone who claims news affiliation, with no benefit to the case or FBI. We are not providing the tape under pending FOI requests.
3. Map and area searched by FBI. This should not be provided and has not been provided to my knowledge.
4. "Psychological Profiling" conducted by the FBI. Information of this sort has not been discussed. The photo and aged composite that I had done in 1998 can be provided.
5. Copy of FBI wanted poster. Refer them to public sources. There was an informational flyer sent out to hunters, and another to LE, 30-plus years ago.
6. Details about the discovery of the 727 aft stairs placard: Refer them to public sources. This has been reported in those sources.
7. Copy of document listing serial numbers of ransom bills. All the serial numbers were published in either the Seattle Times or PI at the time. No copies of this document (or an other from the case file should be provided). Unsolved Mysteries asked for this and was also turned down.
8. FBI photographs of ransom money found at Tina's Bar near Vancouver in the early 1980's. The money found
6/23/2005 DB Cooper-21878
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in February 1980 at TENA BAR (Not TINA's Bar) was photographed by news media and appeared in the paper at the time. Refer them to public sources.
9. FBI photographs of search of Tena Bar. Press photos of the search appeared at the time. We should not release any photos produced by the FBI.
10. Information about the condition of money that was found compared to the how the money had been packaged when provided to COOPER. Details of the money as presented to COOPER contain useful holdback details which should not be discussed. We can tell them that the serial numbers of the found money matched the batch of bills given to COOPER during the hijacking.
11. Copy of the geologist report submitted to the FBI concerning the possible point of origin of the money found at Tena Bar. This was a report commissioned by the FBI and is evidence. It should not be provided.
12. Documents pertaining to the investigation of Richard McCoy. McCoy was a subject of a Salt Lake FBI case. Information determined about McCoy cannot be provided by Seattle. McCoy's Salt Lake case is particularly sensitive as he was later shot by the FBI after having drawing a gun while being arrested for prison escape and Bank Robbery. Recent attempts by the FBI Salt Lake have been made (at Seattle's request) to get cooperation of family members.
13. Information about physical evidence recovered from NW 305. The FBI never provides information about physical evidence recovered during a criminal pending investigation.
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Please bear in mind that all of the above items have been sought repeatedly during a variety of unsuccessful FOI requests. I don't think we can treat Granite Productions any differently that these requestors, especially since there is no benefit to the case to do so. Otherwise a bad precedent would be set, both for this case and for other old pending major FBI investigations.
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[REDACTED]
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UNCLASSIFIED
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6/23/2005 DB Cooper-21879
Serials: SE 164-81