Historical Dictionary of United States Intelligence

vana, Cuba, enabling the ONI to read Spain’s war plans, an operation

credited with the American win. In addition, American military units

on the island fought beside the rebel forces. As part of the American

war effort, U.S. naval vessels landed in Puerto Rico and the Philip-

pines and defeated the Spanish occupation forces. The war ended on

10 December 1898 after the conclusion of a treaty in Paris, which

granted Cuba its independence and ceded Guam, Puerto Rico, and the

Philippines to the United States. The United States, in turn, paid

Spain $20 million for the Philippine Islands.

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES.“Special activities” is the formal phrase de-

noting covert actions. The 1947 National Security Act authorizes

the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to engage in special activi-

ties that the National Security Council (NSC) may from time to

time direct. Legal experts have interpreted this provision of the law

to grant covert operations authority to the CIA.

SPECIAL COMPARTMENTED INTELLIGENCE FACILITY

(SCIF). SCIFs are specially constructed and vaulted installations de-

signed to protect classified information and intelligence activities.

“SCIFed” facilities encompass not only physical security compo-

nents, such as guards and combination locks, but also mechanisms in-

tended to prevent electronic emissions out of the facility or remote

penetration of the facility from the outside. All intelligence installa-

tions containing classified and compartmented intelligence informa-

tion are “SCIFed.” See alsoCOMPARTMENTATION.

SPECIAL GROUP (AUGMENTED). The Special Group (Aug-

mented) was a committee of the National Security Council (NSC)

established in November 1961 to review and approve covert actions

associated with Operation Mongoose, the program aimed at over-

throwing Cuba’s Fidel Castro. The committee consisted of the na-

tional security advisor, representatives of the secretary of defense

and the secretary of state, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

(JCS), and the attorney general. President John F. Kennedyap-

pointed Brigadier General Edward G. Lansdaleto act as chief of

operations. The Special Group (Augmented) was disbanded in Octo-

ber 1962. See also5412 SPECIALGROUP.

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