124-10218-10058
2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
IDENTIFICATION FORM
AGENCY INFORMATION
124-10218-10058
AGENCY:
FBI
RECORD NUMBER:
RECORD SERIES:
HO
AGENCY FILE NUMBER:
2-2173-1ST NR 130
i
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
ORIGINATOR:
DOS
FROM:
SAUNDERS. HAROLD H.
TO:
THE SECRETARY
TITLE:
10/18/1976
DATE:
PAGES:
10
SUBJECT:
CASTRO, FIDEL, SPEECH, ALLEGATIONS, CIA INVOLVEMENT, CUBANA
AIRLINER, BOMBING
DOCUMENT TYPE:
PAPER. TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
ORIGINAL
NEW
Secret
CLASSIFICATION:
CLASSIFICATION:
REVIEW DATE:
05/12/1998
UPDATE DATE:
STATUS Redact
RESTRICTIONS:
JFK Act 6 (1)(B)
JFK Act 6 (4)
COMMENTS:
INC MEMO
NW 50953 DocId: 32296782 Page 1
IINFORMATION CONTAINED
REIN IS UNCLASSIFIED
HEREI
DATE 4/28/94
BY SPEme
5.
SECRET/SENSITIVE
9:30 AM
October 19, 1976
Additional Questions (answers and comments needed by
late morning, October 20)
12
That
Cubana Airlines
Bell Jer
adved ok
with changer,
тор
10-20-76
Has CIA had any relationship with Posada's investigative
agency or any other business he may have had?
2. What was the nature of the contacts CIA had with Posada
after he was terminated? What did the contacts have to do
with Cuba? VS)
3. Who was the visa for that Posada approached the CIA and
the defense attache about in June 1976? (s)
4. Does the CIA believe that the source of TDFIR DB-315/10256
deliberately, delayed passing on Bosch's and Posada's remarks
about hitting a Cuban plane until after the incidents?
Does the CIA have any additional relevant information
on any of the people named in the draft memorandum, or any
other information relating to the sabotage of the plane,
which it has not yet disseminated in TDFIR form?
6. Would CIA please provide whatever information it has
concerning Orlando Garcia and Ricardo Morales so that para
b on page 8 of the draft memorandum can be completed?
2-2173-102
-108-110
CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO
DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR.
RELEASE OF CIA INFORMATION.
IN THIS DOCUMENT. AS SANITIZED
70 MAY 19 1977
JM 4/14/97
45-10848
25673
NOT RECORDED
23 MAY 17 1977
File insert
SECRET/SENSITIVE
6-888
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2
☐
by Cuban counterrevolutionaries.
. Now we
decidedly believe the first assumption is correct.
The CIA directly participated in the destruction
of the Cubana aircraft in Barbados."
-The principal leaders of Cuban exile terrorist:
Leaders
groups are closely linked through the CORU organi-
zation to CIA activities against Cuba.
In his speech, Castro did not make any specific alle-
gations concerning a USG relationship with Orlando Bosch,
or Luis Posada (two Cuban exile activists who were arrested
by Venezuelan authorities in connection with the Cubana
However, the link with Bosch is implied since he
crash).
is reported to be chief of CORU, the umbrella organization
of Cuban exile terrorists.
Individuals Allegedly Involved
Hernan Ricardo Lozano.
a. Involvement in the Crash: He was arrested in
Trinidad on suspicion of having planted a bomb in the Cubana
plane. Caracas radio announced on October 18 that he
(s)
confessed to sabotaging the airliner. A CCIAA Source in
Caracas reports that Ricardo may have been trained in the
use of explosives and investigative techniques by Luis.
Posada. [CIA information also reveals that Trinidadian
officials have told the Venezuelans that they have a taped] ()
SECRET
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R
SECRET
SENSITIVE
3
[telephone conversation between Ricardo and Posada discussing
their participation in the bombing (5)
Ricardo, a Venezuelan citizens, a photographer employed
by Posada in his industrial security firm in Caracas.
(s)
منية.
[CIA] source says that Ricardo is also a part time employee
of the Venezuelan Intelligence Service (DISIP). He reportedly
gathered photographic material on groups and individuals of
interest to DISIP and the Venezuelan Government.
An
He was
hired by DISIP when Pasada was official of that organization.
(s)
The [CIA] source says that the Venezuelan Government is
concerned and would be faced with serious problems if these
connections become public knowledge.
b.
Relationship with US: [CIA states it has had no
يعكره
contact with Ricardo.
Si
The US Legal Attache in Caracas,
Joseph Leo, says that he has had some dealings with Ricardo for
Chimwill au
help in expediting visa applications for a DISIP official's
and fer Ricards himellf.
Fourming AFTER INNAN Visit And ON TWO
"OCCASIONS"
son, and himself. He also contacted Leo two times to furnisheb
photographs and biographical data on members of the Cuban
Embassy in Caracas. Apparently, the material came from DISIP
-(s)
Ricardo
A
files. During one visit, attempts to solicit suggestions from
the Legal Attache on activities which might be directed
Consciss
reu
10/8/76
against the Cuban Embassy by an anti-Castro group to which he
belonged. Leo says he discouraged Ricardo, pointing out that
the US Government was attempting to prevent disruptive and
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SECRET
SENSITIVE
terrorist activities by anti-Castro groups in the US, and
Ricardo never repeated the suggestion.
Freddy Lugo
a. Involvement in the crash: Lugo was arrested in
Trinidad with Ricardo on suspicion of having planted the bomb
aboard the Cubana plane. A (CIA) Source alleges that Lugo
apparently was only peripherally involved in the bombing and
is not considered to be one of the leading participants.
Lugo, a Venezuelan citizen, is also a photographer
(s):
employed by Posada's company. According to (a CIA] source, he
also worked for DISIP under the same arrangements noted above
for Ricardo.
b. Relationship with US: [CIA states that it has had
no contact with Lugo.]
Attache Leo were discovered in Lugo's address book when he,
The name and phone number of US Legal
CARACAS
тел
10/7
No
was arrested in Trinidad. Leo says that he has had ca
contact with Lugo and speculates that his name and phone were
furnished to Lugo by Posada.
Luis Posada Carriles
а. Involvement in Crash: Posada was arrested on
October 14 in Venezuela along with Orlando Bosch and three
others accused of conspiring to sabotage the plane.
Posada,
a Cuban exile who is now a Venezuelan citizen, is vehemently
anti-Castro and is suspected of having been the main supporter
of Bosch during the latter's stay in Venezuela prior to being
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5
arrested in November 1974.
Posada was formerly chief of the
counterintelligence division of the Venezuelan intelligence
service, DISIP.
b.
Relationship with US. ✓ CIA says that Posada was a
paid informant. The relationship was discontinued in July
1967, but contact was reestablished in October of the same
year.
ar.] When he lost his position in DISIP in March 1974, CIA
says the relationship was "amicably terminated." Though he
was not paid thereafter, CIA continued to have accasional
contact with him until February 1976 when a formal written
agreement of termination was signed. The latest contact
between CIA representatives and Posada occurred in June 1976
when CIA declined to assist Posada on a visa matter.
The US army attache has also used a Posada business
partner (also a Cuban exile, whose name we do not have) as
an informant (though not as an agent).
Our Legal Attache (Joseph Leo) became acquainted with
Posada during the latter's employment [by DISIP)], and
and after
rel
10/7
his resignation, Posada continued to contact Leo on rare
occasions, usually in order to obtain personal service in
regard to visa requests for relatives and business associates,
September 30, 1976 AND October 1, 1976.
the last being Ricardo on October 1, 1976.
Leo says he has
Сашанин
10/8
seen Posada on about three occasions since 1973, the last being
in June 1976 when Posada inquired if the FBI had interest in
a Venezuelan who had hired two of his "operatives" as body
guards.
Conneiss
тес
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6
Orlando Bosch
a.
Involvement in Crash: As noted above, Bosch was
arrested in Venezuela for alleged involvement in the Cubana
crash. In late June, a CIA source reported that an exile
group headed by Bosch planned to bomb a Cubana flight between
Panama and Havana. An FBI source has alleged that one attempt
was made but the bomb did not detonate. A second try occurred
in Jamaica on July 9, but the bomb exploded before the suit-
case in which it was carried was put aboard the plane.
(s)
According to CIA sources], Venezuelan President Carlos
9/14/74
Andres Perez is said to be sympathetic to Bosch and has
permitted him to travel freely in the country and solicit funds.
with the understanding that Venezuela would not be used as a
base of operations or place of refuge. Bosch reportedly promised
not to engage in terrorist activity while in Venezuela and
received a token $500 contribution from Perez. Another CIA
(S)
source reported that after Bosch's arrival in Caracas in September,
he stated during a fund raising dinner that "Now that our
organization has come out of the Letelier job looking good, we
are going to try something else." A few days later, Posada
allegedly said, "We are going to hita Cuban airliner" and
"Orlando (Bosch) has the details.".
b.
Relationship with US. [CIA says there are no current
or recent agency contacts with Orlando Bosch. The US is
currently attempting to have Bosch deported from Venezuela
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7
to the US, where he is subject to immediate imprisonment for
parole violation spell out)
Frank Castro
a Involvement in Crash:
Venezuelan officials reportedly
1
Frank.
believe that Castro, (head of the FLNC terrorist organization,
a component group in CORU) is deeply involved in the crash,
though we have no details of his supposed involvement.
Castro was in Venezuela in late September 1976 and in mid-
October was back in Miami. Frank Castro has admitted to FBI
agents that he met with Bosch in Caracas on September 26 or
27, but denies any personal knowledge of the bombing of the
Cubana plane.
(S)
b. Relationship with US; [CIA says there are no current
or recent agency contacts with Frank Castro, who is an
American citizen with permanent residence in Santo Domingo.
Orlando Garcia and Ricardo Morales Navarrete.
а. Involvement in Crash: Orlando Garcia is President
Perez' security and intelligence advisor, and Morales is Garcia's
deputy; both are Cuban exiles who are now Venezuelan citizens.
(s)
Another CIA source
e]($)
[A CIA source claims that Garcia was directed to protect and
assist Bosch during his stay in Venezuela.
reported that Garcia and Posada met Bosch upon his arrival and
escorted him to his hotel. Both Garcia and Morales reportedly
attended the fund-raising dinner during which Bosch allegedly
made the remark about the "Letelier job," and after the Cubana
SECRET
SENSITIVE
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crash Garcia may have made an effort to get Bosch out of
Venezuela. It is possible, therefore that Garcia and/or
Morales may have known in advance about the operation which
led to the bombing of the plane.
b.
Relationship with US:
Felix Martinez Suarez
a. Involvement in Crash: None, except by the alleged
association with Ricardo, contained in Fidel Castro's charges.
b.
Relationship with US: [CIA says that Suarez was a
CIA media asset from 1961 to January 1974 when he was
terminated as a result of his exposure in the Venezuelan media .] (③)
Castro's allegation regarding CORU: With regard to
Castro's charge on CIA links with CORU, an FBI report of
September 17 states that "a confidential source abroad" claims.
to have been told by Roberto Carballo (leader of the Association
of Veterans of the Bay of Pigs, AVBC, one of the component
organizations of CORU) that in July of this year Carballo and
three other Cuban exiles had been approached by representatives
CORD
SECRET
me
exico
9/17/76
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SENSITIVE.