By Matija Šerić
In September 1976, the U.S. House of Representatives established the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) to investigate the assassinations of John F. Kennedy in 1963 and Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. The committee completed its investigation in 1978 (at a cost of nearly six million dollars) and released its final report in 1979. The report concluded that Kennedy’s murder was “probably the result of a conspiracy.”
Along with an acoustic analysis of a police officer’s motorcycle microphone recording, the committee commissioned numerous other scientific studies related to the assassination that confirmed the findings of the Warren Commission. However, the investigators disputed the Warren Commission’s conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, stating that they had “not been able to identify another gunman or the extent of the conspiracy.”
The House Assassinations Committee Report
The committee determined that, although the Warren Commission and the various agencies that examined Kennedy’s murder acted in good faith, certain errors were made as a result of incompetence. Based on the available evidence, the investigators concluded that the probable conspiracy did not involve the communist governments of Cuba or the Soviet Union. Furthermore, it stated that the conspiracy did not include any organized crime groups (the mafia), anti-Castro groups, nor the FBI, CIA, or Secret Service. The committee did note, however, that it could not rule out the possibility that individual members of organized crime or anti-Castro Cubans in the United States were involved in the conspiracy to kill JFK. Some members of the committee would later personally express their belief that one of these groups was indeed involved in the assassination.
In December 1978, the congressional committee recommended that the U.S. Department of Justice reexamine its findings to determine whether further investigation was warranted. In a 1988 memorandum to the House Judiciary Committee, Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division William F. Weld formally reviewed the HSCA’s recommendations and reported on active investigations. Given the reports of the FBI’s technical service and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), which determined that “reliable acoustic data do not support a conclusion that there was a second gunman” in the assassination, and that all investigative leads collected by the Department of Justice had been “thoroughly investigated,” the Justice Department concluded that “no persuasive evidence can be identified to support the theory of a conspiracy against President Kennedy.” Thus, the matter was formally closed. However, observers who believed a conspiracy existed were not silenced.
A documentary about the assassination
Theory of Multiple Gunmen
Over the years, numerous theories about the assassination have developed, continuing to fascinate people around the world. All share a common belief that the full truth about this tragic event has never been revealed and that powerful forces worked in the shadows to ensure Kennedy’s elimination at any cost. One of the most famous theories is based on the idea that there was a second shooter in Dealey Plaza. Many witnesses at the scene gave conflicting statements about the number of shots and the direction from which they were fired. While some claimed that all shots were fired from the Texas School Book Depository, others were convinced they heard gunfire coming from the grassy knoll.
The famous Zapruder film, which captures the moment Kennedy was fatally struck in the head, further fueled these claims because it appears that the president’s head jerks backward, suggesting that the fatal shot came from the front rather than from the building behind the motorcade. The ballistic analysis conducted by the Warren Commission supported the idea that all shots were fired from Oswald’s rifle, but many considered the analysis incomplete or inaccurate. Critics argued that physical evidence, such as bullet trajectories and marks on the vehicle, indicated more than one shooter. The theory of a second gunman was later bolstered by the findings of the House Assassinations Committee (HSCA).
Theory of a CIA, FBI, and Military-Industrial Complex Conspiracy
One of the most widespread alternative theories suggests that the CIA was directly involved in the assassination, possibly along with other U.S. intelligence and security agencies such as the FBI. According to this theory, Kennedy was seen by some high-ranking CIA officials and members of the military-industrial complex as a threat to U.S. national interests. The president’s decision not to escalate the Bay of Pigs crisis in 1961, his desire for rapprochement with the Soviet Union through détente, his intention to limit nuclear arms, and his reluctance to deepen U.S. involvement in Vietnam conflicted with the interests of powerful groups within the U.S. government.
Moreover, Kennedy frequently warned of the dangers of secret societies and powerful lobbies. For example, in his famous April 27, 1961 speech before the American Newspaper Publishers Association at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, JFK stressed the importance of transparency and the free flow of information in a democratic society. He specifically warned of the dangers of a “monolithic and ruthless conspiracy” that uses “covert means, infiltration, subversion, and manipulation” to expand its influence. Although he did not name specific groups, the speech is often interpreted as a critique of secret societies and lobbyists operating beyond democratic oversight. Kennedy highlighted the vital role of a free press in exposing such threats, seeing journalists as key defenders of democracy. The speech also reflected the president’s concern over the Cold War and the fight against communism.
At the time (the 1950s and 1960s), the CIA was involved in numerous covert operations around the world, including attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro and the organization of the coup that overthrew Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. The CIA was also known for its ability to manipulate and conceal evidence. Proponents of this theory believe that the assassination was part of a broader plot to remove Kennedy from power and ensure an aggressive interventionist policy promoted by his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson. They point to the significant shift in U.S. foreign and military policy after Kennedy’s death, particularly the escalation of the Vietnam conflict, as evidence of the conspirators’ objectives.
Many researchers have also noted irregularities in official reports and the assassination investigation—such as destroyed documents, inconsistent witness statements, and Oswald’s murder by Jack Ruby—all of which fuel suspicions of involvement by powerful state institutions. Critics of this theory, however, argue that such a plan would have required an extraordinary level of coordination and secrecy within the government, which would have been extremely difficult to maintain.
Theory of a Cuban Conspiracy
Oswald’s sympathies toward Cuba and Fidel Castro opened the door to theories implicating the Cuban government as a potential organizer of the assassination. Kennedy was known as a strong opponent of the communist regime in Cuba, and his insistence on economic sanctions and both peaceful and violent attempts to overthrow Castro created further tension between the U.S. and Cuba. Oswald, on the other hand, was a passionate supporter of Cuban socialism. His attempts to visit Cuba and his contacts with Cuban diplomats in Mexico further fueled suspicions that he might have been connected to the Cuban leadership.
Some believe that the Cuban leader, fearing for his life after numerous U.S. assassination attempts, decided to strike back by eliminating the American president. However, Castro publicly denied any connection to the assassination, pointing out that such an act would only provoke a U.S. invasion of Cuba—essentially giving Washington the perfect pretext to attack the island. Critics of this theory argue that a Cuban-ordered assassination would have required a level of coordination that the Cuban regime was unlikely to achieve. Moreover, sources indicate that Castro often expressed a desire to reduce tensions with Washington, aware of the potential consequences of open conflict. Official investigations found no evidence to support this theory, but it continues to attract followers due to its dramatic appeal.
Theory of a KGB Conspiracy
Oswald’s stay in the Soviet Union from 1959 to 1962 and his embrace of communist ideology gave rise to theories that the assassination was organized by the Soviet secret service, the KGB. At the height of the Cold War, Kennedy symbolized American capitalism and the democratic world, and his removal could have represented a strategic victory for the Soviet Union. Proponents argue that the assassination might have been a sophisticated Soviet covert operation aimed at destabilizing American society and leadership during a tense period of East-West rivalry. However, many historians consider this theory unlikely, as the assassination of a U.S. president by Soviet agents could have triggered a global conflict of unimaginable proportions, potentially involving nuclear weapons. Likewise, Soviet archives opened after 1991 revealed no evidence supporting this claim.
Report about the assassination
Theory of a Mafia Conspiracy
Another popular theory points to the possible responsibility of the American mafia for the assassination. According to some accounts, the mafia had close ties to the Kennedy family during the 1960 presidential campaign, allegedly helping secure Kennedy’s victory through voter fraud in key swing states. However, once in power, Kennedy and his brother Robert—who served as attorney general—launched an aggressive campaign against organized crime.
Supporters of this theory believe that the mafia decided to eliminate Kennedy as retribution for what they saw as betrayal and as a warning to the next administration. It is possible that the mafia used Oswald as a pawn to distance itself from the assassination, while Oswald’s murder by Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner with alleged mafia connections, is seen as an attempt to silence a key witness. Ruby’s bizarre behavior after the killing—such as his insistence that he acted without premeditation—is interpreted by some as evidence of mafia pressure. Critics, however, point to a lack of concrete evidence and the logistical complexity of coordinating such a plan, which would have required the involvement of many participants.
Conclusion
The assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, which took place more than six decades ago, continues to captivate America and the world. Who was the true mastermind behind the killing of this liberal president remains a billion-dollar question. Was it the act of a lone leftist fanatic, as the official version claims, or were powerful state institutions (of the U.S., USSR, or Cuba) or non-state actors such as the mafia behind the assassination? Each theory remains plausible.
It is possible that JFK’s death was solely the work of Lee Harvey Oswald, with a mysterious chain of circumstances turning the event into a labyrinth of enigmas. Personally, I am more inclined to believe that the true masterminds were powerful organizations rather than a single individual. There is no doubt that American interventionists, Cuban and Soviet communists, and the American mafia all benefited from the assassination. The United States became heavily involved in the Vietnam War, the Cubans and Soviets were rid of a formidable enemy, and the American mafia was able to breathe easier and continue its illegal activities. The assassination was a turning point in American and world history, after which the world entered a turbulent era.
