104-10326-10009 SECRET MHE'NO :\ 98 - 1283498 SECRET ACTION: LAL__|(912) INFO: LA/DEFLT, LA/LGL, LA| | LA MDSX, ODPD, ORMS/LA, RYBAT, FILE, C/LA (2/W) E 1 IN 1283498 TOR: 2721212 APR 98 SEC RE T 2721292 APR 98 STAFF CITE | | 27976 TO: PRIORITY DIRECTOR. FOR: LIMITED DISSEM LA/MXO INFO LA/SA, LA SLUGS..—-WNINTEE-RYBAT SUBJECT : POSSIBLE RECONTACT OF VETAMEL/ 9 REQUEST FOR FILE REVIEW A. DIRECTOR 764515 98 1247758 26721 98 0975333 REF: TEXT: 1. ACTION REQUTRED: PLEASE SEE PARA 6. IN SUPPORT OF<JFK ASSASSINATION>REVIEW BOARD EFFORTS, ‘S$ WILLING TO ATTEMPT RECONTACT OF [LITPAMEL/9 ( TO OBTAIN INFORMATION REQUESTED REF A. HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE THAT, ASSUMING REF B PARA 3 IS IDENTICAL TO (T/S,} HE IS AGING AND POSSIBLY EVEN BEDRIDDEN. THE ONLY PEASTELE LOCATION FOR RECONTACT WILL BE HIS HOME, WHERE HE APPARENTLY LIVES WITH THE FEMALE WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE DURING 26 MAR 98 PRETEXT CALL, AND WE CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MEET ALONE WITH HIM. 3. IN ADDITION, | BELIEVES THAT TO THOROUGHLY ANSWER ALL OF REF A QUESTIONS, THE OFFICER CONDUCTING THE RECONTACT SHOULD IDENTIFY HIMSELF AS A USG EMPLOYEE AND EXPLAIN THE VERY REAL POSSIBILITY THAT (£78 'S) NAME WILL BE EXPOSED IN AN UPCOMING *DECLASSIFICATION OF DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE<JFK ASSASSINATION. > ASSUMING THAT COMMITTED ITSELF TO KEEPINGCE/8'S\ NAME AND {LGROCKAWAY) RELATIO SHIP SECRET, WE BELIEVE THAT THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS ALLOW CE/37°TO PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC BY ENGAGING IN A FRANK EXCHANGE ON CURRENT REVIEW BOARD PROCEEDINGS. WHILE POSSIBLY UPSETTING TO @/3? SUCH A DISCUSSION WOULD BEST ALLOW US TO DETERMINE ANY NEGATIVE REPERCUSSIONS ON ¢f/9> HIS FAMILY, HIS BENSTON? AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES, POSSIBLY RESULTING FROM EXPOSURE. 4. ALTHOUGH DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO RESPOND TO REF A QUESTIONS, WE SUSPECT THAT THI i DOES NOT PROVIDE (PENSIONS?TO EXPATRIATES. EVEN IF THIS WERE THE SECRET
13-00000 SECRET SENSIND: RYBAT case, _____ OFFICERS WHO HAVE SERVED IN } SEEM TO RECALL THAT THE STANDARD CUBAN-PENSION IS CURRENTLY WO STTTLE MORE THAN SEVERAL DOLLARS PER MONTH. THEREFORE, ANY SEVERING oF O79" S CUBAN PENSION WOULD NOT LIKELY HARM HIS FINANCIAL POSITION. N PAGE: S. PER REF A QUERY REGARDING EFFECT OF (£/97EXPOSURE ON_QTHER ODERATIONS, WETDOTNOT LOOK FORWARD TO EXPLAINING TO ASSETS 'y ON THE BOOKS WHY THE NAME™OF A FORMER--AND. STALL \UIVING- “RORSSKAWANMG ASSET WAS OFFICIALLY DECLASSIFIED BY THE USG, WHEN MERE DECLASSIFICATION OF INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY THAT NSSET ON §ORGEKAWAV'S, BEHALF WOULD PERHAPS HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT. WE JUNDERSTAND THAT HOS IS SEARCHING, FOR ADDITIONALsP/9-SPECIFIC -/ ENFORMATION ON WHICH TO BASE AN ARGUMENT AGAINST DECLASSIFICATION—CE 4Bs 1DENTITY AND_WE-HOBE Fo ASSIST“ IN THAT ENDEAVOR. “HOWEVER, ON A BROADER SCALE, IF (E/S°S7IDENTITY AND ROLE WERE TO PROMINENTLY APPEAR IN THE PRESS SUBSEQUENTLY TO DECLASSIFICATION, AT THE LEAST WE WOULD EXPECT A MODERATE EROSION IN OUR ASSETS’ CONFIDENCE THAT (@ROCKAWAN) IS ABLE TO PROTECT THEIR IDENTITIES. Gs WE EXPECT OUR ‘SSETS TO_MAINTAIN~THE~ CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE RELATIONSHIP FROM THETR IDE _OF THE EQUATION AND HAVE OFTEN MADE THIS A MATTER OP CONTENT ION WITH ASSETS) "SOME AGENT HANDUING PROBLEMS COULD ENSUE WERE WE TO AppBaAR LESS THAN COMMITTED TO FULL PROTECTION OF THEIR IDENTITIES. FUTURE AGENT ACQUISITIONS COULD ALSO BE COMPLICATED BY THE DECLASSIFICATION OF T/9'S N AS C/O’'S WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO WORK THAT MUCH HARDER TO CONVINCE THAT WE CAN PROTECT THEIR DENT ITY-FPROM—THE—EYPLICALLY “ANT I~AMERTCAN-LOCGAL—PRESS.. 6. REQUEST HOS COMMENT REGARDING NEED FOR RECONTACT OF T/% AND REQUEST FILE REVIEW SO THAT WE WILL BE IN A FIRM POSITION FROM WHICH TO ENGAGE T/ 32 ALTHOUGH Ci/9/ MAY NOT RECALL DETAILS OF ANY GECGONTACE/ @LAN) AFTER THE CONSIDERABLE TIME ELAPSED SINCE WORKING AS AN AGENT, PLEASE PROVIDE ANY DETAILS (1.5.CALTAS OFTEAST HANDLING c/O)> WHICH COULD SERVE AS BONA FIDES. FINALLY, REQUEST HQS PROVIDE EXPLANATION *OF EXACTLY HOWCE/ $} IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE<JFK ASSASSINATION>ASC{/9 IS SURE TO PUT THIS QUESTION TO_OUR OFFICER. 7. FILLE: LITAMLL/-9+—BECL_BY:—214 7034 CIF REASON? “TT S{C)_DECE > 68. x1; DRY HUM 4-82) eed END OF MESSAGE SECRET SECRET