Francesco/who-killed-jfk huggingface dataset:
[104-10176-10069.pdf — page 21]
# SECRET21 September 1966MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORDSUBJECT: Liaison Meeting with FBI New York Agent Frank O'Brien1. At 1500 hours on 13 September, Ken Millian and I met with FBI Cuban specialist Frank O'Brien at a cafe/coffee shop at 72ad St. and 3rd Ave., two blocks away from the Bureau's New York headquarters. I had arranged the meeting by telephone from Washington and advised C'Brien that I wanted to review and coordinate a number of items with him. I also informed him that I would be accompanied by Millian, a colleague interested in the Cuban UN Mission.2. The meeting opened at an easy pace with an uninhibited review of happenings of mutual interest: O'Brien noted that in his view the Cubans at the Mission had been relatively inactive and had not recently been involved in subversive activities of any magnitude. He reviewed FBI coverage of as yet not fully explained purchasing activity by Mission personnel which included procurement from various New York area military surplus cutlets of ponchos, leggings, and other similar equipment. He implied that in the process of covering the activities, the Bureau had acquired a substantial amount of surplus equipment itself but he didn't provide details and we didn't pursue the matter.3. He noted that blanket Bureau coverage of the activities of Rolando Masferrer was continuing and that he occasionally talked with Masferrer by telephone or in person. He indicated that the Bureau was intimately aware of efforts on the part of Masferrer and other Cubans both in New York and Florida to procure arms in the U.S. and position then in the Dominican Republic. He reported that an attempt to move a shipment of such arms from the Florida Keys to the D.R. currently was underway and that the U.S. Customs Service was alerted to move in at the appropriate time to confiscate the material. (Although acknowledging Masferrer's gangster background, O'Brien complemented him on his intelligence and efficiency and indicated that Masferrer was one of the ablest Cuban refugees he had met.)4. O'Brien also surfaced his current contact with former Rebel Army Captain Raimundo F. Antonio de la Torre
[104-10176-10069.pdf — page 22]
# SECRETUgarte, 81-11 Pettit Ave., Elmhurst, Long Island, tel. NR 2-5487. De la Torre apparently is involved with Cuban refugees in the U.S. who are attempting to re-establish the 26th of July Movement here in the United States minus the Communist implications contributed by Fidel. O'Brien apparently is impressed with De la Torre's sincerity and ability and belicves that De la Torre should be of interest to us. De la Torre has until recently stayed away from exile activities and according to O'Brien is pushing the revitalized 26th of July idea by personal contact rather than make any splash. According to O'Brien De la Torre is now operating a successful painting business and at one time held a good position with Union Carbide International. In conversations with O'Brien De la Torre has been critical of CI... When queried O'Brien indicated that De la Torre's only real gripe was the Bay of Pigs. (C/O note: We should look into De la Torre to see if he could be used in any revitalized effort abroad to establish lines of access to nen-Communist 26th of Julyers still in Cuba - Carlos Franqui etc.) We indicated that we would evaluate information available to us and discuss De la Torre with him again in the future.5. Note: O'Brien has been working the Cuban target in New York for over ten years and is impressively conversant with the subject. It is, therefore, sometimes difficult to stay with him wher. he covers various complicated subjects with abbreviated statements, e. g., during subject meeting, he alluded to one Miguel Morales, the former husband of Nellie Barletta, daughter of Batista's ambassador to Argentina Anleto Barletta. He apparently feels there may be mileage in Morales. We will, therefore, review Morales, Barletta, et al, and resurface the subject with him when time permits.6. The two principal action items on my agenda were the coordination of my planned luncheon meeting with photo-journalist Lee J. Lockwood (201-78771), and discussion of NEKNIFE, who allegedly was interviewed by the Bureau in New York several years ago. O'Brien advised me that he had reviewed their Lockwood file and talked with the Bureau agent responsible for the Lockwood "case". He stated that he had not uncovered any derogatory information on Lockwood and saw no reason to prevent my meeting with him. I told him I would advise him of my meeting arrangements with Lockwood when they were firm and that I would brief him after the meeting was over. (It is of interest to note that during my briefing of O'Brien on the morning of the 16th, the day following my luncheon with Lockwood, O'Brien noted that some of his superiors in Washington thought Lockwood was an opposition (sic) "spy". When I asked if there was anything to support this2SECRET
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# SECRET(Red faction - whysuddenly disc.contact now with Souza?)theory, O'Brien said absolutely not, it was pure speculation.)7. O'Brien checked the Bureau's New York indices on NEKNIFE Lut without success. If he was in fact interviewed by the FBI in New York there apparently was no record of it. I told him that NEKNIFE was expected in New York City in late September to visit his daughter and son-in-law and that we probably would attempt a meeting with him at the time. He had no objection.8. Specific items of business concluded, we moved into a general and historical discussion of the Cuban Hission to the UN, which was the main purpose of Millian's attendance at the meeting. Recent changes in Mission personnel, including the assignment of Ricardo Alarcón Quesada (201-347550) as Ambassador, were discussed and itineraries of Cutans arriving for the General Assembly were noted. Early in the conversation, O'Brien surfaced his long term contact_with Cuban UN Advisor and Alternate Representative Antonio de Souza Carvajal (201-354048), a friend of Cuban Foreign Minister Raúl Roa, who has served the Cubans in New York for the past ten years or more and has been with the Cuban Foreign Service for 40 years. The Souza subject was not new to me, since O'Brien had brought it up in conversations I had with him earlier this year. I did not choose to pursue the subject with him at that time, however, without first reviewing all implications of the case with Agency officials in Washington. O'Brien indicated no interest in Miguel Juan Alfonso Martinez (201-354041), Counselor at the Mission, whom we suspected they might be in contact with.9. O'Brien's eagerness to discuss the Souza matter seems to imply that he is deeply interested in it and may suggest that he is not satisfied with results thus far obtained. At one point he indicated that his headquarters was not at all happy with the take from Souza. He reviewed the history of the contact with complete candor beginning with his initial contacts with Souza in the mid/late 1950's when O'Brien had open access to the Cuban Mission in New York and was a frequent visitor there. From his description, Souza would appear to be a thoroughly experienced and skilled diplomat who has survived the numerous changes in the Cuban government because of his friendship with Roa and other influential Cubans, and because of his ability to implement effectively for the Cubans the more subtle diplomatic maneuvers required by membership in the UN community. In fact, O'Brien feels that the Cubans utilize Souza exclusively on these latter duties and tend to exclude him from high level matters involving political, military, or economic policy.3SECRET
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# SECRETThis, according to O'Brien, accounts for Souza's inability to provide information of real value. O'Brien did indicate, however, that the usual P.I. requirements had no punch. He cited, for example, the requirements after Souza's return from Hawaii, which in effect amounted to: What's new?10. Despite the long history of the Souza contact, O'Brien is not now meeting with Souza in person. Souza feels that O'Brien is too well known in the Cuban community in New York and even the most elaborate contact arrangements would not be free of danger. Souza also shys away from talking on his home phone for fear that it may be tapped. O'Brien can, however, telephone Souza and lay on alternate telephone oz even meeting arrangements. We did not establish the frequency of O'Brien's current contacts with Souza nor did we establish at what point in the history of the contact the decision was made to dispense with personal meetings; the.. nature of our meeting with O'Brien did not permit elaborate and detailed questioning. He did recount, however, an interesting aspect of the case which followed from the fact that a State Department security officer assigned to New York, (fnu) Swazey, occupied the apartment directly above Souza during his tour in New York and became quite friendly with Souza. O'Brien apparently used Swazey as an informal go- betweer on the case. (Should we choose to pursue the Souza lead, an attempt perhaps should be made to locate and debrief Swazey with O'Brien's concurrence. Note: This could be Anthony Clinton Swezey, DOB 9 August 1913, who was Special Assistant to Secretary General of U.S. Mission to UN 1946 to 1947. In 1963 he was First Secretary, FSO-2, in Paris.)11. It is difficult at this point to identify with accuracy the true nature of O'Brien's tie with Souza. Based upon O'Brien's comments, it does not appear that Souza should be classified as an "agent" of the Bureau in the classical sense, particularly at this point when there apparently are so formal arrangements for contact, no remuneration or even instructions given, and apparently no reports received from Souza. It is probable that a critical point in this operation was reached about three years ago when, according to O'Brien, Souza talked about his advancing age (now 65), his retirement equities with the Cuban government, and his financial needs in general. O'Brien thought that Souza was looking for guarantees which would provide for his future should he choose to cooperate fully and ultimately be surfaced and forced to forego his retirement and remain in the U.S. O'Brien apparently presented Souza's case to his superiors but was unable to generate any substantial enthusiasm. He stated they were not willing to give Souza a stipend. The4SECRET
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# SECRETBureau's position, both then and now, apparently is that Souza has little potential as an asset for internal security natters and therefore would not justify any substantial fi- nancial obligation. In very low key, it was made clear to O'Brien that the Agency was interested in Souza's Positive Intelligence potential (his access in Havana should be good, given his long friendship with Roa and his closeness to María Celia Girona Fernández (201-327421), cousin of Celia Sánchez Mandaley) and well might find justification for pro- viding modest security for Souza's old age.12. Throughout our conversation it appeared clear that O'Brien was of the opinion that there may be a role for the Agency in the Souza operation. We asked him, therefore, whether or not he felt Souza may still be interested in feath- ering his nest and, if so, if it would be bureaucratically possible to get word to Souza that such a possibility existed. O'Brien felt that Souza would still be interested and he was of the opinion that he could get the point across to. Souza via double talk in a telephone conversation. This ap- proach was accepted and it was agreed that O'Brien would ad- vise us of the results after the call was made. If prospects appeared encouraging, it was agreed that we would then get together again to discuss the next step which might entail arranging direct contact with Souza. O'Brien noted that Souza lives in Jackson Heights and usually drives to work. Possibly a contact could be arranged somewhere along the route. The foregoing generally covers the extent of our discussion. regarding Souza. When I met with O'Brien again on 16 Sep- tember just prior to my departure for Washington, I requested that he not take any action on the Souza case in our behalf until he heard something further from re.13. During our meeting we reviewed other members of the Cuban Mission with particular reference to CGI types. O'Brien noted that Chafik Homero Saker Zenni (201-335014) undoubted- ly is the senior member of the DGI group but even so he was not thought to be particularly active. He reported that Saker had been in contact with Lee Lockwood (see above) on several recent occasions but nothing was known of the nature of the meetings. He also noted that the Bureau was in con- tact with Saker's Cuban girl friend in New York City whom they had just traced without surfacing any derogatory infor- mation. She is cooperating and the Bureau is optimistic about her potential. He did not provide the girl's name but indicated that we should hear about her shortly through chan- nels. O'Brien also acknowledged that the Bureau has a pene- tration of Prensa Latina in New York. He did not provide the nase or any details but on the basis of his comments we pre-SECRET
[104-10176-10069.pdf — page 26]
# SECRETsumed it to be Francisco V. Portella (201-281963). It would be helpful if we could obtain additional details or both these latter cases.14. Without prompting, O'Brien surfaced the AMBIG-3 double agent case. He noted that he had been involved to a degree and actually was present at the hotel bar in downtown New York when the agent made his meet with the Cuban czse officer. O'Brien, accompanied by at least one other Bureau nan, reported that AMBIG-3 winked at them while passing close by them at the bar on one occasion. O'Brien took this to nean that AMBIG-3 presumed that O'Brien and his friend were Bureau men assigned to surveil the meeting. O'Brien also stated that after his meeting with his Cuban DGI contact, AMBIG-3 called for an emergency meeting with the Bureau and they gave him $200.15. It was close to 2000 hours before our meeting terminated. We parted on a cordial note with agreement reached that we would talk soon again when some of the material discussed had been further sifted.![Signature of John R. Lucey]SECRET20-42667
[104-10176-10069.pdf — page 27]
FBI doc14 Sep 66 (Miami)Re-Rolando ArcadioMasferrer RojasFBI doc7 Sep 66 (NY)Re-Rolando Arcadio Masferrer Rojas
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# LIMITED OFFICIAL USEMEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION September 6, 1966SUBJECT: Andrew St. George -- free lance photographer now working with CBSMr. St. George came to see me at his request. I have known him from the time that he went to Cuba in the late fifties to film the Castro movement.He said he wanted to see me as an old friend to tell me that CBS is film-ing a story of gun-running from the U.S. to the D.R. for use against Haiti. He is working with the CBS crew.Mr. St. George said that the CBS team had completed its filming in Miami and in the near future would be travelling to Santo Domingo to film the operation at that end. He claimed that in Miami Rolando Masferrer and Mitchell Warbel (phonetic) had permitted him to film what he described as a large arsenal in Masferrer's house.In response to my question about the identity of Warbel, he said that he is a soldier-of-fortune - arms merchant type from Atlanta who is working with Masferrer in the acquisition of arms. St. George claimed that Warbel had been responsible for the seizure of Manuel Ray's vessel "Venus" in the Dominican Republic and the acquisition of the arms (mostly sub-machine guns) which were on board.St. George stated that the base in the Dominican Republic was on Pesta Islant. Arrangements in the DR are being handled through Santiago Rey with Martires Araña and others whom he did not name. St. George said that Balaguer had given his nod to the operation. I told him that I did not believe there was any truth to this latter point as President Balaguer has recently normalized diplomatic relations with Haiti and is not interested in foreign adventures of this type.In closing, St. George said he had come to see me because he believed that someone in the United States Government should know about the gun-running and the CBS film. I told him that our law enforcement agenciesLIMITED OFFICIAL USE
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LINITED OFFICIAL USE-2-Were aware of Masferrer's past activities and would take whatever action is necessary to prevent violation of our laws. On the film. I told him that I seriously doubted whether an objective treatment of the facts of Haitian and Cuban exile efforts would add up to the type of story he described. Therefore, I questioned the wisdom of making such a film. He responded that the facts were quite different from what I thought.William G. Bowdler*   Mr. Rostow*   Mr. Bill Moyers*   Mr. Robert Sayre, State - ARA*   Mr. Edward T. Long - State/ARA-CAR*   Mr. Robert Stevenson - State/ARA-CCA*   Ambassador John Crimmins - Embassy, Santo Domingo.LIMITED C7ZICIAL USE
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FBI loc12 July '66 (NY)Re Rolando Arcadio MasferrerRojas
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8 July 1966MEMORANDUMSUBJECT: The Activities of Rolando MASPERRER Rojas1.  Reference is made to a memorandum from this office, Subject: Plot to Overthrow Haitian Government, dated July 6, 1966, concerning a visit to a farm in the Atlanta, Georgia area by an informant who witnessed the loading of arms at the farm for shipment to temporary cache sites in homes in Miami and Coral Gables, Florida; the pickup of arms from these homes; their transfer to small boats already on trailers; and the offloading of latter at Miami River docking sites for shipment to Santo Domingo and ultimate sites on the Haitian Coast. While the information below may not be related to the incident reported in reference, the similarity of the two reports merits attention.2.  A friend of Rolando MASFERRER Rojas told a usually reliable source of this office that on 27 June 1966 MASFERRER went to a house in Miami where 200 firearms were stored. He was accompanied by two American newsmen, one of whom was a photographer. The arms were removed from the premises by agents of MASFERRER whose faces were covered. The American photographer took photographs during the removal of the arms.3.  The same usually reliable source of paragraph two reported in conjunction with the above that as of early July 1966, action groups such as the Second National Front of the Escambray, ALPHA-66, Comandos-L, and Los Pinos Nuevos, possessed only small quantities of arms. The only substantial amount of arms in the area was in the hands of KASYZRRER.4.  This information is being disseminated to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of State.WM/C/CICS/J. Vidal:kcjDistribution:2 - Department of State3 - FBI4 - WH/C/CICS1 - 201-42669Based On:AMBIDDY/1Raw Report, Miami28 June 1966![handwritten id]
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# FORM 3015SECRETCIA INTERNAL LIBE ONLYINTELLIGENCE INFORMATION CARLEDATE - 12 JUNE 66IN-PAGE 1 OF PAGESThe following intelligence information, transmitted from a CIA Field Station, Fequires review within the Clandestine Services before being released outside the Agency. Panding results of this review, a cupy to being provided for your advance information.Distribution for BACKGROUND USE ONLY to SDO 2. DDI 20, DIANECOUNTRY: DOMINICAN REPLELIC/HAITI/CUBADOI: 13-14 JUNE 1966SUBJECT: PLANS OF ROLANDO MASFERRER ROJAS, FORMER CUPANSENATOR, FOR ACTION AGAINST HAITI FROM IZEDOMINICAN REPUBLICACQ: UNITED STATES, MIAMI (16 JUNE 1956) UFG-2382SOURCE: FORMER LATIN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT WHO MAINTAIKSFRALATIONS WITH OFFICIALS OF LATIN AMERICANCOUNTRIES. HE IS TRAINED REPORTER AND HISINFORMATION HAS BEEN RELIABLE IN THE PAST.1. ON 13 JUNE 1956 IN MIAMI, FORIDA, ROLANDOASFERRER ROJAS, FORMER CUBAN SENATOR, SAID THAT HE HADREVISED HIS PLANS FOR ACTION AGAINST PRESIDENT FRANCOISDEVALIER OF HAITI TO INCLUDE THE COOPERATION OF SANTIAGOPEY PERKA. REY HAD SAID THAT MASFERRER WOULD BE ALLOWEDTO TAKE A VESSEL WITH SIX OR SEVEN MEN TO THE DOMINICALREPUBLIC AFTER JOAQUIN ZALAGUER IS INSTALLED AS PRESIDENTSALES
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FORM 3007IN -TDCSPAGE of 3 PAGESOF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN JULY. MASFERRER, HIS COUSIN ANTONIO ROJAS MASFERRER, AND ATON CONSTANZO PALAU WOULD BE AMONG THOSE ON THE VESSEL.2. FIELD COMMENT: REY, A CUBAN EMIGRE WHO WAS A CABINET MINISTER UNDER FULGENCIO BATISTA ZALDIVAR, WENT TO THE DOMINICAN PUBLIC IN APRIL TO ACT AS AN ADVISER TO BALAGUER DURING THE ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN. 1Η ΧΙΑΣ ΙΝ MID-JUNE, HE REPORTEDLY PLANNED TO RETURN TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. SEE ALSO UFG-8378, WHICH REPORTED THAT ACCORDING TO REY HE HAD BEEN OFFERED THE USE OF A FINCA IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FOR ANTI-CASTRO CUERRILLA TRAINING. ANOTHER SOURCE, WHO HAS BEEN REIABLE IN THE PAST, REPORTED THAT REY WAS CONFERRIKE WITH POLAIDO PASFERRER AND ANTONIO ROJAS ON 14 JUKE. CONSTANZO PALAU, CUBAN EMIGRZ IN MIAMI, HAS BEEN REPORTED EARLIER AS INVOLVED WITH ROLANDO MASFERRER IN PLANS FOR ANTI-DUVALIER ACTION.)E. PASFERRER ASSERTED THAT IN ORDER TO MISLEAD AUTHORITIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNEMNT CUSE) AND THUS PREVENT INTERFERENCE, THE GROUP ON THE VESSEL YOULD
[104-10176-10069.pdf — page 34]
FOR-30071-65IN- 40002TDCSPAGE 3 OF 3 PAGESSECRET(Actual Session) (dissem controle)GO TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC OSTENSIBLY AS REVOLUTIONARIES AGAINST FIDEL CASTRO RUZ. HE ADDED THAT AS ANOTHER PRECAU- TION AGAINST DIFFICULTIES WITH THE USG, THE GROUP WOULD NOT USE UNITED STATES ARMS OR ATTEMPT TO TRANSPORT ARMS FROM THE UNITED STATES. MASFERRER SAID THAT HENRI VIXAMAR HAD ARMS ELSEVIERE, AND THAT THE ATTACK AGAINST HAITI WOULD BE LAUNCHED FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.FIELD COMMENT: ACCORDING TO SOURCE, MASFERRER DID NOT YET HAVE VESSEL. VIXAMAR, A HAITIAN EMIGRE WHO HAS BEEN RESIDING IN CANADA SINCE MID-FRIL, KAS BEEN DESCRIZED EARLIER AS IN CHAREZ OF THE PLANS FOR ACTION AGAINST DUVALIER.)4. FIELD DISSEN: CECSO, CINLANT, COMXWEST FOR, MIANE REPS OF STATE, FBU, I&NS, CUSTOMS, USCC, BOARDER PATROL ALSO SENT SANTO DOMINGO, PORT AU PRINCE)REPORT CLASSCONFIDENTIAL NO FOREISE DISSEM CONTROLLED DISSEY.SECRET
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12-65 WHICH IS OBSOLETEINDEX: YES NOCLASSIFY TO FILE NO. 201-0410 CLASSIFIED MESSAGES-REF TO FILE NO.FILE RID RET. TO BRANCHDESTROY SIG.SECRETREPRODUCTION PROHIBITEDDESEM RY 28ACTIONWH 8RID COPYUNITTIMECSDO 02053 DINFO VR. FILE. ADDP. CA 2, A/PEG. CA/PROP. CI/OPS. CI/IC 2. FI. FI/D FI/INT CS/DODCI, D/DCI, DOP, CS/RF, SOD 4, CA/O 4, CI, CI/PS, CS/29A, M.SECRET 17233UZ CITE WAVE 1553ABSTRACTDIRECTOR INFO SANTO DOMINGO, SANTIAGO DE LOS CABALLEROS,PORT AU PRINCE, PANAMA CITY, REPLANT, JIBARINTEL DYVOUR JM.PALM PERUMEN18.ES:40092SUPDATA: ZRWAHOO. NO PROJECT. SOURCE UOAPBER-6 FROM EMILIOVERA LEYVA FROM ROLANDO MASFERRER. SOURCE MENTIONED FIRSTFILED COMMENT UOAMBER-2.NO INDEX FILED 1723312S-E-C-R-E-TUFG 8382JUI-4266918 June 1966
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SECRET(When Filled In)DOCUMENT TRANSFER AND CROSS REFERENCESUBJECT OF DOCUMENT DOCUMENT IDENTIFICATIONRI FILE NO.3. DISPATCH OR SOURCE DOC. SYMBOL NO. 4. DATE7. SOURCE CRYPTONYM 8. DATE OF INFO. 9. EVALUATION5. ANALYST 6. DATE PROCESSED 10. DISSEMINATED IP 11. DATEDOCUMENT DISPOSITION12. CROSS REFERRED TO THIS FILE 13. TRANSFERRED TO    BI FILE NO.PERTINENT INFORMATIONPASFERRER ROJAS, ROLANDO201-042669 100-609-014SEX M COB ? DBB -5092417 JUN 66CIT ? FBIOCC ?RE NASFERRER WAS EVER REALLY SINCERE IN OVER-THROWING THE GOVERNMENT OF HAITI AND ESTABL-ISHING A BASE ON THE COAST OF HAITI, FROMWHICH ATTACKS WOULD BE MADE AGAINST ORIENTEPROVINCE, CUBA.R 6608101426FILE THIS FORM IN FILE NO. FILE IN 201-42669SECRET17 Jan 66
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- FBI doc- 25 May 66 (NY)- Re- Rolando Arcadia Masferrer- Rojos