Larry Devlin, a former CIA agent, has released a book on his time as CIA Chief of Station in the Congo, in which he provides details of an American order to assassinate Congo's first post-independence prime minister, Patrice Lumumba. In June 1960, a newly-independent country in central Africa, headed by a young, 35 year-old prime minister, appeared to have everything going its way. The Democratic Republic of Congo, hugely rich in agriculture, oil and other commodities seemed about to take its place on the world stage.
Then it all went horribly wrong. Within months, Patrice Lumumba, the country's hugely popular prime minister, was dead.
A recently published book is providing new insight into the events that led to the demise of a country that had seemed certain to be an African star.
Seated in his Virginia home, 84 year old Larry Devlin appears to be relishing retirement. He may seem like an ordinary man, but Devlin has had an extraordinary life by any standards.
Devlin was recruited to the CIA in 1948 and convinced to be the Chief of Station in Congo in July 1960, just 10 days after the country's independence from Belgium and shortly before Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba's two month term in office.
Devlin openly admits knowing little about Africa, but was driven to the region by the theory that his role in gathering intelligence would enable the US to avoid a hot war with the Soviet Union.
Now retired, Devlin has written of his experience in a newly released book called 'Chief of Station, Congo: Fighting the Cold war in a Hot Zone."
Believing the Russians were planning to infiltrate and ultimately control the Congo and the nine countries that it bordered, Devlin was charged with recruiting Soviet spies to gather intelligence.
"It was very real. It was indeed real. And I think it was an obvious thing, here was a country which was believe it or not, at that time, rich in minerals, certainly in agriculture, oil was a potential, it wasn't developed yet, and it seemed to be a very good opportunity to move in and gain influence and perhaps not complete control but influence. I remember I referred to it in one cable as a Cuba like situation. You might remember that at first, Castro seemed like a nice guy, and suddenly we discovered that all of a sudden he was not necessarily our best friend," Devlin said.
In his memoir, Devlin reveals that late in 1960, he received instructions from an agent ("Joe from Paris") who was relaying instructions from CIA headquarters that he was to effect the assassination of Lumumba.
"First I received a message saying a man who would identify himself as Joe from Paris would arrive on about 27th of September and I was to take my instructions from him. Well this surprised me because normally you receive written instructions, maybe a telegram or a cable but they are written they are there. This case I thought this must be really super secret, 007 stuff," he said. "He said well Eisenhower wants you to assassinate Lumumba. I can remember to this day what I said, Jesus H Christ isn't this unusual. I'd never heard of such a thing," Devlin added.
The directive had come from the CIA Deputy Chief of Plans Dick Bissell but "Joe" said it originated higher up, coming from President Eisenhower, to this day Devlin cannot be sure.
Various poisons, including one secreted in a tube of toothpaste, were available as a means to complete the mission.
Devlin writes that he felt an assassination would have been "morally wrong" and likely to backfire and work against US interests.
"I was astonished, I thought there must be another way. And maybe it was because of the way I was raised, but I thought it was wrong," he said
Devlin neglected to act, and has in the past said he threw the order in the Congo River. After a brief but turbulent period as prime minister, Lumumba was arrested and later executed with the complicity of Belgian officials, according to a Belgian government report. His supporters and some historians accused the CIA of complicity.
Some reports say Lumumba's body was later dissolved in sulphuric acid to erase any physical trace of him.
But his image as a charismatic nationalist leader still burns brightly among many Congolese and across the continent.
The CIA's involvement in the Congo did not end with Lumumba's death. Europe and the United States are largely credited with bringing Mobuto Seso Seko to power and keeping him there for 32 years while he looted the country.
Reflecting on other issues that followed his tenure, Devlin commented on the accusation that he and the US administration ran the Democratic Republic of Congo by remote control. After leaving Africa, Devlin served as Station Chief in Laos and as Chief, Africa Division, before retiring from the CIA in 1974.
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