By Sarah Norman | March 1, 2024

The Cold War Crashed In On Itself In 1975

The year was 1975, and the United States stood at a crossroads. The shocking revelations of the Watergate scandal had cast a pall over the nation, leaving the American public with a newfound, burning curiosity about their intelligence agencies. Senator Frank Church convened a historic hearing on Capitol Hill, one that would peel back the layers of secrecy surrounding decades of covert CIA activity.

Imagine a weapon so insidious that it could eliminate targets with the mere whisper of a needle, leaving no trace of foul play. As Congress delved into the darkest corners of the Cold War, they stumbled upon secrets stranger than fiction. It was here that the world learned of the Heart Attack Gun—a weapon straight out of a spy thriller, yet chillingly real.

But how did it work? What were its origins, and who were the architects of this macabre masterpiece? In this slideshow, we will navigate through the intrigue, the science, and the history of the CIA's most enigmatic creation.

In 1975, the culmination of over three decades of secretive CIA operations came crashing to a halt as Congress turned its attention to the agency's activities. Senator Frank Church, seated on Capitol Hill, presided over a historic investigation that unveiled some of the darkest, most clandestine aspects of the Cold War era. What they uncovered was nothing short of astonishing and nightmarish, resembling the plotlines of paranoid thrillers and hair-raising spy novels. Amidst a litany of disturbing revelations, one stood out—a weapon unlike any other, the infamous "Heart Attack Gun." Congress had stumbled upon an invention of deadly precision, capable of causing death within moments, all without leaving a trace. This discovery would forever change the way the world viewed espionage, offering a chilling glimpse into the lengths to which intelligence agencies would go to protect their interests.

An 18-Year-Old Figured Out The Most Important Part Of The Weapon

At the heart (no pun intended) of the creation of the CIA's enigmatic "Heart Attack Gun" was an unlikely figure, Mary Embree. Remarkably, she began her journey into the world of espionage at just 18 years old, armed with nothing but a high school diploma. Her initial role within the agency was that of a secretary, working diligently in a division focused on developing covert audio surveillance equipment, including hidden microphones. Over time, Mary's skills and dedication caught the eye of her superiors, leading to her promotion to the prestigious Office of Technical Services. It was there that she embarked on an extraordinary mission: to discover a poison so subtle, so undetectable, that it could serve as the ultimate tool of covert operations.

Mary's relentless research and tenacity led her to a surprising conclusion—shellfish toxins held the key to creating the perfect, untraceable poison. Her contribution to the development of the Heart Attack Gun would become a chilling chapter in the annals of espionage history, forever altering the course of covert operations.

Project MKNAOMI

Project MKNAOMI, a highly secretive program dedicated to crafting biological weapons for the United States’ Cold War arsenal and successor to the far more infamous Project MKULTRA. 

But while other MKNAOMI projects were dedicated to poisoning crops and livestock, Embree’s findings were destined to form the basis of the brass ring of black ops: killing a human being — and getting away with it.

The Weapon Was Created In Maryland

The genesis of the CIA's Heart Attack Gun took place in walls of a laboratory at Fort Detrick, a renowned Army base with a storied history in biological warfare research dating back to World War II. Under the guidance of Dr. Nathan Gordon, a skilled CIA chemist, a team of researchers embarked on a groundbreaking project.

They meticulously mixed the deadly shellfish toxin with water, ultimately forming a small, innocuous-looking pellet or dart. What set this weapon apart was its delivery method—a modified Colt M1911 pistol equipped with an innovative electrical firing mechanism. This ingeniously designed firearm granted the weapon an effective range of 100 meters, all while ensuring near-silent operation upon firing.

Heart Attack Guns, How Do They Work?

The operation of the CIA's Heart Attack Gun was as insidious as it was efficient. Upon firing the dart into the intended target, the frozen projectile swiftly underwent a transformation—melting within moments to release its lethal cargo directly into the victim's bloodstream. Laden with shellfish toxins, which possessed the alarming capability to comprehensively paralyze the cardiovascular system when administered in concentrated doses, the poison would infiltrate the victim's heart, masquerading as a sudden, devastating heart attack. The result was swift and grim; death would claim its victim within mere minutes. Astonishingly discreet, all that would remain was a minute, nearly imperceptible red dot at the dart's point of entry, a telltale sign utterly indistinguishable to those not privy to its existence. As the victim succumbed, the assassin could quietly vanish, leaving no trace of their sinister act.

The Weapon Definitely Did The Trick

The unthinkable became chillingly real as the CIA's Heart Attack Gun proved to be not just a concept from the pages of a spy novel, but a devastatingly effective tool in covert operations. The agency had a compelling reason to believe in its potential success. In a twist that seemed stranger than fiction, the KGB's notorious hitman, Bohdan Stashynsky, had wielded a similarly designed yet cruder weapon with deadly accuracy—twice, in fact—first in 1957 and then again in 1959. The modified pistol, bearing the cryptic moniker "nondiscernible microbionoculator," was not a mere theory; it had undergone rigorous testing on both animals and prisoners, achieving harrowing results.

As Mary Embree revealed years after her tenure with the CIA, the Heart Attack Gun was an undeniable reality, and its effectiveness in covert operations sent shockwaves through the world of espionage.

The Family Jewels

The sinister secrets of the Heart Attack Gun and its covert counterparts might have remained hidden indefinitely had it not been for a critical turning point in the annals of intelligence history. As whispers of clandestine activities grew louder, the dam finally burst with a startling revelation: a New York Times exposé unveiled a trove of reports chronicling a litany of illegal operations, collectively dubbed "the family jewels."

This revelation was the catalyst for a seismic shift in public perception, pushing the United States intelligence community into the unforgiving glare of scrutiny. In 1975, as the nation grappled with these deeply troubling revelations, the Senate convened a select committee, presided over by Idaho Senator Frank Church, to delve into the extent of these criminal intelligence actions.

The Weapon Was Likely Intended To Be Used On Fidel Castro

The Church Committee's relentless investigation in the 1970s brought to light a web of covert and chilling activities that had been concealed for years. Among their startling discoveries, the committee learned that former President Richard Nixon had officially terminated Project MKNAOMI in 1970, ending an era of shadowy experimentation. However, the intrigue didn't end there. They uncovered the clandestine actions of Dr. Nathan Gordon, who, against the orders of Dr. Sidney Gottlieb, the enigmatic head of Project MKULTRA, had secretly concealed a staggering 5.9 grams of shellfish toxin. This clandestine stockpile amounted to nearly a third of all shellfish toxin ever produced at the time, raising deeply troubling questions about its intended use. Furthermore, the committee's investigation delved into the murky world of allegedly sanctioned assassination plots targeting prominent leaders, including Fidel Castro of Cuba, Patrice Lumumba of the Congo, and Rafael Trujillo, the dictator of the Dominican Republic. The Church Committee's revelations laid bare a dark chapter in American history, leading to an era of increased oversight and accountability within the intelligence community.

The Heart Attack Gun Makes An Appearance

In a moment that would go down in history, the then-CIA Director William Colby found himself at the center of a highly publicized and unprecedented hearing before the Church Committee. With the eyes of the nation fixed upon him, Director Colby made a dramatic revelation that would send shockwaves through the committee chambers. He presented the actual Heart Attack Gun, the shadowy instrument of covert operations, to the committee members.

As they looked on, he allowed them to handle the weapon, its sinister implications casting a palpable tension in the room. The committee's questions probed the depths of its development, its nature, and its intended use. However, what became of the Heart Attack Gun after it was brought out to the public is unknown.

Did The U.S. Use The Weapon?

The elusive fate of the Heart Attack Gun continues to be shrouded in uncertainty, leaving a lingering question mark over its actual deployment. The extent of its use, if any, remains a riddle that has never been definitively unraveled. There are speculations that the deadly toxin, so meticulously crafted, may have been repurposed as a suicide pill, serving as a last resort for American operatives facing capture in enemy territory. Alternatively, it could have found a role as a potent sedative, designed for a singular mission that was, as CIA Director William Colby admitted, never fully executed.

The Weapon Inspired Gerald Ford To Ban Government Agents From Lethal Espionage

In a watershed moment that marked the culmination of the Church Committee's revelations, President Gerald Ford took decisive action in 1976 by signing a historic executive order. This landmark decree unequivocally prohibited any government employee from participating in, or conspiring to engage in, political assassination. This groundbreaking executive order stood as a resounding denouncement of a dark era of espionage, symbolizing a definitive end to the CIA's most covert and violent years. With the stroke of a pen, President Ford ushered in a new era of accountability and transparency within the intelligence community, effectively drawing the curtains on the shadowy world of covert operations and the ominous legacy of the Heart Attack Gun.

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