‘85,000 Potentially Threaten Johnson’

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31027, 5 April 1966, Page 17

‘85,000 Potentially Threaten Johnson’

(N.Z P.A. Reuter—Copyright; WASHINGTON, April 4. The United States secret sendee has identified some 85.000 individuals who are a potential threat to the life of President Johnson.

About 1800 of these are classified as “somewhat higher risks to the security of the President,” and their number has more than trebled since President Kennedy was assassinated. Whenever the President makes a journey a thorough check is made on the listed men living in the area. Details of tha danger Ito were disclosed to the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee last month by Mr David Acheson, Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury, and made public last mght by the commitAt the time of President Kennedy’s assassination. Mr Acheson said, there were 400 names on the file. At the time the Warren Commission investigating the assassination recommended a number of improvements in the Secret Service's methods

of guarding the President, including closer collaboration with other Government agencies.

Mr Acheson said closer cooperation had been established with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, the State and Defence Departments, the National Security Agency and the Immigration and Naturalisation Service. The Seret Service is starting investigations at the rate of about 15,000 a year. Mr Acheson said, and about 7000 items of information are received monthly. Automatic System

By July 1, the Secret Service expects to have an automatic, machine processing system at work on the file. ’Mr Acheson told a questioner that Secret Service protection for Mrs Jacqueline Kennedy and her children is due to end In December, 1967.