Part One
The original Office of Policy Coordination (OPC) project LCHOMELY was submitted for approval on January 4, 1950, and aimed at utilizing Estonian emigre groups, leaders, and organizations for the purpose of contacting underground resistance forces in the Estonian SSR and infiltrating agents into the area. The project's objective was to provide funds for the support, development, and exploitation of the Estonian Resistance Movement:
During the first two post-war years, there were frequent reports relating to extensive partisan activity in Estonia. However, except for isolated bands with no centralized control, it is doubtful if there is any significant resistance today, although there is unquestionably much latent resistance. There are probably several hundred Estonians living in the woods where they escaped in preference to deportation.
CIA Project AEBASIN approved on October 16, 1952, included all operations into Estonia: Foreign Intelligence, Psychological War missions, and responsibilities of the Soviet Russia Division. It included developing Estonian emigre groups outside of the USSR for support operations, covert political activities, and psychological warfare directed against the Estonian SSR.
Recruiting agents took place in Sweden, Germany, and the United States. In May 1952, LCHOMELY recruitment efforts in Sweden were canceled due to "The unfavorable character of persons involved in recruiting, including controversial Estonian politicians.” The agent candidates recruited prior to May under LCHOMELY declined to undertake the mission in October 1952. It was then considered necessary to concentrate all efforts for AEBASIN agent recruitment in the United States.
Two agents trained by CIA’s Domestic Operations Base (FOB) included Hans Augusti Toomla and Kajla Nikolai Kukk. Below are brief CIA biographies of both.
Hans Augusti TOOMLA had CIA cryptonyms AETAXI, AEROOT/1, codename “Artur” and pseudonym "Jerome N. Gravestone." Toomla was born on a farm in the Parnu District of Estonia on March 16, 1924. One CIA document contained the following description:
He is an action agent currently being trained for infiltration into the Estonian SSR. He has many relatives and friends in the target area who may provide some support to him. The subject is 30 years old and a seasoned front-line veteran of the Estonian front during World War II, and has had experience with the Estonian partisan forces. The recruiter recommended him as a man with a well-develop character, an old soldier and a bitter enemy of the Communists and Russians; he is undertaking the assignment as an opportunity to work against the Russians in Estonia—an opportunity for which he waited for a long time.
One CIA report contained this comment about them: “On the whole, it must be noted that the agents are of the average type and possess no outstanding qualifications either in general or in any one particular field. Whether or not they will be able to perform the difficult tasks expected of them can only be evaluated toward the latter part of their training when their capability of performing and employing the subjects learned will be tested in practical exercises.”
Moreover, “Toomla and Kukk are dependent on the CIA for help in rehabilitation after completing their missions; their salaries and bonuses remain under Agency control. They are apparently not subordinated to any government or émigré political organizations. Their motivation is based on ideological opposition to Communism and the Bolshevik occupation of their native land."
They were promised $10,000 death benefits and a $5,000 bonus each after completing the two-year mission.
