Intelligence and Security Operations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Ministry of National Defense

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1a special 15-man penetration cum (unit) with the mission of -assisting and ‘
supporting the operations of the Region 4 MPS. Subsequently, an unknown '
number of important Region 4 MPS agent penetrations were transferred to the-
control of this COSVN MPS penetration cum, which had four agent handlers.
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The Region. 4 MPS had over 200 personnel under its control organized
into a 50-man headquarters staff and into twelve 15-man political operations
cums (units). Cums were established in each of Saigon's ll precincts with a
combined total of 36 agent handlers. Each cum had the mission of
undermining the RVN and its ARVN through the distribution of propaganda -~
leaflets, collecting funds for the revolution, and through the recruitment and
handlingof in-place agent handlers and agent assets in various RVN and
ARVN agencies in the Saigon Capital area. Each ‘cum was organized _for this ,purpose into three-man agent penetration, propaganda, fundraising,_ and .-
courier cells. The national police were special targets for recruitment because
of the cooperation they offered in processing legal identification papers, “
reporting on national police penetration operations, and in alerting theiragent
handlers to impending national police arrest actions. The propaganda cell
distributed leaflets to ARVN officers, RVN and national police officials and
their dependents through the mail. The agent penetration cell infiltrated
legally documented cadres into disabled veterans, religious, students, women's
and labor organizations with the objective of nurturing political struggle
movements to weaken the RVN security forces. It recruited agents and ;__ ..~__
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sympathizers to remain dormant in-place until a coalition government was -
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established. Each agent handler had the mission of recruiting three assets to ;_
form a cell, which became the nucleus for the recruitment of other assets into
more cells. Each cell leader was responsible for assessing and developing
recruitment candidates, making recruitments, and for assigning mission tasks
to recruited assets.
Subordinate provincial MPS of the regional MPS targeted ARVN Sector
(S-2) Command RF Battalions, PRU units, and RD Teams. District MPStargeted RF outposts and units. Village military proselytizing cells targeted
local PF, PSDF, RD and" pacification teams.
Each of the six provinces in Region 2 had a 50-man MPS. Subordinate
district MPS had 10-man staffs and village military proselytizing cells had
three personnel. The My Tho Province MPS was the largest with 110
personnel. In April 1969, the ARVN MSS arrested three female My ThoProvince MPS agent handlers, nine ARVN agents and four national policemen.
Nevertheless, the My Tho Province MPS continued to handle several hundred
other agent assets who were untouched by the arrests; 400 fifth column assets
were recruited in 1969 and 1970. As of 1973, its subordinate My Tho City
MPS handled four agents in the ARVN 7th Infantry Division, four agents in
the My Tho City National Police headquarters, and 16 other agents in the city.
The Ben Tre Province MPS had over 500 fifth column assets. Mo Cay District
of Ben Tre Province alone had 150 agent assets, which amounted to more than
18 agents per village in the district.
Each of the six provinces in Region 8 had a 90-man MPS. The Can ThoCity MPS had 50 personnel. The Can Tho Province MPS alone had 300 agent
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