US releases thousands of classified RFK assassination documents
Shafaq News/ The US government on Friday released nearly 10,000 previously classified pages related to the 1968 assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, shedding new light on the mindset of his killer.
The files include chilling handwritten notes from convicted assassin Sirhan Sirhan, in which he repeatedly wrote variations of 'RFK must die' and 'RFK must be disposed of like his brother was' — a reference to President John F. Kennedy's 1963 assassination. One note scrawled across an envelope, described the act as an 'unshakable obsession.'
The trove, posted online by the National Archives and Records Administration, is part of a broader transparency effort ordered by President Donald Trump shortly after beginning his second term. The release follows the disclosure of unredacted documents last month related to JFK's assassination, which, while offering deeper insight into Cold War-era intelligence operations, did not substantiate long-standing conspiracy theories.
Sirhan, a Palestinian immigrant, shot Kennedy on June 5, 1968, moments after the senator delivered a victory speech following his win in the California Democratic primary. Sirhan was convicted of first-degree murder and remains incarcerated in California.
The newly released documents include FBI memos, crime scene photos, correspondence from the public, and interviews with Sirhan's classmates, neighbors, and coworkers. While some described him as 'friendly and generous,' others portrayed a politically driven and impressionable young man who briefly embraced mysticism and supported communist regimes.
In one account, Sirhan told a Black garbage collector, who had expressed support for Kennedy, 'Well, I don't agree. I am planning on shooting the son of a bitch,' shortly after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in April 1968.
Other files reference rumors that Kennedy would be assassinated, including accounts from American tourists who claimed to have heard such predictions while visiting Israel weeks before the shooting.
Sirhan's legal team has long argued that he poses no threat to society. In 2021, a parole board deemed him eligible for release, but California Governor Gavin Newsom rejected the decision in 2022. A different panel denied parole again in 2023, citing Sirhan's continued lack of insight into his crime.
The late senator's son, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now serving as Health and Human Services Secretary, welcomed the release, praising President Trump and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard for their 'courage' and 'dogged efforts.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
US Defense Official to Shafaq News: Middle East tensions under watch
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the US Department of Defense confirmed that it has authorized the voluntary departure of military families from several locations within the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations, which covers Iraq and other countries across the Middle East. 'The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority and US Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East,' a US Defense Official told Shafaq News, adding that 'CENTCOM is working in close coordination with our Department of State counterparts, as well as our Allies and partners in the region to maintain a constant state of readiness to support any number of missions around the world at any time.' Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Baghdad affirmed to Shafaq News that 'US President Donald Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad', explaining that 'In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq.' A senior Iraqi government official told Shafaq News that 'There are no security indicators on the Iraqi side that justify an evacuation,' clarifying, 'steps concern the American diplomatic presence in several countries in the region, not Iraq alone'. These developments come amid rising regional tensions, particularly following comments by Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, who warned that Iran would strike US bases in the region if a confrontation erupted with Washington over nuclear negotiation.
Shafaq News
5 hours ago
- Shafaq News
US Embassy to Shafaq News: President Trump committed to Americans safety
Shafaq News/ US President Donald Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Baghdad said in an exclusive statement to Shafaq News Agency on Wednesday. 'In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq,' the spokesperson added. This came following an announcement from the embassy about a reduction in its staff in Iraq, confirming that the decision is part of broader regional measures aimed at ensuring the safety of American personnel. 'These steps concern the American diplomatic presence in several countries in the region, not Iraq alone,' A senior Iraqi government official told Shafaq News, adding that 'There are no security indicators on the Iraqi side that justify an evacuation.' The official reiterated that all available intelligence and security briefings point to increasing stability and internal security in Iraq. 'All Arab and foreign diplomatic missions operating in Iraq enjoy full freedom of movement, safe working conditions, and operational effectiveness across the country—not only in the capital, Baghdad,' the official noted.
Shafaq News
5 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Alawite teen killed at checkpoint as sectarian violence surges in Syria
Shafaq News/ An 18-year-old Alawite man was shot dead at an armed group checkpoint in the town of Shin, west of Homs, on Wednesday, as Syria faces a sharp rise in sectarian killings and abductions following the collapse of al-Assad regime. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the teenager was riding to work with a companion on a motorcycle when they were stopped by gunmen affiliated with pro-government factions tied to the defense and interior ministries. The assailants questioned the pair about their sect before executing one and briefly detaining the other. The body remained at the scene for hours before their ID cards were found near the local police station. #المرصد_السوري تصاعد في حـ ـوادث الـ ـعـ ـنـ ـف الطائفي.. إعـ ـدام شابين أحدهما في #حمص والآخر في #حماة — المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) June 11, 2025 The killing is one of several violent incidents reported in recent days. In rural Hama, a young shopkeeper was gunned down in his store in the village of Turkmen Musa by two masked men on a motorcycle. Despite a heavy security presence in the area, the attackers escaped, raising suspicions of insider involvement. #المرصد_السوري استمرارا لـ ـحـ ـوادث الـ ـعـ ـنـ ـف.. استشهاد مدني بـ ـرصـ ـاص عـ ـصـ ـابـ ـة مـ ـسـ ـلّـ ـحـ ـة في ريف #مصياف — المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) June 11, 2025 Meanwhile, factions known as 'Hamzat' and 'Amshat' abducted three displaced Kurdish men from Afrin while they were traveling from Qamishli to Aleppo. The men were accused of links to the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration. They are originally from Jindires, Sharran, and Khirbat Sharran. #المرصد_السوري بحجة التعامل مع " #الإدارة_الذاتية".. القوة المشتركة تـ ـخـ ـتـ ـطـ ـف 3 مواطنين كرد في ريف #حلب — المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) June 11, 2025 In a separate case, the same faction kidnapped a fourth Kurdish man from the village of Ali Baku in northern Aleppo. He had returned from Iraq to visit family when he was seized near Deir Hafer. His fate remains unknown.
