JFK Assassination System
Identification Form
Date:
6/8/2015
Agency Information
AGENCY: FBI
RECORD NUMBER:
124-10222-10171
RECORD SERIES :
HQ
AGENCY FILE NUMBER:
97-4133-8TH NR 118
Document Information
ORIGINATOR:
FBI
FROM:
WANNALL, W. R.
TO:
SULLIVAN, W. C.
TITLE:
Released under the John F. Kennedy
Assassination Records Collection Act of
1992 (44 USC 2107 Note). Case#:NW
38608 Date: 03-18-2025
DATE:
'PAGES:
SUBJECTS:
DOCUMENT TYPE:
CLASSIFICATION:
RESTRICTIONS:
CURRENT STATUS:
DATE OF LAST REVIEW:
09/25/1964
3
SPANISH VESSEL, SIERRA ARANZAZU, SUSP, SECRET
ORGANIZATION OF CONTINENTAL ACTION, MRR, LIAISON
WITH DOS
PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
Secret
1B
Redact
06/22/1998
OPENING CRITERIA: APPROVAL OF NSA
COMMENTS:
v9.1
17
NW 88608 Docid:32298395 Page 1
h
----
7
ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED
HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED EXCEPT
WHERE SHOWN
OTHERWISE.
Biv
EPTIONAL FORM NO. 10
MAY 1962 EDITION
GSA GEN. REG. NO. 27
5010-106
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TOP SECRETIREE
MemoranduOUT IN ENVELOPES
W. C. Sullivan
Sullivan
W. R. Wannall
wew
_copies made ATE:
for review at FBIHQ by
HSCA 3.14.78
ATTACK ON SPANISH VESSEE "SIERRA,
ARANZAZU, 9/13/64
NEUTRALITY MATTERS
1
1
M
7 1
5373
1
I
1
September 25,
Mr. Belmont
Miss Holmes
Evans
Mr.
O
כאן
1
-
म
Mr.
Tolson
Belmont
Mohr
Casper
Callahan
Conrad
Rosen
Sullivan
vel
Trotte
SLD/SR"
3-4-98
GIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO
DELASSIFICATION AND/OR
IN THIS DOCUMENTS
ASS & EXT
REASON-FCIM II, 48
ATE OF REVI
Sullivan
Liaison
Mr.
Wannall
Mr. Nasca
Recuperacion Revolucionatze
B. Movimiento Recuperacion
Bureau Source Six (Communications Intelligence, classified "Top
Secret") has revealed that Spanish Ambassador to U.S. Merry del Val on
9/23/64 reported to his Foreign Ministry that he had visited General
Marshall Carter, Deputy Director of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
the previous day and next intended to visit the Director of the FBI. CIA
has provided us a memorandum showing that on 9/22/64 the Ambassador met
with General Carter who referred to assurances given by Secretary of State.
Dean Rusk that the U.S. was not involved in the sinking of captioned
vessel. fi per NSA letter 2/27/98. Muc
2-1877
[5] Source Six revealed that the Ambassador had a conference with
State Department officials, including Mr. John Crimmins, who is the
Coordinator of Cuban Affairs, on 9/20/64. Following the conference the
Ambassador advised the Spanish Foreign Ministry that he was told by a
State Department official that theinvestigation of the sinking of captioned
Spanish vessel was being carried out principally by the FBI in Miami and
Puerto Rico and that in this connection the State Department official had
an interview with Director of the FBI. In this connection, it may be
noted that Bureau representatives met with Crimmins in his office at
State Department regarding this matter on the morning of 9/20/64 (memo-
randum dated 9/20/64 submitted) and the Ambassador was probably told that
State Department official had met with one of the Director's representa-
tives and not the Director himself. We have no information indicating
the Director has met with State Department official regarding this matter
my oneth me abou
AL FILED IN
Our memoranda in captioned matter dated 9/20 and 22/64 show that
at request of Assistant Attorney General Yeagley we are investigating
activities of an anti-Castro organization known as Secret Organization of
Continental Action (OSAC). This investigation was started last July.
Following the sinking of captioned vessel on 9/13/64 the OSAC claimed it
was responsible for the sinking and, thus, we have been investigating
this incident since that time." 'Crimmins on 9/20/64 advised us the
Spanish Government was most upset over the attack on its vessel and that
the U.S. Government agreed to cooperate in an investigation the Spaniards
are conducting. He asked if Bureau would object to his making available
our investigative results to Spanish officials and we told him that we
interposed no objection to Statement's doing so at its discretion
BRACKETS DECLASS (TP3) IS NOW
DECEASE GER DOST
mah
WRW:ams OCT 15 1964
(8)
NOT RECORDED
71 OCT 14 1964
CONTINUED
OVER CT 141964
NW 88608 Docid:32298395 Page 2
ፖ
Memorandum for Mr. Sullivan
TOP SECRET
Re: ATTACK ON SPANISH VESSEL "SIERRA
ARANZAZU," 9/13/64
2-1877
We were subsequently advised by CIA on a very highly confidential
basis (as set out in our 9/22/64 memorandum) that that Agency possessed
information which very definitely indicated that an exile group which is
receiving U.S. backing, known as Movimiento de Recuperacion Revolucionaria
An error was 
made in that the
(MRR), was responsible for this attack.
persons carrying out the attack thought they were firing upon a Cuban
vessel. Three Spaniards aboard the Spanish ship were killed 
as 
result of
the attack. CIA deals with MRR based upon policy established by a Special
Group, including representatives from CIA, State Department, Defense,
and the White House. Former Attorney General Kennedy also served as a
member of the group.
CIA claimed it did not direct any of the MRR opera-
tions and the planned attack which resulted in sinking of the Spanish
Details regarding CIA's
vessel was solely an operation engineered by MRR.
support of this group, of course, are unknown to Spanish authorities,
although State Department is fully aware of complete details regarding this
incident
•((u)
Our investigation in this matter is being pursued on an expedite
and special basis and should be completed within about one week's time
barring unforseen developments. Results are being made available as
received to Crimmins at State Department as well as to Internal Security
Division of Department. In the latter connection, it should be noted if
persons involved in the sinking of captioned vessel undertook any acts
in U.S. in support thereof, they might be in violation of the neutrality
statutes or the conspiracy provisions relating to neutrality violations.
We will request an opinion from Internal Security Division in this regard
when our investigation is completed.
ACTION:
For the Director's information in the event he receives a
request from Spanish Ambassador Merry del Val for an appointment. The
Director may wish to consider taking the position that it would 
not be
proper for him to see and talk to the Spanish Ambassador because the
subject matter falls in the province of the State Department
✓ y
TOP SECRET
TP 3 is Now (u)
DECLASSIFIED
PER DOS ON /
NW 88608 Docld:32298395 Page 3