Many believe Flt 007 was used by US in their electronic intelligence operation and their assertions are quite convincing.
Most strong evidence they present is the voice record of a Soviet pilot reporting "The target was destroyed" which was played by US before UN Security Council to accuse Soviet of inhumane act.
It also means that US was able to eavesdrop on Soviet communications throughout 2 hour flight over Soviet air space by 007 which provided enough time to warn 007 but they did not. It is US, they argue, who used a civilian airliner for a dangerous military mission and committed a crime against humanity by sacrificing hundreds of civilian lives.
They argue that US covered up the truth and even engaged in disinformation presenting it as an accidental navigational error. It caused some conscientious scholars and intellectuals to rise up and protest government cover up.
The following are synopsis of their arguments based on literature quoted below.
1. Previously in 1978, there was a similar incident at Murmansk and KAL plane was forced to land inside Soviet territory.
2. 3 redundant INS inertial navigation system are so designed that there can be no human errors.
3. All of several back-up radios and scan radar cannot be disabled by mistake.
4. Between Alaska and Aleutian islands, there are three radio beacons and the plane must report its position when it pass over these positions but 007 failed to report its correct positions.
5. US radars at electronic intelligence base on Aleutian islands were scanning entire area of Kamtchaka Peninsular, the base of Soviet nuclear sub, on 24 hour basis but they failed to warn 007 while it deviated its flight course 300 miles to the north for 2 - 3 hours. These US radars are under control of CIA-NSA.
6. C135 intelligence plane was flying near 007 but it never warned 007.
7. US electronic intelligence gathering stations (also operated by NSA) in Mizawa and Wakkanai bases in Japan were able to watch 007 approaching Sakhalin on their radar screen and also eavesdrop on communications of Soviet planes scrambling to intercept 007, but they never warned 007.
8. It is said that around 1970, Korean Airlines, which was financially strapped, purchased jumbo jet airliners with funds provided by CIA and in return promised cooperation with US intelligence operation.
9. CIA hopefully believed Soviets would not shoot down a civilian airliner and resorted to such a reckless venture.
10. 007 disobeyed instruction by Soviet interceptor to land and tried to escape.
11．Mr. Chun, pilot, bragged to friends that he was a secret agent of CIA and received a lot of money.
12. Mrs. Chun, widow, testified in deposition obtained by Atty. Melvin Berry (sic) that her husband wanted to escape from the dangerous mission.
13. Korean Air Force pilots training in US were often approached by CIA recruiters who temted them with lucrative pay and assured employment with KAL after discharge from the military.
14. On that fateful day, US positioned several electronic surveillance planes and ships near the area.
Reading List:
KAL FLIGHT 007: The Hidden History by Oliver Clubb (1985)
BLACK BOX: KAL 007 and Super Power by Alexander Dallin (1985) SHOOTDOWN, FLIGHT 007 AND AMERICAN CONNECTION by R. W. Johnson (1986)
The Target is Destroyed by Seymour M. Hersh (1986)
KAL 007: THE COVER UP by David E. Pearson (1987)
Izvestia article、１９９０ー１９９１, by Andrei Ilesh
The Red Star, Soviet Army newspaper
Clubb is political science professor at Syracuse Univ. Johnson is political science professor at Oxford Univ. Pearson is Yale University professor. Dallin is Stanford University history professor. Hersh is Pulitzer Prize reporter of the New York Times -------------
