(4) On August 17, 1978, the.Committee deposed John A. McCone, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency . at ood, ‘from October, 1961 until April 30th, 1965. (Gewmeiienac testimony, 8/17/78, p-4) (92) During the course of the deposition, the following questions and answers were recorded: XZNXAXXHEX#AxEBK : Do you know or did you know Maurice Bishop? A: Yes. | i Q: Was he an agency employee? As I believe so. Q: Do you know what his duties were in 1963? A: No. | .Q: For instance, do you know whether Maurice Bishop worked in the Western Hemisphere Division or whether he worked in some other division of the CIA? A: I do not know. I do not. recall. I knew at that time | . - but I do not recall. Q: Do you know whether Maurice Bishop used any pseudonyms? a é . > 3 A: No, I do not know that. (Ibid, pp. 45,46) ma HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 106
HW 53060 VeclAna- at VIEW (193 In “Treat of the information developed in the interviews with H. and former Director McCone, the Com- mittee asked the CIA to renew its file search for any AX files or index references pertaining to Bishop. It also asked for a written statement from the CIA indicat- ing whether an individual using either the true name or pseudonym of Maurice Bishop has ever been associated ; ; ary BOB AAT in any capacity with the CIA. (! Gej A reply was received on September 8, 1978, from the CIA's Office of Legislative Counsel indicating that all true name files, alias files and pseudonym files were again checked and, again, proved negative. "No person with such a ee 8 a connection with CIA," sidd the reply. arene the Agency: "Quite frankly, it is our belief -- from our earlier check, reinforced by this one -- that such a man did not exist, so far as CIA , ; 227 connections are concerned. wete-yey 222/ Sec thfack Lf. (/ 95) aaditional efforts to locate Maurice Bishop | were made by the Committee in file requests to the Federal 2a Bureau of Investigation and to the Department of : ero | 233-2 Defense. Both proved negative. 230 (646) Although file reviews of Maurice Bishop proved negative, the Committee learned that Army intelligence had an operational interest in Antonio Veciana during one period. Veciana was registered in the Army Informa- tion Source Registry from November, 1962 until July, ir S/ 1966. = Docld: 32273595 Page 107 |
HW 53060 Footnote: page 29. *On October 19, 1978, the Committee's Chief Counsel received a letter from the Principal Coordinator in the CIA's Office of Legislative Counsel. The letter said, in part: "This is to advise you that I have interviewed Mr. McCone and a retired employee concerning their recolletions about an alleged CIA employee reportedly using the name of Maurice Bishop.... "We assembled photographs of the persons with the surname of Bishop who had employment relationships of some type with CIA during the 1960s, to see if either Mr. McCone or the employee would recognize one of them. "Mr. McCone did not feel it necessary to review those .photographs, stating that I should inform you that he had been in error.... "The employee continues to recall a person of whom he knew: who was known as Maurice Bishop. He cannot state the organizational connection or responsibilities of. the individual, not knowing him personally, and feels that the person in question was pointed out to him by someone, | perhaps a secretary. He unable, however, to recognize any of the photographs mentioned above.... "In summary, Mr. McCone withdraws his statements on this point. The employee continues to recall such a name, but the nature of his recollection is not very clear or precise. We still believe that there is no evidence of the existence of such a person so far as there being a CIA connection...." (JFK Document No. 012722.) Docld: 32273595 Page 106
Veciana - 30 (19 The nature of the Army's contact with Veciana appeared to be limited to attempting to use him as a source of intelligence information about Alpha 66 activities, with Veciana,- in turn, seeking to obtain 232 weapons and funds. Veciana acknowledged and detailed to the Committee these contacts with Army Intelligencce and said that, aside from keeping Bishop informed of them, they had no relationship with his activities with Bishop.?7" 3233 (199) civen the Army's acknowledgement of an interest in Veciana and Alpha 66, the Committee made the assumption that the CIA Ry Senthlaaiet ECS Tenet Uiliaiw 2lso have had an interest in Veciana and his Alpha 66 activities as part of its pervasive role in anti-Castro operations during the 1960s. (260) 1» a review of its own files on March 15, 1978, the CIA noted that Veciana had contacted the Agency three times -~ in December, 1960; July, 1962; and April, 1966 -- for assistance in pilots against According to the CIA: "Officers listened to. Veciana, expressed no interest, offered no encouragement and never recontacted him on this matter. ‘There has been no Agency relationship with Veciana. " aas _ : ° *. HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 109
mm , (ol) The committee’ s own review of the agency! s files basically confirnied the stated conclusions. about / “F the meetings with Veciana in 1960 and 1966. SAL SY Scene ees an ceo! Oe venbel, wv) oct oKeweR- “a be ime and rb Mf A ee Seth, worm nh - ry 79 ra) ons a CLA Nah aS egometctere Talationshep | — gas 250 f)Vhoogh Ma Hlas. Ce ner 7 exp hui tea shake whet. c | hye CUA, \ - Hos. ymow seaonzuateS wf 2 _ wy Culp BT fel Cen prough (Haws | ot te a Ons ed gs exh ws mice in or ow Ave yee as Tete Qeonf? WKEWER | ceva payments ‘ re eas Na \ OE Linu, it Appenes an va we 7 ; . muco <7 wat poses \ by Ts w | we _- pa hip ones as fy M9 Rann Re Yow | ae geaenehe ete we . - 0a) In a final effort to locate or identi fy Maurice Ss: oe Bishop, the Committee issued a press release on July 30, 1978 and made available the composite sketch of Bishop to the press. The Committee warned that it should not be assumed that the release indicated the Committee be- lieves the person in the sketch was involved in the Kennedy assassination, only that information resulting - from possible citizen recognition of the sketch might "shed additional light on the assassination." The Com- mittee asked that anyone who had information contact ate Bem 237 the Committee by mail, not by telephone. ‘ 23h 2o0Y By November 1, 1978, the Committee received == from the general public a total of four written ‘responses. ~ = None of the responses was, upon analysis, deemed a valid lead to the identity of Maurice Bishop. HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 110
Conclusions: eo) Ne eles Coutd be reached fix- conclusionfas to the credibility of Antonio Veciana's allegations re- garding his relationship with a.Maurice Bishop or Bishop's alleged relationship with Lee Harvey Oswald. Da ditresyt NO Betoaclkar could. he deawn as dey the a Shaimietcenien: chown fire conclusions Ageia ar... identity or affiliations of Maurice Bishop, if such an mete no evidence wAS Sound , | fin tae User $ to discredit Veciana's testimony,  ‘TiimmGlitie. some individual existed. evidence to support it, although none of it was con- clusive. the Aubry Tabla cfoce tn ent hay Atconed whe sub cient A pices ta AA th, 0.5. ae a Cerctmeeertty bt 4 Keen vin Pees 7) ane Aras 2 yl crak, LFEk 0 ‘s, Ate! ur oe) wAE ww Mag i) ALOL yy €. haa. Avdwern | aff ae led’ Br Hoe pais eg “pewrkan ot WS _, AR Jim Paese Soe c€s. in sourt la OM Ant CAST a0 90“ * ens, Bee - SA hie Shas @ AYES» 7 re a OF Pity aron Bishoe fre auaeieocn hon ae Yeeran a's Cas Met OAS Sho wt MENS or oe ard Ab ws, re sl ‘yimad eT ne eine cfennnt, oe" * I Fe “ aS A ° y peéi: eu en ASEY Bt a L . eel wo) Haha e U. nw F fw phe es ed a Coed Ee ase HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 111
Classification: DRAFT 11/20/78 a Betsy Palmer (This form is to be used for meterial extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) . Tw CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL A Concise History de (205) The forerunner of the Cuban Revolutionary Council (CRC) was t ee the Frente Revolucionario Democratico. (FRD), formed in May, 1960,! s bd ts r, rf ares watmes” At. the head of it were the leaders of five major anti- Castro groups. The proclaimed purpose of the FRD was to establish Ae 3 democratic government in Cuba through the use of military force. f (zogthe FRD Gitiallp set up headquarters”in Mexi So, but recruited most of its proposed invasion force from Miami. The military arm i of the FRD was known as Brigade 2506’ “the Brigade kventually|was/ a composed of 1,443 men who were trained by U.S. Army specialists at two sites on the south coast of Guatemala. (207)the leaders and their organizations which composed the FRD Executive Committee were: Aureliano Sanchez Arango of the Triple A nee group; Justo Carrillo of Montecristi; Antonio de Varona of Rescate; Manuel Artime of the Revolutionary Recovery Movement (MRR); } and Dr. Jose Ignacio Rasco of the Christian. Democratic Movement Ie (MDC). Antonio de Varona served as General Coordinator and the membership was soon expanded to include Dr. Antonio Maceo, a noted Cuban surgeon; former Cuban President Carlos Hevia; and conservative leader Rafael sardinas PS Classification: a Classified by derivation: HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 112
Classification: DRAPT - CRC ssification: Page 2 (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) . (208) zn March 1961, The State Department prturessurez7onr . a FRD leaders to accept the Movimento Revolucionario del Pueblo g | : (MRP), headed by Manuel Ray Rivero, into the FRD.™ The in- ‘ clusion of Ray's group into the alliance of Cuban exiles was reportedly also “terribly important to the White House” which . 70 wanted to broaden the political base of the rrp. # In an effort to attract Ray and his group into the FRD, Antonio de Varona jvoluntarily resigned jand Dr. Jose Miro Cardona was //- elected its new president.” Dr. Miro was a former Havana jurist who broke with Castro after serving him as his first + oe prime minister.” / 204) Shortly before the April 17, 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, the Cuban Revolutionary Council (CRC) was formed to coordinate | ‘VS. Groveru mewk H3 and direct FRD activities with 2st The new organization had direct access to President Kennedy oe yg /Y and top White House aides.” All the groups within the CRC. ; / maintained their separate identities,” the leaders, expressing“their unity, especially during the period prior _ { to the planned invasion. The regrouping included the following } OO Cuban exile leaders: Chairman, Dr. Jose Miro Cardona; Board | ' of Directors - Antonio de Varona; Justo Carillo, Carlos Hevia; 7, | Antonio Maceo, Manuel Ray; and Manuel Artime. CRC committees a Classification: Faro ian’ Classified by derivation: Ly ey yr ===y ay Rann aoe wy ore HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 113
Classification: DRAFT - CRC Page 3 Ne ene nes (This form is to be used for matericl extracted: from ClA—controlled documents.) Nac + were organized in key cities in the United States and dele- 7 - gations appointed in Latin American countries. 2// j Ql) The failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion resulted in Castro capturing and imprisioning over 1000 of the Brigade's 18 members. ap! _ The dejected leaders of the CRC, who had been parrot sequestered for security reasons at the start of the invasion, 2/7 were later taken to the White House for a personal visit with - Nk President Kennedy who expressed his regret and took responsi- bility for the invasion failure M20 © edbeaddl fu) Shortly after the unsuccessful: invasion, Manuel Ray withdrew his organization, the MRP, from the Council, and a aw by October 1961, the CRC had completely absorbed the erp Nt etnies Dr. Miro remained at the helm of the Council, which had been : qs enlarged to include the Revolutionary Action and a faction | } az Lae ae - j or the 30th of November Movement? ‘While some unification had been achieved through the FRD and CRC, the Cuban exile : groups were plagued by factionalism, personal rivalries for _ leadership roles and conflicting orograns ! overtheless, 7 ; the CRC was still considered ee nctpal unifying organization of the Cuban exile community 4 although no anti-Castro leader emerged who could command broad support of the community. (an) After the October, 1962 missile crisis, the policy of. the United States toward the Castro regime changed drastically. a ae a) Blears Classification: ; Classified by derivation: aia OTE . eines 5 ae a Pica ns: al Te Fs al Eo HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 114
ty, i brennan oe oe Newer teens coe Sey aceatenes HW 53060 Classi Fj cation: DRAFT- CRC Page 4 (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA——controlled documents.) In his book, The Losers, Paul Bethel, former Press Attache at the Havana Embassy, noted: “There is no doubt that President Kennedy and his brother, the Attorney General, consciously set about the business of stopping all efforts to unhorse Pidel Castro -- from outside exile attacks, and from Cuba's 207 internal resistance movement.” When two Cuban exile groups made raids against Russian installations in Cuba and a Russian freighter in the Cuban port of Caribarien, the Attorney General Cispatched 600 Federal agents to Miami. in an effort. to pre- Wye : vent further actions against the Castro regime. A directive was issued which prohibited key anti-Castro teats in Miami Wr from leaving ‘the area without Federal approval. ) ve caived Crane’ > the effectiveness of the CRC as a unifying organization deteriorated. In April, 1963, Jose Miro Cardona resigned his position as president in a clash 363 / with the Kennedy Administration over Cuban policy. Miro cAyimed that Kennedy had promised another invasion would be launched and had instead chosen a course of peaceful coexistence Za wtih the Castro regime. The CRC was revamped and Dr. Antonio OTE , gs . eT Classification: | Classified by derivation: Docld: 32273595 Page 115
CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL (CRC) 3 ew Orlsar Cha par iol6) Nine days after the assassination of President johns Kedalaebge, the United States Secret Service began an investigation into the activities of Lee Harvey Oswald during his residency in New Orleans. | (ai Oswald had been arrested there in. August, 1963, while distributing Fair Play for Cuba literature. Some of his leaflets had the address 544 Camp Street stamped on them. ~The Secret deternine Service endeavored to me if Oswald maintained an office at this address. | (aid } During the course of its investigation, the Secret Service ascertoined at the New Orleans chapter of the Cuban Revolutionary Council (CRC) had occupied an office at 544 Camp Street for about six months during 1961-62. At that time, Sergio Arcacha Smith was the official CRC delegate for the New Orleans area. The Secret Service also learned that Arcacha had been fired from his position by the Miami CRC headquarters in early 1962, New Orleans allegedly because he did not have the confidence of théeCuban Luni s | Rabel Smith Giiteraees replaced red exile COMMUN ty. S_iE nai mmm moved the CRC offices to his home. i act ; (Ary At the time of the Secret Service investigation, another Cuban exile, Frank Bartes, headed the New Orleans CRC delegation and maintained offices in his home in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans. HW 53060 Docld:32273595 Page 116
HW 53060 Draft - New Orleans CRC Page 2 (ao) After an extensive investigation by the FBI and the Secret Service regarding the possibility that Oswald rented office space at 544 Camp Street, the Warren Report concluded there was no evidence that Oswald ever maintained an office Sh ake aha, Sonat ° aSenames at stPcame strect.7 a, tele Ise echatumahiey 7 Onssctd) bo (27) jm at hy Cc mmittes dis td dhe 544] can 3 mwa i ifed €lsewWhere Pertains 40 ' the Committees attemptfe to ascertain if any activities of the CRC had any relationship to Oswald's activities in New Orleans. Pr Sate AtThe first New Orleans delegate to the CRC, Sergio Arcacha Smiths Arcacha told the Committee that he arrived in Miami in August 1960 and, at the request of Antonio Verona, a director of the CRC, agreed to establish a chapter of this group in New Orleans.  Sitwdesmerkip - prety, Arcacha was “afforded free office space in the Balter Building and later rented space at 544 Camp Street, ( 523 During his tenure as head of the New Orleans delegation, Arcacha endeavored to raise funds by selling CRC bonds, and was instrumental in organizing several rallies to promote the cause _of the Cuban exiles, - gx) Arcacha. said he had never seen Oswald in New Orleans and, from what he had read, Oswald was not even in that city at the same time Arcacha lived there.” When he was relieved of his official position with the CRC in early 1962, Arcacha left New orleans.?° Docld: 32273595 Page 117
HW 53060 DRAFT - New Orleans CRC Page 3 275) arcacha's replacement, Luis Rabel, assumed the delegate duties in January, 1962, but, he told the Committee, found it necessary to resign by October of that year because his job . . . il . . ‘entailed extensive traveling. During his short tenture, Rabel ‘said he organized several rallies and brought in prominent Miami speakers to enthuse the New Orleans Cuban exile community 2? Other than going to the Camp Street address to remove office ‘materials left there by Arcacha, Rabel said he had no connection with the building and never saw Oswald in New Orleans. ?? f - . . (22) Frank Bartes, former President of Consolidated Railroads in Cuba, 74 became the third designated delegate of the New Orleans CRC chapter. He reported the activities of the group regularly to the rari? and was primarily concerned with solicitation of monthly pledges from Cubans for the purchase of arms for their countrymen actively engaged in the fight against Castro. ° He reported that he had purchased an M-2 rifle with collections and displayed it at an October, 1963 meeting for | 17 fy betoaar of "psychological reasons". Bartes said, @"the rate of collections at that time, the group was able to send only enough 1 money to the Miami CRC headquarters to purchase one gun per month. 8 (227 On November 15, 1963, a CRC meeting was held at Gallier Hall. Tony Varona was invited to come to New Orleans to speak to the yA Cuban exiles and bolster their morale. Varona stayed at the 20 vee us home of Agustin Guitart, uncle of Silvia Odio. G24) Bartes told the Committee he headed the New Orleans dele- 75.7 gation until the CRC was dissolved in 1964. During his tenure, Ra he said, he maintained the CRC office in his home. He could not recall ever having visited the 544 Camp Street office pa >3 Maintained by Arcacha in 1961-62 Docld: 322373595 Page 118
DRAFT - New Orleans CRC Page 4 (24) never Carlos Bringuier and Oswald had been arrested in a street. scuffle, (see detailed discussion in another if va section of the Report) Bartes appeared in Court with Bringuier: Although not a CRC member, Bringuier was respected by Bartes te! and it was tR a show of support that Bartes appeared at Bringuier's hearing. a ™ (299) aster the hearing, the news media surrounded Oswald for a statement, Bartes said. At this point, Bartes got into an argument with the media and Oswald because the Cubans were not : SS, Vig being given an opportunity to present their views. He also spoke to an FBI agent that day, warning that Oswald was a oo BHI | potentially dangerous man. Bartes declined to identify the agent to the Committee, saying only that he had hada, 2 frequent contact with him during this period of time. Bartes said he had no other contact with Oswald. *S 3A (23) The Committee concludes gags that the New Orleans chapter of the CRC had no relationship with Oswald other than the brief encounter with Bartes, and in ‘no way was @m GBs officially involved in any activities which touched upon those of Oswald. HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 119
Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted from C!A—controlled decuments.) “We. BRIGADE 2506 - MANUEL ARTINE - MOVIMIENTO de RECUPERACION REVOLUCIONARIA (MRR) a We TT On Neine (22) No ‘ther anti-Castro Cuban group more naturally attr acted the initial attention of the Committee. than Brigade 2506, the organization specifically |formed/for the Bay of Pigs invasion and the one which experienced the most dramatic relationship with the Kennedy administration in terms of its hopes and failures. 933) Following their release from Castro's prisons in December -conflicts in their attitude towards the Government. An observer who watched them arrive in Miami noted: "There were earnest, they were sent ashore and abandoned, still torn between trust and cynicism, still in awe at the power of an American govern- | Ment that could, at will it seemed, pluck them out of the darkest dungeons in Havana and on the Isle of Pines and deposit L them back in Florida with their families by Christmas Eve." (934) i the perspective of an investigation of the Kennedy assassination, the members of Brigade 2506 had to be considered of primary interest if only in terms of motivations and means. a Ciassification: e q Classified by derivation: HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 120 of 1962, the members of the Brigade harbored deep-seated emotionai bewildered, still in a state of shock at their sudden liberation, still nursing a bitter sense of betrayal at the manner in which... _
Classivication: (This form is to be used for material extracted Brigage 2506 from CiA—controlled documents.) etc. Page 2 As one member, who later became involved in anti-Castro 5 . terrorist activity, explained: "We learned from them. We use the tactics that we learned from the CIA because we were trained to do everything. We were trained to set off a bomb, 2 | | n Neen e we were trained to kill .... eng (238) The formation of what was to become Brigade 2506 can he . j traced to March, 1960 when President Dwight. Eisenhower authorized - the CIA to organize, train and equip Cuban refugees for the 2 he eens ‘ 3 ; purpose of eventually overthrowing Castro. To head the group, wer wr . a [the CIA chose\a young physician who had organized the Movimiento de Recuperacion Revolucionaria (MRR), the first anti-Castro “ action group inside Cuba? His name was Manuel,Artime/jand, whe _/ uu with the aid of the CIA, he|had|been spirited out of/ Cuba the. es a previous December. \ Castro had appointed him a member of the National Agrarian Reform Institute but when, in October of ' 1959, he heard Castro outline a plan to communize Cuba, Artime BSL publicly resigned his position and denounced Castro. er | () The group which eventually grew into Brigade 2506 originally consisted of only 28 men #7” The nucleus was 10 former Cuban . military officers whom Artime had recruitea.” He told them that he himself was told by a group of Americans who claimed to have no association with the United States Government that Classification: fi | be. ree i i a A ea ae ae a aS an Classified by derivation: HW 53060 Docld:32273595 Page 121
van | Ciassification: Brigade 2506, etc Page 3. (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) they would receive a huge amount of arms, equipment “and sunas #7 ‘“ The Americans tried to give Artime and his men the impression that an anonymous Cuban millionaire was paying the bills, but the Cubans eventually began referring to their benefactor as "Uncle Sam. "Ble | | (231) a secret camps in Florida, in Panama and eventually in Guatemala, the CIA trained the core of future Brigade leaders in guerilla warfare. ri By September of 1960, this initial cadre Nani Nata was part of a group of 160 men undergoing vigorous military. conditioning in the treacherousty dense mountain Jungies of the Sierra Madre in Guatemala. Ma That month, one of the men, / “Carlos (Carlyle) Rodriguez Santana, was killed in training. #. ent eee! e In his honor, the members of the unit decided they would name wit the Brigade after his serial designation, 2506. (23% Although Manuel Artime, through. his MRR organization transplanted in Miami, was the principal recruiting apparatus for Brigade personnel, chosen as military leader .of the Brigade _ was Jose ("Pepe") Perez San Roman, a graduate of Cuba's military academy who had also undergone United States army officer -. A training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He had been freed by Castro from a Batista prison, then later re-imprisoned by gale Castro before escaping from Cuba. 339) Nevertheless, it was Artime who remained the key figure in the U.S. Government's relationship with the activist exiles Classification: Classified by derivation: ed —_o a Ped yw | ay eae Fania sn vy HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 122
| Classification: ‘Brigade 2506, etc. Page 4. (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—conirolled documents.) _ Chbirtar ene 8 , and the Brigade. When, as the Cuban exile population in Miami — grew and the political squabbling among anti-Castro .factions spread to Guatemala and sparked a camp mutiny that almost stopped the training, it was Artime the CIA called upon to 7 17 . | help resolve the problem. “ Artime had been gade a director of a the Frente Revolucionario Democratico (FRD) , 7 ame political Oo OCT IAIBMBM Anvaviu Severe fo mee — | and propaganda & Seeskanti-Castro groups <oenmpdggmisaio - 1960.47 The Brigade was to be its military _ political fighting among the groups eventually. ssaloaon sud cveslen of mM—a-broader- _ based organization, the Cuban Revolutionary Council (crc), . . ” before the Bay of Pigs invasion. Artime was made a director : . of that, also. @°- 2? (a4) The Bay of Pigs invasion took place in April, 1961.4 — ae More than 1200 Brigade members were taken prisoner by Castro. 4 — Before they were released in December, 1982, in an exchange for $53 million in medical supplies,” the members of the ~ | —- . Brigade suffered not only the ignomy of defeat and the humilia- tion of capture by Castro, they also were subject to the agony ~ of false hope when, within a few months of their imprisonment, ; they saw Castro's offer to exchange them for 500 tractors ‘ become inextricably bogged in the muck of partisan United States ~ politics. As one historian noted: "The prisoners suffered more - yh from domestic politics than they did at the hands of Castro ..... Ly Classification: | Classified by derivation: BW 53080) Docld:32275595 Page 123
| Classification: Brigade 2506, etc. Page 5. (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) Had the political climate in the United States been less Ste inflammatory, it is not at all unlikely that Brigade 2506 could have been released in June of 1961 for $28 million in > tractors, cash and credits. Instead of freedom through. tractors, however, the men were doomed ‘to the. degradation ofa ag . ; { year anda halt longer in prison." a + 4 pu) : The final formation of Brigade 2506 took place at the | : Orange Bowl stadium in Miami on December 29, 1962. President Kennedy was there to welcome back the surviving members who 4 had spent almost 20 ‘months in Castro's orisons.%° the crowd of 40,000 friends, families and relatives cheered in tearful joy as Brigade chief Pepe San Roman presented Kennedy with the Brigade flag which had flown over the Bay of Pigs beach for 4 three days. The President accepted the flag and declared: a j "I can assure you that this flag will be returned to this , Brigade in a free Havanai" Mrs. Kennedy spoke in Spanish . gy | and called the Brigade members "the bravest men in the world." It was.a dramatic and emotional scene but it may have been a misleading. ppg Although the event/publicly reflecte a concordant rapport between the President and the Brigade, N Nee cele beneath the surface there ran a vein of bitter resentment eee among those who felt the event was a dis Lay of political hypocracy. E. Howard Hunt, once | ASSIGnel <= Auction Classification: I Classified by derivation: HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 1274
. Neeser ” Nese tater Mewes pees HW 53060 Classification: rigade 2506, etc. Page 6 (This form is to be used for material extrected from ClA—conirolled documents.) . with the Brigade, (lated claineg that the Brigade feeling against Kennedy was so great that the presentation of the flag nearly did not take place. 77° (2) Nevertheless, it is difficult to finalize an assessment. of the Brigade’ s collective attitude toward the U. S. Government and the Kennedy administration following the Orange Bowl event. Kennedy's resolution to the Cuban missle crisis, in which he promised Castro that raids against Cuba from the U. S. mainland would be halted, was considered an act of betrayal to their cause by many of the exiles in the anti-Castro communities. Yet most of the members of the Brigade seemed to maintain a basic ‘confidence in the U.s. Government's resolve to topple the Castro regime, and, in fact, nearly half of them enlisted in the U.S. armed forces through a special arrangement made by President Kennedy himself. bry) Although Brigade 2506 officially ceased to exist after ~3/ | | | — ee eee ere yy -. ~. - ae December, 1962, Manuel artine, |who had become known as the CIA's "golden boy,} was soon scouting around Latin America for sites on which to establish guerilla training camps. By October, 1963, he had established four bases, two in Costa Rica and two in Nicaragua. _Artime's 300-man force consisted mainly of veterans of the Brigade. © Classification: i Classified by derivation: OL ory ory ———y Pa aeons a al aa aw” al Docld: 32273595 Page 125
Classification: . rigade 2506, etc. Pace 7 (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—ceontrolled documents.) Artime would later admit. that his © - resources included two large ships, eight small vessels, two speed boats, three planes, and more than 200 tons of weapons and armaments and about $250,000 in electronic equipment. 229 During the year of his operation, Artime was able to conduct ‘ four major operations, three of which failed: One was the Bo mistaken shelling of a Spanish cargo ship (which caused an | international uproar); another an infiltration mission in which all the participants were captured; the third an unsuccessful | assassination att tempt on Castro. < mission did succeed. i. - BE mained the question of whether President Kennedy was knowledge- able of or approved Artime's anti-Castro operations after the or erod Cuban missile crisis. Following the assassination of both cS John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, Artime/ publicly said that both the President and his brother were responsible for -——~s Gy ~o his establishing the Latin American bases. nae said that after his return from prison in Cuba, he met President Kennedy | in West Palm Beach, Florida, and that Kennedy referred him to his brother. Artime said he met Robert Kennedy in Washington and that the then-Attorney General promised him military aid = LE he, Artime, could get the pases. a Classification: | Classified by derivation: SF EPO d HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 176
Nepaw enn ee metry HW 53060 (245) atime claimed that his anti-Castro operations from the Classifieciion: Brigade 2506, etc. Page 8 (This form is to be used for meterial extracted from ClA—<controlled documents.) bases ceased "when Bobby Kennedy separated from the Johnson ‘tr Opbrgess Movstlale re administration." Hewevew, in December of 1964, the Costa Rican police ordered the camps shut down when it uncovered a $50,000 contraband whiskey operation involving a plane from Artime’s group. The camps in Nicaragua were also closed, al- though Artime kept close personal ties to that country by becoming a beef broker for Nicaraguan President General Anastasio 43 see Somoza, the country's largest beef producer.™ (ave) When Artime was first contacted by the Committee he stated . that he had had direct contact with both President Kennedy and ~~ Robert Kennedy-and, through them, was given full support by the CIA for his anti-Castro operations. He said he felt the death of President Kennedy marked the end of. the U. S. Govern- agreed to be interviewed— e that was possible, he og Teel LN eee TY a bs A died of cancer at the age of 45 after a very brief illness> ° “----* in depth by the Committee ~ Classification: Classified by derivation: Docld:32273595 Page 127
re vo (247) After Castro's assumption of power in 1959, it became —- _——_— ed —— . . = ———— eee nen ee — ee prart - upc Classification: 11/14/78 : Betsy Palmerithis form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—contrelled documents.) “VIL Movimtznro pEMOcRATA CRISTIANO (uDC) evident to many Cubans that political parties were being surpressed and the 26th of Saly Movement was being infil- trated by Communists. This political atmosphere gave rise to the creation of underground organizations such as the Christian Democratic Movement of Cuba (mpc) .+ Proclaiming the doctrine of Christianity as its foundation, the MDC published a manifesto in March, 19607 denouncing Communism and strongly advocating the free enterprise system.? One of the founders of the MDC, 35-year-old law professor, Dr. Jose Ignacio Rasco, was elected head of the organization and immediately criticized the violence prevalant in the Castro regime.” This public criticism produced pressure on. him to leave Cuba and he arrived in Miami on April 22, 1960. By June, Rasco had allied himself and the MDC with the Frente Revolucionario Democratico (PRD) ’ and thus became one of the five original exile Cuban leaders brought together by the . . 8 government-in-exile. (242) After the Rasco remained head of the largest faction and organized . delegations in Miami, New York, Chicago, Venezuela and Cuba. Classification: toe .- sd Classified by derivation: TT “yw ow PROTA ~ Pe aaa RE 8 8 Er <7 HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 128 Pap to form the nucleus of a Cuban. wndeew iw. pwede ' abe ees Sen ae oe een Nenrnrne are mee, S daatinal wert een s é ry Bay of Pigs invasion, the MDC split into factions. mR “? ~ 3 ?
HW 53060 woe DRAFT- = Classi? Page 2 wad ection: (This form is to bé used for material extracted The clandestine Gacrssntlreieaenay Jin Cuba was lead ey, Bonen a Cuban regoine, Cuhay ‘BernendeseBague who used the alias "Lucas" Jt When ‘wexnamdec arrived in the U.S. in October, 1961, he presented his a credentials to the Cuban Revolutionary Council, (CRC), claiming he was the representative of the MDC movement in Cuba. 2? Council president, Dr. Miro Cardona, accepted him into the RC hierarchy.?? The “Lucas” faction remained with he Cuban) the Council but its role was ineffectual because Rermark eventually failed to hold the group together.14 (244) The "Rasco” faction of MDC had as its Military Chief an independently wealthy young Cuban, Laureano Batista Falla.?> Free-spirited and under no financial pressures, Batista Falla organized and partially financed the infiltration attempts . of the MDC. It was one ofthe most active and effective 17 underground groups in Cuba during the early 1960's. G52) At that time, most underground groups worked together, 13 ge poeta sharing supplies and information. , the repressive ‘ measures of the Castro regime after the April 1961 invasion caused members of the Cuban underground to live in fear of Classification: a or cas fe FG - . : Classified by derivation: Docld:32273595 Page 129 ~
| DRAFT-.." 0 LZ 14/78 Page 3 Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted — . from ClA—<ontrolled documents.) (F discovery and made inter~group liaison extremely risky. rt, Despite the inherent dangers, ‘the underground movements Or the. MDC and Movimento Revolucionario del Pueblo (MRP) worked jointly for an all-out sabotage effort in the fall ; < 2 20 a an of 1961. (5) The "Batista" faction of the MDC (so named after the youthful military chief rose to the position of president a in 1962) entered into similar cooperative alliances with other exile groups for the purposes of propaganda, sabotage 7 and supplying the Cuban’ underground. - Many MDC members joined | the Cuba Committee in 1962 which was formed to counteract the propaganda of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, a pro- | Castro organization in the U. Ss. The MDC and the Directorio “ Revolucionario Estudiantil (DRE) worked together to formulate plans for an underground organization to infiltrate Oriente ae 2S Province. The active operations between the MDC and other anti-Castro groups peaked in the year 1963. One involved the MDC, the Movimento Insurrecconial de Recupueracion © Nee tees Revolutionaria (MIRR) and. the: ‘Movimento Recuperacion - Revolutionaria (MRR). In april, Frank Sturgis, Miami- -based. soldier of fortune, supplied information that Batista Falla, Orlando Bosch Avila, Manuel Artime and Alexander Rorke were pril 25 ae ¥ _ jointly planning an air strike over Havana on A According to Sturgis, the strike was to originate from an ar airstrip in Crgese: »Rico and the target was a sugar refinery. Massirvicanon: 26 ; c=. 2 The bombs were homemade, assemblec by Batista. Rorke bat ss , Classified by derivation: ae ARP SF A OES” rr an + ¢q HW 53060 Docld:32273595 Page 130
ied HW 53060 Sen ameeecihny? iin ze yo Fd ye ee > ver, a i ae nein onal Pe Mane DRAFT-}. se Page 4 Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted bulked yeanndemesRctbetrotapdabmade) ac taken place as scheduled, B?/ houmerd Rarolida Gor which took the other planners by surprise. Sturgis claimed the strike was still in the planning stage and financial ~ oe , a2 oo, backing had not been completed. This incident created a stir and resulted in an intensive FBI investigation of Rorke’s allegation. | Since Radio Havana, contrary to usual policy, fo) made no immediate protest over the bombing, the PBI concluded go / that Rorke’s story was probably untrue and, according to ° sor . Sturgis, merely a publicity stunt. . _ (52 In early June, 1963, the MDC. , made a unity pact with Commandos L in which the latter group was to provide training and assistance in military intelligence and the MDC to provide - 3S three small boats and a team of men to infiltrate Cuba. The MDC also made a pact with Dr: Carlos Prio Socarras, former President of Cuba who donated $50,000 to the group for milita: ta . SS aid in return for its promise of political support. a ; . so _. 3253) Richard Rudolph Davis, a Cuban alien, hada preiphe ral association with the MDC through his contact with Batista Falla. in the summer of 1963. This association was noted in Book V, ~Final.Report of the Senate Select Committee to Study Govern— ‘= 6 SL 7 mental Operations. es) Davis was residing in New Orleans and, although not an MDC member, claimed to have once been a "coordinator" for the ~. 37 Sorts group and the New York Police Department. He was a friend Classification: ~) i Classified by derivetion: Docld:32273595 Page 1351 — /-
eT ae Sa alow a anc . ai EV whemttobs Ween piel i ste HW 53060 DRAFT-n. . c"} 2c ° . Dage 5 Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted of Batista Beer Ra PRD RG em Pecause, he said, Batista Falla and Falla was in a position to recommend men in the Miami area 3 OO x who needed work. Davis claimed he could provide employment ~ for a small group of Cuban emigres. He said he had entered into a business deal with geologist David L. Raggio and a wealthy, right-wing New Orleanian, Gus de LaBarre, forming the Guatemalan Lumber and Mineral Corporation. It was their intention to train the Cubans on some land in Lacombe, ‘Louisiane to which De LaBarre had access through his nephew, Frank oo ‘Oo de LaBarre. After a necessary ,training period, the group was to be sent to Guatemala to cut mahogany trees, he. claimed. (255) A group of about 18 Cubans did arrive in New Orleans in the summer of 1963. Leading them was a well-known Cuban “s 4/ : | exile, Victor Paneque who used the military code name of bor -—-) : . "Commadante Diego”. Paneque was closely associated with , , +s Batista Falla in the military activities of the MDC. Davis— later\admitted/ to the FBI that the men had arrived dressed ae + in khakis and thought that they were to receive military — ae B+ training. (25%) In the latter part of July, 1963, the FBI conducted a = raid on property near that of the “lumber company” training camp. The Bureau seized a cache of dynamite and other ex- His ac plosives. This raid,: according to Davis, unnerved his se, trainees, and they elected to return to Miami. Classification: Classified by derivation: Docld: 32273595 Page 132 —
as ae te wots a ee ae ——— oe oe woe ee ae DRAFT~ 72. page 6 Classific ation: (This form is to be used for material extracted (as?) A somewhek Gitiemesiitd deagken.jof this episode comes. Bi Heramar , VONVacoers from Gus de LaBarre’s nephew and attorney, Frank de LaBarre, who first related his story in 1966 to his former law school classmate, Jim Garrison. : oo NY . . Ose De LaBarre said his "Uncle Gus" had introduced him to . Davis, whom De LaBarre described as a "floater." They came io see De ‘LaBarre about drawing up articles of incorporation for the Guatemalan Lumber Company and that is when he says le he learned of their plans to bring unemployed Cubans from . a Miami to train as lumberjacks. Yacle Gus sent provisions to the exiles on a daily basis and solicited money for food and 349 clothing from friends and relatives. (2s menoush he suspected that military training was being conducted at the camp, Frank-de LaBarre said he didn't pay much — attention to the activities of the group. Rearemen he heard on his car radio that the FBI had seized a cache of. ammunition at a house in Lacombe, {he innediately called his uncle. Although receiving assurances that the lumber. group -__. Newton de, "Ngee Sgn 8. enn was not involved, De LaBarre called the officers of the hoe. ..corporation together and insisted that the Cubans be taken . out of there. Davis | Motevtrb told him that the Cubans dia. not want to leave, whereupon De LaBarre said he had to do some real "brainstorming." He rented a Hertz ton-and-a~half  ~ eee eee, Classification: Classified by derivation: HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 133
4 DRAFT". > Classification: Page 7 (This ferm is to be used: for material extrected truck aud inbomGaAéedcchadies ccourbaka it to the camp and teli the Cubans "that the invasion is on." Davis complied, and the Cubans loaded their gear, :jumped in the truck and weré brought to the Greyhound bus terminal in New Orleans. Each was given a one-way ticket to Miami plus a small amount of cash and told they would get their orders. when they reached Miami. Looking as though ready for war, with knapsacks and : . My en ~ guns bulging from under their . clothes, they boarded the bus. °° That was the last,De LaBarre said, he saw of them. So - ‘= (260) The last he heard of Davis, he said, was in 1964 when one of De LaBarre' s friends reported he had gone into business la with Davis and was left with a lot of bills. Qel) Other than providing. the manpower for the training camp, Batista Palla was not involved in this episode or was the MDC as an organization. f 2 ° s . (aca) Concurrent with his involvement with leaders of other ..— exile organizations, Batista Falla was dealing with foreign governments in an effort to gain support for his faction of -. the MDC. After the World Congress of Christian Democrats in officuats of a foRewcn polihcad Strasburg, France, two WésiteGe ehircraksxof=the=¢ shristian party ss S/ maKenwarty conferred with the MDC in Miami. According Wid Co how ; ., to one of the officials, {the West Germans | after months of 7 ETN SELES study, had decided to help finance the MDC, not because they Sy were particularly fond ‘of them, but felt once Cuba was liberated Classification: Led Classified by derivation: HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 134
Classification: DRAFT-: : Page §& ; ; ‘(This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) the Cubans would have a. moral superiority over the rest of . . Sor : : -Latin America. (263) Another offer of help came from Breside tomer zcaragua, who provided the MDC a base for * S3 A VeneZudan offic/al ° operations in that country. rebar Betancourt allegedly also offered to make a base available for the MDC and provide it with personnel and supplies 7° oF 8. Recognizing that these Latin American bases of operation _* were important to the MDC, Batista Falla nonetheless pre- = - ferred to work out of the Miami area. Its proximity to ude Cuba, good facilities for operating boats and the availability of a large number of Cubans to serve as mechanics and do ather k . necessary labor made Miami more desirable: than the Latin ° American facilities. The major drawback in Miami was the presence of U.S. government officials determined to strictly ? . enforce the Neutrality Act and other Federal statut tes. ae (2.64) u.s. Customs raided MDC headquarters in Miami on April 21, 1964 and confiscated a large cache of arms and. -——~. ey 56 - ammunition. Undeterred, the MDC simply relocated the Military section in separate headquarters, continued to store a ne 62°7 materials for infiltration and attack missions against Cuba, 7 re os SP 62 i, and conducted study courses in military training and theory.” In July, Batista Palla and Victor Paneque infiltrated men 5, | Classification: Classified by derivetion: HW 53060 Docld:32273595 Page 135
ea” meal eT Parr eed ea” sana? Peek ren Saar eaceuar | DRAFT-MDC assifieation J Page 9 (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) 4 and equipment into Cuba. to form a nucleus of guerrilla bands. : who, once they got adequate arms and ammunition, planned to | go into the mountains of Cuba. 57 j Qe) The MDC eventually suifered the ‘fate of other anti-Castre organizations -- finding it increasingly difficult to | finance { infiltration and sabotage missions, and experiencing in- creased surveillance by U.S. authorities determined to limit 4 their activities. The organization's activities gradually ; declined, Batista Falla eventually gave up his anti-Castro activities, moved to Washington, ‘D. Cc. and received a doctoral. = GO { degree in political science. &. In the spring of 1970,-he movec to Venezuela. ee eaeadeoseiee = i ery ~in wae @ Q = Class cation: | Classified by derivation: Sd eet a se _—_Eee a ea gn ll Fl HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 136
DRAFT 11/1/78 2 PB “mer: oe tan: Bexsy © BST Classification: = we JUNTA REVOLUCIONARIO CUBANA (JURE. A : (This form is to be used for material extracted from CIA trolled d ts. . (2 266) Ina si aio Glas sopialled document “uly 23, 1962, Manuel Ray Rivero announced . the formation of JURE, an anti-Castro Cuban . exile group designed to. unite all the popular splintered coe oan . - Wa |  .Othex" ‘key leaders’ involved” in ‘the new organizat ion included - Felipe ‘Pazos, Raul. Chiba, Rogelio ‘Cisneros, Ramon Barquin and a Justo _Carrillo.2”” “Although Ray felt. the Cuban Revolutionary” oS Council was no longer effective, he attempted to receive — a “financial assistance Erom it until JURE gained momentum. 3 =o . 7 J mo factions ou tside Cuba “ints an effective working organization.? Or” as ‘its opening promotional saivo; JURE - issued a "Declaration of Principles." ., it called for free elections, the restoration of human ‘rights and social justice, new | os economic development programs and agrarian reform, breaking 7 relations with the’ Soviet bloc, restoration of legitimate “. property, proscri iption| of ‘the, ‘Communist party and release of 7 political Prisoners.4 |” Ne 268) Ray’ S group was considered an "autonomous" anti-Castro .. Cuban group by the cIA.° The concept of autonomous operation: ee cae, was conceived by walter Rostow, State Department counsel. _ Rostow proposed a. track. two" approach to Cuban operations one Nant e. parallel regular CIA-controlled Cuban teams.7. This approach would enable WSS Cinancial aid, advice and . \ Nene ne. ORE ys on re § 27 Classification: . i Classified by derivation: HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 137
JURE Dre Classification: Page 2 . # . (This form is to be used for material extracted ‘guidance to infeepéntrenenteaiad doqsoartrblled Cuban leaders such ~ 8 ya ; oe nein as Ray. Autonomous operations were approved ‘Ege in June, 1963-9 tt el The nuTesxof. Engagement? under which. the operations © “~ : fie ae ‘functioned set ‘forth ‘the following guidelines: ' ee an = ar wey : 1. Operations to be executed exclusi vely by Cuban , _ ; - "nationals dedicated to, the idea that the overthrow me . of the castro/Communist regime : must be accomplished ~ | _ . by Cubans inside and outside Cuba working in concert... | 2. If the effort to. overthrow ‘the Cuban regime! became Fe too costly: in human lives, the U.S. would withdraw ON ceneeteete, ‘financial support ana would not ‘corsider ‘resumption TO . at any future date. Wiebe | Ww e All operations had to be mounted outside the. territory, . of the United States. oo -_ eo ; j 4. if ever charged with complicity, the u. S. government, i. would publicly, deny any participation in the group’; Ss. activities. presence and direct participation would be kept at an absolute minimum. An experienced @& liaison officer would be assigned to each group to ~ provide general advice, funds and material support. Spade andy Ov e No fixed time schedule would be given to these ecerations. Classification: | Classified by derivation: SRF SEF LF BW 53080) Docld:32275595 Page 136
WIT bi de me we - Page 3. Classification: a @7) Possibly Afshar iP4 fatheisehonselserdtastuced control over : oh3a The sauces Sgeuregtlivities of the group were JURE, Qe closely moni ‘toreds ap “As JURE member, j - information about SURE ssa : 3 _ 7 matt Enis source previaad _ inf & | Ray’ s meeting with Robert F. Kennedy in ‘September “1963; “41 Ray's negotiations on “behalf of JURE: 12 . secret JURE, " ; eeeetenvee “meetings; "> allegations that the Governor of Puerto Rico was oe ‘ purposely sidetracking an PBI and INS investigation of ‘itlegai. arms possessed by JURE; 14 JURE animosity toward ‘Manuel artime- --+ and the MRR; *> and the location of JURE training ‘vases.16 See eeu amen (7) Manuel Ray himself was: personally critical of the CIA ; a { - *- and told one. JURE associate that he thought cra gens * were: } more dangerous than the Kennedy Administration." He maintained. that, "The Kennedy Administration would » end but CIA\a [asents| always stayed, and their memory was longer . than the memory of elephants and they never Forgot or forgave.” 17 an Co (a7) During a JURE meeting in Miami in August, 1962, Ray -- os claimed that JURE had arsenals in Venezuela ana the Dominican Republic; a B-26 airplane, territory available for training Be toma #  . + ain Costa Rica; and support through indirect means from the United States. 18 According to an FBI report, JURE was considered onec pe the five major exile groups with clandestine ; QassiTicarion: a . ied dol | Classified by derivation: HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 139
nary : WD eeeey oes 7 J Jo 7 J Soe aoe te he HW 53060 (2 275) Plans were made | ue gure prazt «Classification: Page 4 (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) assets 19nd the CIA was interested in the group because of its potential for infiltration into Cuba.79 ° | : 7 Se (273) Because of its size and Ray's dynamic leadership, JURE -- seemed destined for a role of some importance in the anti- Castro movement. “The group set a target date of October 31, 1962 to raise $100, 000. The money would be used to recruit) new members, begin a propaganda campaign against Castro and purchase arms and supplies.7*_ Within a ‘year, JURE had membership delegations in 12 cities in the United States, a chapter in Puerto Rico, and 12 delegations in foreign countries, mostly Latin American.*> | (atthe August, 1963, JURE planned to sabotage a power plant in Havana 4 and Ray requested that . certain | be cached, = ———t—«éis Oo ‘igh explosives and grenades} inside Cuba: or San Juan. Te was i Fie ch 2k. } “peconnendeah request be granted in order to test Ray's Nose! fo His pear’ a7 capabilities: 2@ Ray acquired a 25-foot boat. for infiltration and exfiltration purposes and expressed a desire to purchase another vessel which would enable him to extend operations ~2S— along the south coast of Cuba. is B(SORs| to deliver military equipment bo wane auc nd 7 he Pe tua |  Classitied by derivation: DoclId: 322735595 Page 140
See ewe vee os HW 53060 ae he owas . = an 1963 being political in nature. . He was, at this time, con- 2p ' JURE. AMD) se aoe documentation has been found ‘to "substantiate the | success _ enough strength to induce several other Cuban | exile organizations Classifications. : JURE Draft . (This form is to be used for material extrocted - Page 5 from ClA—controlled documents.) . a ZSe scheduled for November 23, 1963, was moved up two days. - The | nate cr rns eal oe Se ee . 25g. 3 .. the scheduled pick up. and ‘Ray offered no sati isfactory 23°° explanation for this “failure to perform. ‘Ray claimed the-— 234,34 vessel was low on gas which was a d ubtful explanation as khe Saiacomeneman, a rts cores: sc. * eperation @ _ his activities during the ‘latter part of Tweets tenes : BH, Stew 28137 oes ferring with Rabacs tne Kennedy = about the Cuban situation and traveling extensively in Latin America seeking support for. 38337 eee oso _ 7 2 on Ji Or failure of any of the JURE raids or infiltrations during a this period, but by January, 1964, the organization had gained. een, i 4 ‘to merge with it. The largest of these groups were the a4 | Ejercito Libertador de Cuba (ELC) and Cuba Libre. The BLC's Reem is ee, union:. with JURE brought to the organization former veteran _ _.- rebel army officers in exile and had the potential of giving JURE the best military expertise and support in the entire 24. exile community ‘Classification: Tre ae ae meee _ Classified by derivation: = — Docld: 32273595 Page 141
| : Classification: JURE Draft : Page 6 (This form is to be used for meterial extracted from ClA—cantrolled documents.) Npatiece see » (378) Carlos Zarraga of Cuba Libre became the JURE Chief of support. and was responsible for acquiring most ‘of the JURE- J 4 . arms and the large supply of explosives which were stored in . F j Miami and Puerto Rico. * 7 - 74) Manuel Ray again began formulating plans to infiltrate j Cuba in March 1964. He planned to accompany two teams of commandos into Oriente Province and, once successfully inside Cuba, initiate -contingous bombings of strategic and non- - strategic targets. Ray's s plans, however, were delayed and a new target date of May. was set. (236) Ray’ s seriousness of purpose was open to: question at the. time because he Ret tted persons from the media on his infil- tration attempt.2?” ' Andrew St. Georse, sin) Magazine, planned to accompany Ray, | as did Tom Duncan, then a on assignment with Time-LIFE: LIFE photographer /P8 Rogelio Cisneros received word on May 30, 1964 that the JURE boat to be used by the infiltrators had developed motor trouble. *® Ray' ‘$ group was arrested by the s75| British near Cayo Largo and taken to Nassau. (28) Ray's failure to infiltrate Cuba severely damaged his credibility within the anti-Castro community « Some exiles felt his grand infiltration See was a publicity stunt and Fol) : others considered ita joke. * JURE S52 were confused ; Nee ened and undecided over how to defend Ray. Classification: | Classified by derivation: TT TF HW 53060 Docld:32273595 Page 142 —
x. ; Waa eres HW 53060 “URE Dre Page 07 _ Classification: CiA—<controved documents (280) another Bisse? th tabs od da patel aaa 5's problems. Rogelio Cisneros had obligated $50,000 of JURE money to an EL Monte, California, arms manufacturing company for ‘weapons. to be shipped to igsian 2 ‘The Revenue ‘division « of ‘the, wo Treasury De artnent, | - 289) ne this point, there pagan a general, “@isin egration ‘of real fo SO : On Novuuce , SURE membership: Rogelio Cisneros. Pied August @j,” 4964 that he. was resigning from the organization.. He contended Ray was. ‘incapable of directing both political, and. military activities. wes Then. another, "Key leader, carlos aS a Zarraga, resigned. in | Saptember. . - CH JURE ieee a $75, 000” iH Eee ‘during the period of October ist to December 31st, 1964. The money was ‘eat ke und evwvite 1 uees Feloaton of its the United sea, activities outside ‘officer noted at the time: "If Ray. is .successful in Cuba he . a, will not need our help; if he is not, our help won't do much — Classification: co ery ’ 55 | Classified by derivation: _ SES SE EE EO EE Docld: 32273595 Page 143
7. JURE Dre7* a | | of Page 3” «ts oat ! . Sage e Classification: _ good. He is h@Aarsierand tathedleastieheamsdextmthy be largely from ClA—controlled documents.) mo . spent for the purpose he wants to achieve. Whatever Ray may ever say, he was treated the way he asked to be treated. | We : have. played the game ina manner beyond reproach.” 685) TURE continued ‘in existence ‘until August, ' +1968 eat but was relatively ineffective in ‘its latter years. : e ~ TW ed ee , \ ; ote af . _ H i 1 “= 4 ura.n: Classification: | Classified by derivation: . HW 53080 DoclId: 32273595 Page 144
aan <~ — Classification: *. to ie a” (This form is to be used fer material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) : [Be DIRECTORIO REVOLUCIONARIO EST@DIANTIL (DRE) \ (289) The Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil (DRE)! 4: So . re . a a was the outgrowth of an activist student i group in Cuba which originally fought against Batista.° In the late spring of 1960,> three DRE leaders, _ escaped from Cuba 4 and arrived in Miami.> They ‘immediately offered their services to the Democratic Revolutionary eaten Front (PRD) with the intent of organizing an anti-Communist eee organization within this group.  Heseemee, it later Panera ed was decided that the DRE would be an “affiliate”, but not a member of the Frente. 7 The leaders of the DRE were kept on a f | US. Government) i regular monthly retainer py the @ie)as wees all members engaged in training “oF paramilitary Operations and propaganda dis- The ‘ . 8 . : - semination. “also supplied the group with weapons and tas . 9 ammunition on occasion. , oo. \o 2387) The first CMe DRE infiltration team landed in 9" Cuba in November, 1960, with the objective | of organizing anti-Castro student propaganda and conducting general harrassment Va operations. =* — Classification: rr eae: nO | Classified by derivation: HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 145
Nee DRE DRAF:. =—- Classification: 12/11/78 Page 2 (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) 13 400 guerillas~~ were operating i): By April, 1961, Aeardal es effectively from the Sierra Maestra mountains. 14 However, Wey 1 irra puaiss- 74 menX{captured Pe iloce = veceive ; 1 OL . peers mes aman air-dropped supplies. ees capture was a severe set back for the DRE underground prior to the Bay of Pigs.07 599) © “ue eacler Z y Sait Fw as also arrested in April, 1961, but his true “identity was unknown to the authorities and he was released following an: interrogationt§ Escaping again to Miami, he made three daring attempts to re-infiltrate Cuba in 1961. Although -he failed, his exploits reportedly made him an underground hero to the students in Cuba. 19 (27°) DRE Chief of Military Operations ,x<Eapmiameannemmiis 5 infiltrated into Cuba prior to the Bay of Pigs invasion and told the Committee that the Cuban underground felt it had the aus > Ve because the ae failed to perform even before the invasion. 22 HW 53060 "It never got us the supplies it promised and never did the 23 Awothey \eadec. thin s it was supposed to do," he claimea. 228% a was AlSo- Classification: Classified by derivation: Pas Ss LF Find aw ae -r me ay Docld: 32273595 Page 146,
| Cflassifiention: DRE DRAFT - 12/11/78 | . Page 3 ; (This form is to be used for material extrected from ClA—controlled documents.) an diotduad Py Meeker? as a result of Agency bumbling. The Dee a A Miltary - tol i Cowmmiktes. Nevers ‘ . it was only conceived to relieve the pressure building in the 28 25 anti-Castro exile community. : pamsee DRE members had a deep— Q 9q ) Although ° ab F Bthey t S. op lying opposition to U. plans and policies, A ‘continued to tle. Recepk US: Findings, continued dosgite evaluation of Ue grep aS Alar _.. CTA (reed quarters weceived , a * epexe. phat the fiv bn ‘ co as “oracles, top officials of the DRE had. “eseablishad B_pesBen fx Khowselves, ALgwire aioe ability to gleag money from ra ve because of their eepedeoniemests canouaigih N . a XN wey . XQ. a the US. Goveruwmedr. ‘Ths Support ERR eee, allowed the DRE to 2? 2 “play an inordinately influential role in the exile community, ; the DRE Che ¢ Milita YAO ov 5 . = According to \fexeaee , by July, fe the DRE had taken to soliciting support for proposed propa- ganda operations but actually using the funding for military 3 30 operations. F , | che DRE Gesl (29) Por instance, in early September, 1962, a, Said he 3 awoke leadev received a call from Gyimamt fnotifying him of an impending majox — Bl aT lekker “4 military operation. \ ems feoTd. him the DRE had all the 3 weapons, ammunition and support it needed. ™ The raid turned out to be the attack on the Blanquita Theater in Havana, which ' , . 33 : . received a great deal of publicity. ™ Castro even raged about : 3y¥ it, claiming it was an oes on his life by the cra. © In che DRE aly) . fact, according to wm, the raiders did not know that Castro . Classification: | Classified by derivation: HW 53080 Docld: 32273595 Page 147
ere care “4 HW 53060 - was scheduled to be at the theater the night of the shelling. mm e™ | Classification: _ DRE DRAFT. | Pay a4 78 (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) m3s In any event, there was a tremendous ‘uproar when the raiders returned:to the U.S. The DRE leaders were called to Washington WS» Gee othidials lacked, Fe to confront U. S. Attorney General, Roberty Kennedy and CIA — . Operations Chief, Richard Helms’ 7 ho bgtir told them they were | doing a. great job but wasting their time in such independent - actions. 8 37 . (43) As a result of the Blanquita raid publicity, the DRE was subsequently able to raise about $200,000 in private funds. That enabled the group to establish an operating base on Catalina Island near the south coast of the Dominican Republic from which . B38 aD Meverdslee ‘it hoped to make a major strike against Cuba. memes, ’ after the October, 1962, missle crisis, @ ne Dominican Republic government informed the DRE leaders that the U.S. was putting great pressure on it to shut down the DRE operations and it therefore could no longer permit the group to operate out of its cf the DRE was, of all the anti-Castro groups, one of-the most bitter towards President Kennedy for his “deal" | a +/ withthe Russians. In a letter ma dated February 21, 1963 and addressed simply to "Sirs," the DRE said it was grate- ful for the initial support of the U.S.) but could no longer operate under restrictions of U.S. policy. The DRE demanded that the U.S. government, "... understand that the Cubans cannot Classification: "Classified by derivation: Docld:32273595 Page 146 meee eee Neem es 8 Ne wear ww, ee res einen, er oN Se wee Ses Erna
a — < * Classification: - reyikiere - (This form is to be used for material extracted Page 5 To from ClA—controlled documents.) continue waiting for the international policies, because those dying of hunger are Cubans, because it is our country that bodily suffers slavery, because it is our blood that runs in Cuba." Edda foo 08 yO oan | bo (a9) Despite such strong sentiment, the DRE continued to accept A a a Cad beow uvee | _ dts more militant members{to join Manuel Artime's Movimiento de Recuperacion Revolucionaria (MRR) forces, Mmether or not this 4 t suggestion was ever taken by any DRE members is not documented, but. the top leaders remained a homogeneous group and, by 1964, ; > U.S, noverumevk. : were soliciting. additional financial support ‘outside the of a. . a They were successful in receiving some funds from the Bacardi oo, , tS : 4 Rum family in Miami. ¥ Pr Grevevnmen ) (24%) Although the DRE continued its relationship with the; @am - until the end of 1966, the group's activities, like those of other anti-Castro organizations, declined in intensity and effectiveness. | 941) recause the DRE was. a very militant "action" group, the © Committee was especially interested in DRE operations. orior to the assassination of pall Kennedy on November 22, 1963. : 4 ) As noted, one of the effects of the Blanquita raid in September, 1962, was to garner the DRE a blast of national arian Classification: Classified by derivation: HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 149°
. ett = meee amar aaaw couassay yd aw an anew 7 5 Classification: | _ DRE DRAFT 3 12/11/78 Page 6 (This form is to be used for moterial extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) publicity which, in turn, gave the leaders of the group the opportunity to solicit additional funding from wealthy indi- 45 7 viduals who were sympathetic to their anti-Castro cause. yeaa Nees Among those who wound up supporting the DRE was Miami multi- millionaire William Pawley, a strong right-wing conservative, . a Siend former owner of the Havana bus system and am=eseeekeee of 3 apye former CIA director Allen Dulles. Another supporter the DRE got was a friend of Pawley's, former Ambassador to Italy Nee - 49 | . Clare Boothe Luce, @ then the wife of Time-Life publishing empire boss Henry Luce and a later Nixon appointee to the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. Ca) In its review. of DRE activities, the Committee took speciai interest in a relatively recent series of events involving Clare Boothe Luce. In October, 1975, Luce was being interviewed by | Vera Glaser, a reporter and columnist for the Knight chain of newspapers, when she told Glaser of an alleged incident involving members of the DRE and Lee Harvey Oswald. at the time, “Senator Richard Schweiker and Senator Gary Hart were in the midst of their subcommittee investigation of the Kennedy assassination as part of the Senate Select Committee inquiry into intelligence activity. | i Aes) According to Glaser's report of the interview, this is. basically what Luce told her: ooappas Classification: Clossified by derivation: HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 150
‘ Classification: DRE DRAFT _ {This form is to be used for material extracted 12/11/78 from ClA—<ontrolled documents.) Page 7 (30!) Luce said that after the failure of the. Bay of Pigs a invasion, her friend, William Pawley, persuaded her to help | sponsor a fleet of motor boats for a group of anti-Castro Cubans who, Pawley envisioned, would be Cuban "Flying Tigers," shooting in and out of Cuba on intelligence-gathering missions. Np meena Pawley had helped start General Claire Chennault's original F _ Flying Tigers in World War II. Luce said she agreed to sponsor 4 one boat and its three-man crew. She said she met with this | Cuban boat crew about three times in New York and, in 1962, s/ ‘published a story about them in LIFE magazine. (3%) Following the missle crisis in October, 1962, Lue said that the Kennedy administration clamped down on exile activities | against Cuba and the Pawley-sponsored boat raids were dis- | continued. Luce said she never saw her “young Cubans," as she apser called them, again. . 8 teed one, (30) ten on the night of Kennedy's assassination, Luce said he received a call from New Orleans from one of the boat crew . Cubans. Luce told Glaser she would call him "Julio Fernandez". She said the Cuban told her he called because he wanted to tell her about some information he had concerning the President's killer, Lee Harvey Oswald. Bos {Jos tuce told Glaser that, according to "Julio Fernandez," Oswald had approached the anti-Castro group to which Fernandez Classification: eee Be ar wot, or rien ‘Classified by derivation: LI SP ae 4 T TF SF KF oF HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 151
Classification: DRE DRAFT (This form is to be used for material extrected 12/11/78 from ClA—controlled documents.) Page 3 belonged and offered his services as a potential Castro assassin. The Cubans, however, didn't trust Oswald, suspected he was really a Communist, and decided to keep tabs on him. They eventually penetrated Oswald's Communist "cell" and tape recorded his talks, including his bragging that he could shoot anyone, even the Secretary of the Navy. 5B 54 | (308) then suddenly, Luce said Fernandez told her, Oswald came into some money, went to Mexico City and finally to Dallas. Luce said Fernandez told her he still had the tape recordings of Oswald, as well as photographs of Oswald and samples of handbiils Oswald had distributed on the streets of New Orleans. Fernandez, she said, asked her what he should ao. Bos | (08) Luce said she advised him to contact the PBI immediately. She } HW 53060 then told Glaser that she did not think about the story again until the Garrison investigation hit the headlines in 1967. Luce said she then contacted the Cuban who had called her. He told her his group had followed her instructions and turned their material over to the FBI. But, he said, they were advised to “keep their mouths shut" until further contact. Further contact was never made, he saia. °* . o7 Luce said that Fernandez then told her that one of the members of his group had since been suddenly .deported and that another had been murdered. He himself, he said, wanted nothing further to do Bs 57 with the Kennedy assassination. Classification: | Classified by derivation: Docld: 32273595 Page 152
Netemavremnen 1 6 Setar te fone Nahe wee _ -_—_—— ae a Classification: ss DRE DRAFT 12/11/78. (This form is to be used for matericl extracted Page 9 from ClA—controlled documents.) - Jj (08hseee Luce told her this story, Vera Glazer immediately went to Senator Schweiker and told him about the alleged Oswald encounter. . Intrigued, Schweiker contacted Luce directly and asked her for information about the Cuban who had called her. As a result, Schweiker sent a staff investigator in £0 search of “Julio Fernandez". No such individual was ever found. r b During the course of its own investigation into the Luce allegations, the Committee reviewed the 1977 CIA Task Force C/ Report, which dealt with the newspaper reports of the incident. According to the Task Force Report, Luce called then CIA Director. William Colby on October 25, 1975 and told him that Schweiker “had called her to ask her for details about the allegations. She said she had given Schweiker the name of Justin McCarthy who, along with Pawley, had initially aroused her interest in @ ess : . helping the anti-Castro Cubans. &% z igs she saidg she did Ga G not tell Schweiker how to locate him. & B10) Luce told Colby that after she talked to Schweiker, she had . contacted McCarthy. He told her that he doubted that anything | would come of a Congressional probe and suggested instead that she contact Colby. Luce then told Colby that McCarthy gave her the names of three Cubans with whom he had been associated) in DRE activities. They were: Luis Fernandez Rocha, Jose” Antonio Lanusa and someone he remembered only by his code name, & 63 "Chilo". Classification: | Classified by derivetion: HW 53060 Docld: 32273595 Page 153 Aer ee 8 rien see, Nerve rn Sewer eer ee
Noe. Stee ee corwnen oh oe HW 53060 Classification: DRE DRAFT | 12/11/78 (This form is to be used for material extracted Page 10 from ClA—<ontrolled documents.) @): According to the 1977 Task Force Report, as a result of Luce's call to him, Colby contacted Justin McCarthy and attempted ¢ to persuade him to call Senator Schweiker and provide. him with any information or evidence he might have. McCarthy said he didn't want to get involved because there were too many “political opportunists"” in Washington. @ ¢7 gn) With this background of information, the Committee decided Oo conduct its own investigation into the Luce allegations. 6) Luce told the Committee basically the same story given to Vera Glazer Puce was specifically asked if she was certain the late night call on November 22, 1963 came from New Orleans. ‘She was definite in her answer that it aia. The Warren Report account of the Bringuier/Oswald association was outlined for her. She responded that it sounded much the same as the type activity in which her "boys" were engaged. Luce also told the Committee she did not recognize the name Jose Antonio Lanusa, mentioned in her conversation with Colby in 1975. 6B 66 314) antetar Cubans who were among the leaders of the DRE in 1963. One of Ir, Fhe Committee located in Miami three anti-Castro them, Juan Manuel Salvat Roque, was a founder of the group. He was interviewed by Committee investigators on February 7, 1978. Although Salvat did not recall Luce's involvement with the DRE, he said os po William Pawley had provided the group some support. as far as he remembers, the group lisesi gaa n: a ; | Classified by derivation: Docld:32273595 Page 154 67.
Classification: DRE DRAFT 2 12/11/78: | (This form is to be used for: material extracted Page ll from ClA—controlled documents.) j never received a large amount of money from any single individual, but received small contributions from a great 69 many people. ™ He said that, according to his knowledge, Carlos Bringuier, the New Orleans delegate of the DRE, was the 70 S&S _only member of the group who ever had any contact with Oswald. > : (Committee records indicate that Carlos Bringuier be- came the New Orleans delegate to the DRE in the summer oa 7/ of 1962. , As detailed elsewhere in the Committee's Report, Bringuier and Oswald had a confrontation on 4 . | Canal Street in New Orleans in August, 1963, when Oswald was distributing "Fair Play for Cuba" leaflets. : Both Bringuier and Oswald were arrested, but were later { Rp Further, A brought together to engage in a radio debate. Priory, , Prexiously oo | howeverg Bringuier hnad‘arranged for a friend of his, Carlos Quiroga, to approach Oswald and talk to him on the pretense of being interested in pro-Castro 22, activities.: ) 65) Isidro "Chilo" Borja, another leader of the DRE, was inter- hae viewed by the Committee on February 21, 1978. Borja said he knew Luce was supportive of the DRE but said he did not know 7S the extent of her financial involvement. He also recalled | Bringuier's contact with Oswald and the fact that the DRE a 76 relayed that information to the CIA at the time. Borja said Classification: | Classified by derivation: Fo Fa yd Sy Ay Pon > a HW 53060 Docld: 32273595 Page 155
Classification: =o DRE DRAFT | a -12/11/78. (This form is to be used for material extracted Page 12 from ClA—controlled documents.) Wa minnie his responsibilities with the DRE involved only military 77 operations and he suggested that Jose Antonio Lanusa, who { | handled press and public relations for the group, knew Luce and had been in contact with ner. 2 7% re Jose Antonio Lanusa was interviewed by the Committee on April 22, 1978. Lanusa said that on November 22, 1963, he and a small group of DRE members were at a Miami Beach hotel when { they heard the news of the assassination of the President. ™ 7 When Oswald's name was broadcast, Lanusa recalled the name as | that of someone who had had something to do with one of the DRE delegates, so Lanusa and those who were with him went to the : “Miami DRE office to search the files to determine if Lanusa's a7 FO , By late afternoon, they had found Nene suspicion was right. { . delegate Bringuier's report from New Orleans detailing his encounter with Oswald. Along with it was a sample Fair Play we: for Cuba (FPCC) leaflet and a tape recording of the radio $/ debate. & With this discovery, someone immediately called. . colA Seca ck. T Wis € YSon fer.told them not to do anything or contact anyone else for at least'an hour. He said he needed that time to contact . oo go deuerthalee Washington headquarters for instructions. BRewever, Lanusa said, he was so anxious to release the: information that Oswald was associated with a pro-Castro group that he contacted the TP EAD Classification: | Classified by derivation: HW 53060 Docld: 32273595 Page 156
Newsies oie revenb-bite "Nabe pote te ereatelte HW 53060 Classification: . | ) . DRE DRAFT 12/11/78 (This form is to be used for material extracted Page i3 from ClA—controlled documents.) 498 > major news media before the hour was up. ; Coutace @ When the CIA kxenqapemaites called back, he told them the FBI would contact the group. ‘The next day, Lanusa said, Miami FBI agent James J. O'Conner showed up. at DRE headquarters. He was given Bringuier's report, the -FPCC leaflet and the tape recording of the radio debate. Lanusa said O'Conner told them they would get a receipt for the material but, Lanusa said, they never did. Neither, he said, was the material Bi VY , ever returned. G8) Lanusa also told the Committee that soon after the DRE . shelling of the Blanquita Hotel in 1962, he was introduced to “Clare Boothe Luce by Justin McCarthy, whom Lanusa said was the as DRE's public relations contact with the New York major media. Lanusa said Luce told them she wanted to publish the Blanquita raid story in LIFE magazine and that she would give the DRE the $600 she would receive from the magazine as payment for that story.” As far as he knows, Lanusa said, that was the only contact any member of the DRE ever had with tuce** ” fanusa also said he strongly doubted Luce or William Pawley ever paid for motor boats for the DRE because, he said, he knew how all of the boats were acquired. Lanusa said he had no knowledge of any DRE member having been deported or murdered. ‘Lanusa said, "I think Clare Boothe Luce shoots from the hip without having Be 39 her brain engaged." Classification: Classified by derivation: Pasa a ~~ a a Docld:32273595 Page 157
. Classification: ’ DRE DRAFT (This form is to be used for material extracted — 12/11/78 from ClA—controlled documents.) Page 14 (314) In investigating her allegations, the Committee considered the possibility that Luce incorrectly identified the source of her information. The source of the documentation of Oswald's contact with the DRE was New Orleans-based Carlos Bringuier. t Aeyeritalars 7 Gowever, Bringuier told the Committee he never engaged in any : 0 paramilitary DRE activities — and therefore could not have been one of the crew members of the alleged Luce-sponsored | motorboat. Bringuier' s New Orleans associate, Celso Hernandez, the secretary of the chapter, also said he never received any paramilitary training and did not know Oswald prior to - encountering him passing out pro-Castro literature on Canal Fa Street in New Orleans. # Bringuier also told the Committee he > knew Luce by reputation only, had never contacted her personallly, and had never given her any information about his experience 3913 \ereetentte with Oswald. He further said he was not aware of the fact 9 7% that Luce was involved in any Cuban exile activities. Bringuier Maintained that no member of his DRE group in New Orleans had SAIS > any contact with Luce during this period of time. : \ CONCLUSIONS | . | - = | se nad ta L pets | Luke on Lee eariey Qeugia | was an | agent, és a cuba, a Le. Classifications feels he-all ators of Cidre ‘Boothe 7 2 eg Kon x A \Boo end ome ai = a, rey) “a yy Qu Te Gevernment of senate ar a nan + Teen ete metroid = ee neta mtaee ge i Classified by derivation: HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 158
oa ae HW 53060 (3 22) Ca Classification: DRE DRAFT , : te 12/11/78 (This form is to be used for material extracted Page 15 from ClA—centrolled documents.) . (32°) The investigation of the Warren Commission documented that ‘Oswald was interested in establishing a chapter of the FPCC in New Orleans and had contact with the New York headquarters of - this pro-Castro organization during the summer of 1963.7 Luce raised questions as to the nature and extent of involvement the New Orleans chapter of DRE had in monitoring Oswald's activities, and its association with the FBI regarding Oswald's communist activities. ines ne ig the official DRE delegate in New Orleans was Carlos Bringuier, and that he was aided by two Cubans, Celso Hernandez and Miguel Aguado. In an attempt “to monitor Oswald, Bringuier approved the efforts of his friend, Carlos Quiroga, to call on Oswald to «elicit add- itional information about FPCC activities in New Orleans. Abne of the New Orleans individuals associated in these events had any involvement in the paramilitary activities of DRE. The New Orleans chapter engaged solely in propaganda and fund raising activiteis. swam mater BEY eae en o New Orleans DRE member had any association with Luce. The first report of Oswald’s contact with the DRE in New Orleans came from the group's headquarters in Miami. This information was released to national oer gs3 Classification: Classified by derivetion: Docld:32273595 Page 159
Norws Sweeter atone * tence te abiocahe serene ed ee HW 53060 Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted DRE DRAFT from ClA—controlled documents.) 12/11/78 Page 16 news media, the CIA and the FBI shortly | after the identi- 20\ Cane fication of Oswald as Kennedy's assassin. The Cemmearsene thcli cates concbuded Fhat the Luce allegations, although related to certain facts, cannot be substantiated, due ‘to the reluctance - - of key individuals to corroborate her story. ee cie: ' Classification: Classified by derivation: ars cE aay a a Aa: a Pat Fay al : i ~ Docld: 32273595 Page 160
Nets a von Net beet en HW 53060 Classification: DRAFT-11/16/73 . Betsy Palmer , : (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled decuments.) “ke MOVIMIENTO INSURRECCIONAL de RECUPERACION REVOLUCIONARIA " (MIRR) and —ORALNDO BOSCH AVILA —@! When four of Castro's army officers and 100 men (325) Former rebel army officer Victor Paneque assumed (26) Orlando Bosch became general coordinator of MIRR, _ backing. deserted and left for the Las Villas mountains in August, 1960, they formed the nucleus of the Movimento Insurrecc- ional de Recuperacion Revolucionaria(MIRR).' Helping :tay the groundwork for this organization was the former Chief of the 26th of July Movement in Las Villas Province, Dr. orlando Bosch Avila.? Bosch had left Cuba one ‘month previously and, from. Miami, issued a call for rebel army men to desert. 3 Promoting the. defection of army personnel and carrying out sabotage operations throughout Cuba were the early primary activities of the MIRR. 4 In both, it was very affective. military leadership of the group? and, within a few months of his escape from Cuba, organized a team of infiltrators to re-enter the country to continue MIRR operations. ® working. with individuals and other groups involved in operations against Cuba and securing necessary financial 7 Classificayian: —_ ——+ + ————— ” ————ee ——— ————- or) oo DoclId: 32273595 Page 161 ~ . | . Classified by derivation:
. HW 53060 a RAFT-h. .8/B «os Page 2. / Classification: (This form is to. be used for mpterial extracted (327) A peda HoAPcAP Bhi aREMee.) Bosch became ‘totally immersed in his politieal movement and for 18 years, has carried out a crusade ‘to overthrow Castro. His efforts at- times have been characterized as ‘pumbling", but he has also been termed "single-mindedly" and “morally committed. no ‘Widely viewed in the U.S. press as a Cuban patriot when he | first began his anti-Castro activities, Bosch's increased acts of violence gradually changed his image to that of a terrorist.10 The intensity and violence of his activities, which have always been widely publicized, were a major | factor in the Committee's decision to examine Boach ana the MIRR among those Cuban exile organizations considered capable of involvement in an assassination conspiracy. (328) Bosch was interviewed by the Committee in Cuartel San Carlos prison in Venezuela. He is charged with complicity in the October 6, 1975 bombing of ‘a Cubana Airlines plane which resulted in the deaths of 73 people. tt Although deny- ing involvement in the airplane bombing, Bosch said he : approved of it.+? Claiming terrorism a necessary evil in fighting Castro, Bosch has stated, "You have to fight violence with violence. At times you cannot avoid hurting innocent people. "13 (324) The activities of the MIRR in*the early ‘60's were carried out by a small. group of individuals. There were Classification: lassified by derivation: | Docld: 32273595 Page 162
“ % DRAFT - JTRRGRSSSivication: _ : y . “ Page 3 3 (This form is to ‘be used for material extracted reportedly néwerC heoreonbites epedoertn) members in: Miami 24 In J 1966, Bosch claimed to have only 20 men outside Miami, 54 located in. various seaport cities in the U. s.15 One of the ee major interests of the MIRR was to blow up vessels trading ae oe with cuba.75*In this it was effective, ‘but the MIRR successes _ wo in the early 1960' S was a result of its association with a | 7 oe number of other anti-~Castro organizations and individuals. meee Bosch said that in late 1961 he was contacted. by Evelio { 7 Duque, leader of Ejercito Cubano Anticommunista (ECA) who “ indicated ‘he might be getting CIA. ‘support for. his group and | : wanted Bosch to join pin. 2 nogether they submitted a plan to the Agency outlining their conditions for CIA support and |» were informed about a month later the plan: had been approved.*7 } . “Acting as the political leader in this. alliance, Bosch joined — Duque, the military leader, at. a camp in Homestead, Florida, — 4 wi 2S Un AO ch . and Q@ijieameaametaram with a CIA liaison officer 4 (33!) Bosch soon came to the conclusion that the camp was an exercise in futility. He felt the CIA had-no intention of 1 a mounting another invasion or initiating attacks against Cuba. He felt the U. S.-sponsored camps were merely a means of | this keeping the ‘exiles busy and, privately and unofficially, a. LeTA cout ot AO “confirmed his suspicions, Bosch said. +3 After nine months of frustrated inactivity, he published a pamphlet, pt Classification: Classified by derivation: Rae. anne Fi Sa Pin Cy Pies ay AW 53060 Docld:32273595 Page 163
sn DRAFT - IRR OSCH ; Page 4 assification: ra (This form is to be used for material extracted The Tragedy g EmCU Aa -cohiottaidteumaraccused the U.S..of mis-. leading the ‘Cuban exiles. He sent a copy, ‘to President 39>! Kennedy and then closed down the camp. After this, Bosch 9.3 AX said he had no more dealings with the cra. (332) Bosch maintained an ongoing relationship, heginning in late 1960, with Frank Sturgis, well-known anti-Castro soldier | -220 . of fortune; Alexander Rorke, former clerk at the FBI and 4 3% and William Johnson, an | provided American pilot who, along with Sturgis, WASZSZSOUECETOM © to AS - gnformation £Oz the CIA on Cuban exile activities** _ Johnson - @ .an. informant for that agency; Neat ae | had full control over all MIRR operations. #€ Bosch was ree concerned with financing raids against Cuba and did not 2677 know the nature of ‘the missions until their completion. ; | (233) according to Johnson, American pilots were placed under contract to fly three air strikes over Cuba for the MIRR. 26a aq j _ They were to receive $2000 per mission.> Johnson admitted } 30 . . his own motive was purely mercenary. "<. 3). fo (334)atenough relatively inactive in 1962," the MIRR engaged _ 4 -* in a series of bombing raids over Cuba in 1963 primarily. BS Br y * aimed™at destroying the production of sugar™--in.an effort | to disrupt the economy. It also reporgedly ‘conducted air strikes against a MIG base in cubase” and various other strikes aimed at strategic targets. °* The raids were Nee pe eee effective but not without risk. In several instances, od 3s ‘the raiders' planes were shot down and pilots killed. ?* Classification: ~ | 7 | Classified by derivation: H¥ 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 164
Nene .) (This form is to be used for meaterial extracted (333 Concurrens Gi SRositsleassaccaajon with American ad- venturers, the MIRR also had associations with other exile. organizations. It planned raids against Cuba in cooperation 3 with Commandos 4 ‘and discussed unity raids with members 37 | 3s Bosch, at this time, was interested in establish- . escent \Neteiiese of RECE. ing a base of operations in the Dominican Republic to “facilitate long-range planning.*4 3° . j (326) the documentation the Committee has examined fails. to 1 i, A explain how the MIRR was able to finance its extensive Pow Phy - , beach Ltd not apecfy Any sourre . ps y| operations, — Bosch told the Committee that his association ror . wet 4 A go” { with Frank Sturgis alone culminated in ll air strikes over a “cuba. At that time, he said, they usually rented a plane i 3 for $400 plus $60 an nour. 28’ ai11 Johnson charged $4000 for | pilot fees for each mission.29 Bosch said he knew the pilots | only got $2000 and Johnson pocketed the rest, put, his purpose was to fight Castro whatever it cost. Bosch! s 45 commitment to fight Castro extends to the present. HL , inh (237 ietttaie, funds were"furnished MIRR from a Chicago~ af. based Cuban exile, Paulino A. Sierrp, who allegedly collected ° a" i? ye . monies from gambling interests.*“ Some money _ came from i? J, anti-Castro supporters in Puerto Rico. It is known that - \, ‘A ‘the FBI was long interested in the source of finances of | ‘Neeeee et ob. haere .the MIRR and in March, 1964 authorized a 30-day mail check ))/ yh on it and Bosch in an effort to identify possible sources.‘ Classification: j Classified by derivation: AE AB ABW SEY SEF of OR Le ae WW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 165
Ree eae HW 53060 eo mn 4 ‘DRAFT - mrpe aos isation: Page 6 . (This form -is to be used for material. extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) During this time, several wealthy Cuban exiles received ‘threatening letters demanding large contributions for the fight against Castro. Bosch was implicated in these eeton aq't etd extortion att empts, brought to trial and acquitted. He told the Committee that in 1967 he once used the funds he had collected in settlement for a personal - injury automobile S accident to buy explosives and weapons." Whatever Bosch's . Methods of raising money, there is no indication he ever 51 used it to. enrich himself. | (338 Well financed and totally addicatea, Bosch managed to. run afoul of the U.S. government authorities at least seven times in slightly over a four-year period. Several of these encounters resulted. in his arrest, > cat he was always oo acquitted. . | (321 In July, 1967, ‘Bosch and the MIRR became assimilated into a new movement, known as Cuban me the tempo of violent activities increased. On September 16, 1968, - Bosch was arrested for firing a bazooka into the hull of a Polish ship anchored in Miami harbor. - ne was subsequently tried and sentenced to 10 years ina Federal “prison. A SS com his prison cell in Atlanta, Georgia, Bosch allegedly was © making plans. to resume bombing Japanese and Spanish ships S/7 - trading with Cuba as soon as he was released. He was granted parole on November 1, 1972 and immediately began sf traveling “tia gb. gat p america, in violation of that parole™ Classified by derivation: Docld: 32273595 Page 166
tw 7 aw oe ad Porno II 5: ad oo. DRAFT ~ ~ urefalewaification: Rage 7 o- “Wie (This form is to be used for material extracted f IA olled doc t He said his aim Sa reern: America Was to forge alliances sf sD with countries which had powerful Cuban exile communities. So effective was he in making solid political alliances, that in the ensuing years he was able to travel freely, _— 60 , with forged passports, throughout Latin. America. (349) Whether or not Bosch was the principal conspirator in ‘ 7 . Me _ the bombing of the Cubana airliner, it is known that his. 7” Cuban Power movement, which merged with other yo activists 'to form a Cuban Secret Government eas engaged. in acts of terrorism.®."this latter group has been linked ‘with numerous recent bombing incidents, an assassination attempt against Henry Kissinger, ene assassination of | - " ortando Letelier in Washington, D. c,& ra the bombing of in 1976 the Cubana Airlines plane. { (34) ortanao Bosch is a zealot. In retrospect, he turns out ; . to be the most aggressive and volitile of the anti-Castro leaders. That alone would validly raise the question of possible association with the assassination of President abe tee rion ~ Oo . Kennedy. In addition, the Committee was presented with — 67 ain a lLegehion infesmetiron that specifically connecta him to a conspiracy; Fut * Wee op earns Investigation Ofgem egreror failed to support the claim 1 that Bosch had been in Dallas in November 1963 in the company of Lee Harvey Oswald. When asked, ‘Bosch told the © Committee he was at ‘his home in Miami when he heard President . Kennedy had ra en sbot. @ ¢) a Classification: | “Classified ’y derivction: HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 167
JUNTA DEL GOBIERNO DE CUBA 5 EN EL EXILIO . , (342) In April, 1963 the spirit of the exiled Cubans who hoped to return to a liberated Cuba reached a new low. NES: Ov tum cut - a hah a Vetere! CHEB ee meena, which had been subsidizing GR Cuban anti-Castro fe organization, the Cuban Revolutionary Council, dropped its extensive backing of this most visible example of American 1 assistance to the Cuban movement. The move came on the heels of an announcement of a tough new policy of the Justice and State Departments. They planned Qa wt ot ous emfoacement-_ of. hing scenforcesthe laws breached by anti-Castro Cuban raiders, who. were operating hit-and-run guerilla attacks from the U.S. on Cuban and Russian targets.- These events resulted in another shuffling of alliances between various Cuban groups, but no bright new hopes. oa (342 Despite a common desire to.overthrow Castro and return to Cuba, the exiles differed in many ways. They represented the extremes of the political left and right and everything in between. Many had carried arms against Batista; others were former Batistianos. They differed — aeco~pli'sh as to how the counter-revolution could be carriedzxout They differed as to what type of government and which leaders would take the place of the ousted government. Unification of ‘these diverse ‘stances seemed doubtful. > (343) Dr. Paulino Sierra Martinez, a Cuban exile and. lawyer foster a cl . from Chicago, hoped to changervallethat=? HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 168
HW 53080 page (~. _ (344) Arriving in Miami. in May of 1963, Sierra scheduled a series of ‘Meetings ata local hotel and invited Cuban exile leaders of all political persuasion to discuss unification for the purpose of military invasion of Cuba.2” : 645, To many Cubans the idea seemed ridiculously naive.4 Sierra was hoping to unify elements which had remained Splintered throughout most previous efforts, attempting to draw well-known exile leaders when he himself was virtually unknown. in the anti- -Castro. movement. : —_ (346) But Sierra came with some big ideas and big promises. | 7 He claimed to represent a group of Americans in Chicago interested in combining their efforts with those of the. Cuban exiles to overthrow the Castro regime with or without U.S. government ‘approval.> Sierra told them that American financial interests would participate on con- - dition there was a true unity of the majority of Cubans in exile. © For military planning he claimed he had the - | oo assistance of several high-ranking U.S. Navy and Army officers, who would also help arrange for arms and the establishment of training bases in a Latin American country. / Most surprisingly, Sierra claimed the Chicago backers were willing to lend assistance to the extent of $30. milliors® @ no small sum even for a large-scale government 4 or backed operation. For a private group it was unheard of. ~ tg (347) wire many Cubans did not. inmediately jinpanto Sierra by July 1963 Sierra had built a coalition of predominantly right-wing anti-Castro groups and attracted’ - some impressive names from among the exiles to form an Docld: 322735595 Page 169
organization called the Junta de Gobierno de Cube en el exilio (JGCE - Junta of the Government of Cuba in Exile) .? (348) among the groups to join Sierra's junta were the Unidad Revolucionaria faction headed by Juan Medina vega” and the major faction of the 30th of November group headed by Carlos Rodriguez Quesadas Sierra could also boast the participation of Jose "Pepin" Bosch, President of Barcardi Run, and Alberto Garrido, a much-admired 12° Cuban entertainer. G40 tn the selection process by which the Committee chose those anti-Castro groups to be further investigated, certain factors about the Junta discovered in preliminary | research indicated a need to look more carefully into | the purpose and activities of this group. 650) the Junta was active during the.critical period of - interest to the Committee. Sierra surfaced in. March 1963/and the organazation abruptly ceased activity by) January 1964. The Committee hoped to discover what sparked the group's genesis and what contributed to its final demise. | (3 si) res financial backing appeared to be remarkably impressive, and although Sierra claimed the group was to received funds from American companies whose financial assets in Cuba had been nationalized, it was widely rumored that the money was. actually from "gambling 15 interests" of organized crime. There were other: rumors that wealthy individuals from Texas were behind the HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page. 170
page % group.) * the Committee hoped to determine exactly what means ‘were available to the group and from what source. (35) pretininary research also indicated that the Secret Service in Chicago was investigating a “Threat to the President" case at the time of President Kennedy's assassination, in which Paulino Slerra was of interest. The Committee wished to explore the nature of the allegation and the. extent of Sierra's involvement in. “the case.. . ~ (353) one Committee was ‘able to obtain considerable information - from the contemporaneous investigative reports of the | Central Intelligence Agency, the FBI and Immigration and Naturalization Service regarding the structure, membership ra and activities of the Junta. .. Field interviews | and research into reports of the Secret Service probed . those questions raised by the alleged threats against the President. a . oo Oo eS and dapper > (3H) Paulino Sierra Martinez was a tall gd Lawyer? Semployed in the Legal Counsel's office of the Union wank Car Company in chicago. Before his immigration to the United States, he had reportedly been employed by. . Carlos Saladrigas, a minister under Batista. He had alse _— _ worked with Santiago Alvarez Rodriguez, former senator 21 during Batista's regime. Sierra left Havana in 1960 and settled for a tise in Miami where he worked as a HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 171
HW 53060 page 5. Judo instructor and translator (Sierra speaks, reads and writes English, Italian, French and Spanish) .77In 1962 he moved to Chicago and was admitted to the Illinois Bar sponsored by William Browder, general counsel of Union _. Tank. Car Company, for whom Sierra soon began work. (355) By early 1963 Sierra had organized a Cuban Lawyer's Association in Chicago and gained somewhat of a reputation 24 as "coordinator" of Cuban activities in the Chicago area. In March 1963, he was mentioned in an (article in the Chicago Tribune for his active role in Cuban exile affairs 25 Nevertheless, ~ in Chicago. However; he still had not made a national . ‘name in Cuban exile affairs. (356) vet, as noted previously, Sierra's meetings with anti-Castro Cuban exiles in Miami in the spring of 1963, produced the official structure of a Cuban government 26 in exile by July. Sierra was named Secretary General, Felipe Rivero Diaz was named Vice Secretary General; Carlos Rodriguez Quesada was appointed head of Internal “aefairs; Juan Medina was to head up finances; Manuel Lozano Pino was named heado of External Relations; Alberto Garrido was put in charge of Propaganda; Reinaldo Pico was given a position in charge of Labor issues; and Gilberto Rodriguez was asked to run Military Operations. a (357) the Junta was formed after an organizational | meeting in Chicago in June 1963 with Union Tank Car Executive Vices anes van Gorkum and General Counsel Willian Browder. nformation regarding the meeting is scant. One source wno attended said that Van Gorkum and Browder Docld: 32273595 Page 172
HW 53060 page 6 discussed the unity plan only insofar as suggesting that if the group could successfully establish a government | in exile, it then might be able to obtain U.S. government. support and financing from other sources “7 358) But evidence exists to suggest that Union Tank Car had a greater role in the Junta. The company was reportedly paying for Sierra's personal and travel expenses plus” nis salary) Browder also told FBI agents in October, 1963 that although he did not know the identity of Sierra's backers, he (Browder) kept the group's funds “under his control to avoid any possible criticism of misappropriation or mismanagement of funds by Sierra” ‘Browder would ‘not indicate the exact amount under his control other to say Die it was "considerable." . | 359: There have been several contradictory reports to the (CTA and FBI regarding the source of Sierra's funds. (360) Early reports indicated Sierra's backers were Chicago ee gamblers. The Miami News headline for an article reporting 3? on Sierra's meetings read "Gamblers Pop Out of. Exile Grab Bag. "& The source of such reports is unclear although there are indications it may have been Sierra himself. (2 ol) At Sierra’ s initial meetings withh Cuban a he was accompanied by an American. named William really who may have - been Agetly responsible for circulation of rumors of the involvenmres of gambling interests in Sierra's prososals, but whose ultimate relationship to Sierra is obscure. (32) In an interview with the FBI in June 1963, Sierra said Trull had called him after seeing the March.10 article Docld: 32273595 Page 173
page, \ | 35 gs about Sierra in the Chicago Tribune. Sierra said Trull talked about sponsorship of a unified group of Cuban exiles and vaguely mentioned the owner of the King Ranch and a Mr. "Jarvis" who Trull identified as a millionaire in rexas® sierra said he was concerned about Trull being involved with "impure" financial sources, and would ihave nothing further to do with nim? Ge) Trull's sté¥y is differant. A former entertainer érom pallas, Trull said Sierra had first contacted him . in March 1963 and proposed that he help Sierra explain Sierra's plan to the Cuban exiles in Miami. “neult said Sierra had wired tickets so that he could join Sierra in Miami for the series. of “meetings with the exiles’ Sierra carefully outlined the proposal Trull was to explain to such Cuban leaders as former Cuban Prime Minister Carlos Prio and Eusebio Mujal, a former Cuban labor reader” Trull reiterated the plan to. the Cubans, telling them he represented wealthy American interests who had a business _ proposition for the Cuban peovle if they would unify with Carlos Prio as President and Sierra as Secretary of a provisional government. — , . (364) Reports by Cubans who heard Trull lend credence to his tale. MTrull was gound to be "contradictory" and - "vague" about his plan, as might. be expected of a person who was just repeating what he had been told. . | De (369 tru1t later told FBI agents that he had dropped names to Sierra such as Clebrus of the King Ranch, but Sierra ‘ ‘ =: 3 had told him he did not need Trull's financial influence. HW 53060 DBocld: 32273595 Page 174
HW 53060 | page 8 Sierra claimed, according to Trull, that representatives of Las Vegas or Cleveland gambling interests had contacted him and offered up to $14 million in exchange for 30% interest in gambling concessions in Cuba, provided Sierra was able to organize a successful ouster of castro. 77 (340) Trull told the FBI that because he had frequently preformed before Cuban audiences, he felt he had been- chosen by Sierra and used as an-"actor” to sell the Cubans BYE 267) sierra had other assistance at his early meetings on Sierra's plans. which: disappeared as quickly as rrull had. According to- a CIA report, one of the promoters for a meeting in May with exiles was George Franci, a Haitian national who had previously been involved in gambling interests in Havana. Franci's name does not show up as. involved in any later activities of ‘Sierra, Peet? arcer the stories of gambler’ s backing hit the newsstands. — (3ig)as late as July, 1963, Sierra himself was the source of another report that gamblers were backing hin. Miguel : A. "Cuco" Leon, a colleague of Manuel Artime Buesa, reported that when Sierra visited Nicaragua that month, he told him | MD <f 7 he represented U.S. gambling concessions in Cuba. (3.64) another possible basis for the stories about Sierra's "gambler's backing” are separate reports of an actual offer to Chicago Cubans in March 1963. Dr. Cesar Blanco of the Chicago-based Cuban Bar Docld: 32273595 Page 175
AW 53060 page 9 Association of Illinois repotted a meeting of Cuban exiles on March ll, 1963 ate said that a Burt Mold of the American Education League of Los Angeles had asked Blanco laine a ee the Cubans needed to work out a program to -- free cuba Mola, according to Blanco, stated that the "Nevada group" would help since the U.S. government could do nothing. Blanco said that Mold even offered Blanco the job of head of police in Cuba when the country had | | —Ba57 | | 7 been freed. OO a -” (370) Aa cra report of March 1963 reported that Blanco and > _ Sierra had been approached by gamblers from the west to DSL work with them. “It was concessions in Cuba after Castro was overthrown. (37) x0 his public meetings in Miami in May, Sierra: had publicly named the American Educational League _.. Sy of Los Angeles as being in support of his proposal. When that... group challenged Sierra's claims, Sierra backed off, indicating he had received assurances of assistance. from other sources. But it is not known whether Mold had made the offer at the behest of the American Educational tt League or for some other party. His affiliation with aie SPF 56 the League was just as a member. (3aj)rs an offer from gambling interests was ever made, it appears that Sierra either backed away from such an _ offer or began to dress it in legitimate clothing after Docld: 32273595 Page 176
“HW 453060 page Lf >: the adverse publicity. (373) tne backers were identified in public in only the most nebulous terms. Sierra claimed several ‘U.S. companies were behind his plans and these at first were only ident Sa as the Lawyer's Corporation and the american Bankers. = Later, he frequently named such large corporations as United Fruit, ESSO, Standard Oil, Dupont and U.S. Steel, 58 , among others. 3,74) the Chicago office of the FBI closed its investigation -of Sierra’s activites in June 1963, concluding that he was involved in a "con job” rather than any real activities, 642E2EO 54 . . . ~ hoodlum or otherwise. . femaias | ; . The question -$8% who was conning whom? | (379) the FBI' s decision to close the investigation may have been justifiable at the time, since there was no indication either through money spent or by actual group- sponsored .@) operations that Sierra had a viable organization. the activities, however, were just ‘beginning. | | (376) as soon as the organization was formally set up, Sierra and Felipe Rivero left on a trip to Nicaragua and Colombia to disguss plans for a mitery base of operations outside the U.S. The reportedly spoke with Luis: Somoza in Nica-. ‘yagua and also pee to obtain the use of the Isle of Andres off of Colombia. It was also. reported that Sierra and Rivero. a ' traveled to New York, Chicaco, St. Louis and Washin ton, D.C. to werk meet with backers and make further arrangements. Later it was Docld:32273595 Page 177
page ll: > learned that Sierra alone had spent a little over $11,000 PRD 6y on travel expenses by October 1963. (3 3 77) The group was also spending money on arms and equipment by late summer 1963. Rich Lauchli, a well-known arms dealer from Collinsville, Ill., was contacted by Sierra in COAG 6S August to purchase a quantity of guns. . Soldier-of-fortune and Gerry Patrick Hemming associate, Steve wilson, was EFI OC asked by Sierra to deliver the arms to Miami. Sierra 7) _ ordered a two-man submarine from California in October 1963, 7 which was transported to Miami for storage in the garage . of Cuban exile Manuel Aguilar al ed v (3 73) The FBI received information that Sierra had been on “an arms shopping spree in Detroit accompanied by Jose | Cardoso, and purchased $6000 to $7000 worth. of weapons to be transported to Miami. Tetnis Lynn Harber, another Hemming associate, assisted Sierra in the transport of ; ; - With, 70 oo military equipment. (3 79) Sierra was also holding discussions with several "action" groups for assistance in a military: operation against Cuba. rong those contacted who reportedly signed. "pledges" of support were Aldo Vera Serafin of 23% or the militant MAPA group (american Patriotic Action Movement); "Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo and Jptonio ve Veciana Blanch of ‘the 7 SNFE-Alpha, 66 any tance: Santiago Alvarez Rodriguez, of - Comandos L; Eduardo Mor Ruiz, an es anti-Castro. BET GIS 2A 7 L Cuban fighter; and Orlando Bosch of MIRR. (370 Reports of funds given to those groups indicate Sierra HW 53060 Docld:32273595 Page 176
Shem was advancing modest sums from the alleged $650, 000 at his disposal. Aldo Vera Serafin reportedly received ge _ ee $3500 and Tony Cuesta of Comandos L received $1000. Members of the Junta's board of officers also received - contributions from Sierra. “Carlos Rodriguez Quesada recieved $2800; Felipe Rivero Diaz received $1890f%and Gilberto Rodriguez got g1s00. (38 There are various descriptions of the miltary operations. allegedly being prepared by the Junta. On October 30, 1963, information was received that the Second National Front of Escambray had plans for an operation from a base in the pominican Republic. The arrangements were allegedly being made by Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo, head of SNFE, and Abel Camacho in Key west The plan called for action against a bridge in Oriente province and had been master- minded by Antonio Veciana and one of the engineers who | had designed the bridge. Consistent with this information, it was also reported to the FBI that the Junta offered soldier-of-fortune Joe Garman $11,000 to lead a raid. on 33 Oriente Province. ; Ga) There were other reports that an attack | on a Havana oil refinery was planes’ "still other reports simply indicated that although all-out war against Castro was the objective, a hit-and-rug raid for publicity purposes ... - would be attenpted first. | (33 While all these activites wer2 getting undervay , Sierra had some conflict with other officers in the HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 179
HW 353060 page 13_ Junta. Gilbeto Rodriguez Hernandéz was replaced as military coordinator in the summer of 1963 because, according to ey fc Sierra, Hernandez was feared to be a Castro agent. In turn, Hernandez, who had returned from Cuban prison in =o April 1963 in the prisoner exchange, called Van Gorkun and Browder at Union Tank Car Company and complained ‘ bitterly about Sierra's lack of leadership. (3 94) After Sierra haa signed a pact with Alpha 66- ~SFNE, another member of the Junta, Manuel Lozano Pino, resiconed from his position as head of external Relations” “te objected to the inclusion of such a "left-wing" organiza- tion, but also protested Sierra's expenditures™ 3B) mese complaints may have had something to do with Sierra's summons to Chicago in early November 1963 for a stormy session with Browder. Sierra was blasted for wasting funds, reportedly totaling up to $50,000. According to sources of the CIA and FBI, Sierra was accompanied to. the Chicago meeting wi ith Armando F Fleites of SNFE and Browder allegedly ordered Sierra to turn over all monies and supplies to the SNFE-Alpha 66 alliance. But although several of the Junta officers had asked for Sierra's replace- ment and had specifically named Jose "Pepin" Bosch as an attractive alternative, Sierra remained in place as the "guiding spirit” for the next two months tem the remainder of the group’ $s existenc (3%) A CIA memo reported on November 20, 1963 of the ‘strange activities of Sierra and the Juntas Docld:32273595 Page 160
ary DAVID FERRIE (38) On Monday afternoon, November 25, 1963, David “William Ferrie voluntarily presented himself for ques=_ tioning to the New Orleans police who were looking for = him in connection with the assassination of President — Kennedy. (FTF) The New Orleans District Attorney's Gffice/ had earlier received information regarding a relationship between E Ferrie and accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. (Err) Among the allegations: Ferrie hed Oy hav been acquainted with Oswald since Oswald's days in the Civil Air Patrol youth organization in 1954-55; Ferrie nosy baa given Oswald instruction in the use of a rifle and 2 may have hypnotized Oswald to shoot the President; ana that Ferrie was in Texas én the day of the assassination 3 mieere ew have been Oswald's get-away pilot. (Fr) and char: Se cen (39 0) Ferrie ainamcceriecey denied sehen alr. S pas that Bsus LOVE at the time of the President's 1 had been in New | Orleans, busy with court matters for organized crime dem O3u0c Carlos Marcello, who had been. acqui tea of immigration- related charges that same day. (aj Other individuals, - including Marcello, Marcello's lawyer, the lawyer's secretary and FBI agent Regis Kennedy. backed up Ferrie'’s alibi. (fs) | SI Ferrie also gave a detailed account of his where-— abouts for the period from the evening of the assassination AW 53080) 0 =Docld:32273595 Page 182 ba
HW 53060 “of a Field investigation. colleague of Mj Ferrie David Ferrie - 2 until his appearance at the New Orleans police station. 6 . - (Fn) Interviews of Ferrie's associates and the results Ferrie’s statements. (Fn) | a - ee G 92) Ferrie’ s assertion that his Stinson Voyager H airplane was unfiyable at the time of the assassination» was later verified by the FBI. (Fn) Jack Martin, a. New Orleans private detective and {iT 5, METRE ho had originally voiced gm concerns about Ferrie to New Orleans officials, subsequentl.: informed authorities he had no specific information to support sa and the Warren Commission ‘concluded that the stories relating to an Oswald- -Ferrie- relationship were unfounded. Fervie digd | ore oN eh 1967, shortly after New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison announced he was reopening the ’ Kennedy probe and was interested in Ferrie’ s “activities in 19636 Pemba. While there was much speculation that his death may have been suicide, the New Orleans coroner determined the death was a result of natural 0 Ne yewthe WSS, HuS causes. Hevewengabe further fueled suspicion -about his activities. C394} The Committee determined that Ferrie's activities during the months prior to the assassination of President Docld: 32273595 Page 183
David Ferrie - 3 Kennedy warranted examination. The Wommittee paid particularly close attention to a possible relationship between Oswald and Ferrie. What emerged were several parallels in the . i life-oftthe two: a complexity of personality and political belief; a difficulty in attaining normal social adjustment; \ and a incidences of being in the game locality at the same | timel involved in similar activities. | (395) ReseeaEneay , fr: detailed record of Ferrie'’s life and associates? isVavailable. The Com- mitee. examined FBI and Secret Service investigative re- ports generated immediately after the assassination and FBI and INS reports ante-dating or post-dating the as- sassination; it received information developed during» ‘the 1967-1968 Garrison investigation; anWMexamined the files of the extensive investigation of Ferrie con— | ducted by the Federal Aviation Administration, Eastern Airlines and the New Orleans police from ‘1961 to 1963, an investigation whiret was the result of cxintnal Additionally) charges against Ferrie filed in 1961. . the Committee conducted its own field investigation. (S76) Ferrie: was born in 1918 in Cleveland, Ohio,the 11 son of James Howard Ferrie, a police captain ani™\ttorney. (Fn) Ferrie attended parochial grammar and high -12 at . school:. here no indicatiorm"his childhood was any- thing but normal y numerous HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 184 . 2
- David Ferrie - 4 acquaintances and associates of Ferrie reveal that he grew to be a complex, even bizarre individual. == “One aptly stated, "Not inappropriately, he (Ferrie) was described asa paradox.” ez | ) 097) > His unusual personal appearance was partially a result of the loss of his body hair ya fare ais- . 14 ease. =) and exaggerated fake eyebrowsfcrudelyLaffixed with glue as compensa 5) who knew bum Hoh. vey Persons 5 ea consideredveloppy and 16 wih a. proclivity | ' unkempt, foul language. i? 373) Ferrie was often described as "very aggressive” 17 18 and "highly obnoxious”. He resented authority) A was 19 aad opinionated, and often difficult to get along with. z= » He wore a makeshift toupee ~ Yet he was able to exert a tremendous influence over his - close associates, including many young men in his Civil Air Patrol squadron. fe . (3949) Several of Ferrie's associates iy indicate he was | | | a homosexual and a mysoginist. - laa His sexual ex- ploitation of younger nen —=—faaes “would eventually cause him numerous problems. | t ‘os } Although his formal education was not exten- sive, Ferrie was considered highly intelligent, even brilliant. He had originally studied theology in the hope of becoming an ordained priest, but he left | seminary school before graduation because of "emotional. ; 2 instability".  §M& Later, in 1941, he received a 24. & bachelor of arts degree from Baldwin-Wallace Colleg HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 185
David Ferrie - 5 MAjOIKD | 25 .  -—_jemmem@enaad in philosophy. (mm He also received, through a correspondence course, a doctorate degree in psychology. ‘from an unagcredited saa 7 he 2 tea well ppi- , 6 In Au ust 1457) fe veristy, Sl Bari, realy, f rs et fotake pesenienstichinipeinr the final board exams. oun) a /) Ferrie spent considerable time studying 28 medicine and psychology, a) especially the techniques of hypnosis which he frequently practiced on his young associates. =, Ferrie had even set up a laboratory. over his garage, = SE Leeann dnamabiconiiy enum. he lost his hair, alternately attributing N it to a radiation experiment, chemical explosion and > cancer research experiments. (oer) He listed his name in the telephone book as "Dr." David Ferric; ¢amemnd. many friends did erroneously believe he was a medical _dector and a psychologist. cum) This veneer of re-, spectability and achievement could be why Ferrie referred : to his Ph.D. degree as his "most prized possession". a flex) Ferrie was also philosophically and politically ; complex. He. considered himself a devout Catholic,. and made several. attempts to become: a priest, se a Sgugh, he described himself as a "theological liberal”. ‘= ' He also claimed | to be liberal in his civil rights a titude. (Mm ox ff. was rabidly anti- Communist, omy howevor, and frequently critical of each Presidential administration for what he perceived to be sell-outs to Communism. Coes HW 53080 Docld: 3223735595 Page 166
_HW 53080 . groups about politics. (Gib) Ferrie associates told David Ferrie - 6 no , (463) Ferrie often spoke to business and civic. * $21 “FBI agents in 1961 that Ferrie had. been “critical of the Roosevelt administration... (as it) was trying to a - 42 Associates also Said drive us into Communism." tam'YFerrie "was also critical of the Truman administration for the same 3 . . reason.” 2 (f0#) . Ferrie was asked to discontinue his remarks — at a speaking engagement in July 1961 before the New 7 . 44 Orleans chapter of the Military Order of World Wars. His topic was the presidential a administration and the 5 Bay of Pigs fiasco. The organization put a stop to Ferrie's remarks when he became too critical of Presi- dent Kennedy. a . 05) He apparently expressed his views to. anyone who would listen. During an interview with an IRS _ auditor in 1960, Ferrie was "outspoken" in his derogatory “comments about the United States. (@. He complained bitterly about his alleged tax persécution to such an extent that the agent reported he thought Ferrie was actually deranged, a "psycho". tm Lng) Ferrie's major avocation and occupation, however, if # . . was flying. Even associates who were critical of Ferrie's character considered him an excellent pilot. (@@™ An early acquaintance believes that Ferrie first started to fly at his father's suggestiong to take his mind off of DocId:32273595 Page 187
David Ferrie - 7 OO 50 his failures at the seminary. Mm He took lessons. at Sky Tech Airway Service in Cleveland, Ohio between 51 1942 and 1945. ZB te then worked as a pilot for an oil drilling firm which had jobs in South America. Se a When the company went out of business, Ferrie tried teaching at Rocky River High. School, pmol but he was 7 fired in 1948 for psychoanalyzing his” students instead of teaching them. <a . (409 In 1949, Ferrie left the Cleveland area after rumors that he had taken several young. boys to a house | ek quladed 35 - Of prostitution aiamamd through his neighborhood. = Although Ferrie's exact movements are not known, he | = appears to have gone to Tampa, Florida, where he received his instrument rating at Sunnyside Flying School. ES (#25) In 1950, Ferrie returned to Cleveland. He worked as an insurance inspector, and joined the Army” Reserve for a a stint, leaving with an honorable discharge in 1953.~ oo | Life started going well for Ferrie. In 1951 he ‘gubmittea an application to Eastern Airlines; omitting details of his past emotional and occupationsl difficulties. (@m% Eastern Airlines hired him in Miami, and soon . transferred him to New orleans. ea | | | ge) Internal memos for Eastern Airlines indicate Ferrie was accepted for employment, but consideration -was-given to firing him almost immediately for falsify- HW 53060 Docld: 32273595 Page 188 59
HW 53060 . : ry & David Ferrie - 8 61 ing parts of his application. <@™@ The New Orleans branch was advised to keep Ferrie only until a replace- ment could be found and a "close watch” on Ferrie's a 62 ‘progress was recommended Pe) Initial reports, how- ever, were favorable. wan Ferrie was considered by his fellow pilots. to be doing a good job, although he was "odd" at times. ==: Eastern decided to et him his job enthusiastically, re devoting his own time to talking at schools and clubs to promote interest in aviation and travel in the South- 65 - west area.  @M& In 1953, the president of Eastern: wrote him a letter personally commending Ferrie’s 66° efforts on behalf of the company. @@@% This early record of dedication and competence may have accounted for Ferrie's longevity as an Eastern Airlines captain, despite’ complaints Sethe years. — faa Ultimately, ‘the infractions became too serious, and, after. a long investigation and a hearing process which lasted from 1961 until 1963, Ferrie lost his job. Tan} #2) Ferrie had always been deeply engrossed in ‘other activities related to flying, including the Civil | ' 68 Air Patrol, which he had first joined in Cleveland. (am Over the years his difficulties with the hierarchy and authorities of the Civil Air Patrol would increase, but Docld: 32273595 Page 189
HW 53060 David Ferrie - 9 Ferrie remained intensely popular with many of the members and enjoyed a reputation as. a first rate in- 69 _ gtructor and organizer. EHH Jean Naatz, an aviatrix ‘otated, of national renown, ee eee :) "He had done more for the Civil Air Patrol than anyone else and built up ' the Squadron to one of the’ biggest squadrons in the 70 state of Ohio.” <a egy 3} Ferrie also built the same reputation with many CAP cadets in the New Orleans area. One CAP com-- mander said, "David Ferrie is:a good organizer. ..He made the CAP at the New Orleans Airport. everything it is. today. He has a large following among the cadets of the 721 CAP, and is an excellent flying. instructor." amt By 1953, there were about 80 cadets assigned to his . 72 . squadron. = Ferrie spent about six hours a week in official CAP activity and much more of his own time 73 associating with his cadets. a Ferrie became cknown | for his enthusiastic approach to cadet training, emphasiz- ~ing tutoring in science and mathematics and putting - 74 cadets in charge of their own discipline. The squadron a 75. had an award-winning drill team. Yaa a, His appeal to several young men may have been i “t “€ related to his taking an extraordinary interest in them: he save them flying instruction and flight time in his 76 own airplane; Po he often gave parties at his residence “V7 where liquor flowed freely; WMM® he offered his home as @ place for the boys to stay when they were unhappy at Bocld: 32273595 Page 190
David Ferrie - 10 78 home. @@ He urged several. boys to. join the armed - 79 80 - _ forces, sam, ottake careers in aviation or en- 81 . - couraged them to join seminaries. BO ae Many of Ferrie’ s cadets became involved in Ferrie! s wide spectrum of” ~ 82 activities. ca Ferrie’s tremendous influence and close association with these young men eventually became a controversial 83 , 7 ect with many parents. ij Ferrie did not bother to renew his CAP commander: : 84 charter when it ran out in 1954, = although he. con- ‘tinued to wear the insignia of the CAP on his fatigues. —_ He did renew his commander charter in 1959, when. : he augmented his cadet's standard CAP rifle training - by instituting an association with the New ‘Orleans Cadet | Rifle Club. (am. Ferrie also started a group called _ the. "Palcon Squadron," composed of Ferrie's closest CAP associates. JME A group within this group, the "Omni- potents,"” was allegedly started ‘to train cadets in what Cc to do in the ‘event. of alee A attack on the United 88 States. . XY fim” wemmmnine to travel around tne country witn relative ease. na ounershi of an airplane enabled He to1a officials —_ he frequently traveled to Texas oo ; -- &9g ; and Other parts South, including Miami, Hem, visited , 30 . New York on occasion. HW 53080 DocId:32273595 Page 191
Ss David Ferrie - ll ot is unknown how mu time Ferrie was spending . in these other. cities. Jn August 1959, while | in Miami, Ferrie was put under a 26- hour surveillance by Customs agents who believed Ferrie was involved ‘in | gun smuggling.. Following a brief investigation, in- | ' cluding a tapping of his telephone conversations, it was determined ‘that Ferrie was not involved in any (Ey illegal, but merely planning an outing for his "scouts" 5 me The investigation was dropped. | @ un) Ferrie also became involved in other activities. In 1959, he had found an outlet forays political fanati- cism in the anti-Castro movement. yoy By early 1961, Ferrie and a young man whom Ferrie had first met in. the - CAP, Layton Martens, , were working with Sergio Arcacha Smith, head of the ‘Cuban Revolutionary Front delegation in New Orleans. ime a | | | 4) Ferrie is » became Smith's eager partner in counter- Revolutionary activities. be Wes rtedly a built two miniature submarines which he planned to use for an attack on Havana Harbor, = WY obtained - several rifles and mortars for the proposed invasion, Seow was reportedly teaching Cubans how to fly- = further, Several of Ferrie's cadets claines to have taken trips to Cuba in Ferrie's airplane. gy HW 53080) Docld:32273595 Page 192
David Ferrie ~ 12 - {20) Ferrie was also involved with Arcacha~Smith, adventurer Gordon Novel and Layton Martens i a raid _On a munitions dump in Houma, Louisiana.. ae Le September 1961, the U.S. Border Patrol received informa- oe -— tion that Ferrie was attempting to purchase a C-47 air- : a plane for $30,000 and reportedly had a cache of arms in, the New Orleans areay (== the report was never ; . verified. There were also unverified reports that Ferrie provided Arcacha Smith with personal financial | . . a... | = assistance. a 4 >}! Arcacha Smith wrote Eastern Airlines then—- . | ae "president Eddie Rickenbacker on Ferrie's behalf request— with p < “- CEPR Sea rant ey tray STAY Peis ing a 60-or 90-day leave
Weve, emma Coincided with the Bay ‘Perrie's vacation in April 1961 of Pigs. invasion. 8B) Ferrie's role, if any, is not “Fhe CRC in New Orleans © | ARR) . . was affiliated with the main branch of the CRC in Miami, \ Sy 10g ~~“ which had been receiving funds from the c - Some of these funds may have been disseminated to the New Or- oo an leans branch to cover operating costs. gemma, “Frere ot : _ emt That . : ms is ‘no evidence) errie received funds from either the CRC ' Ferrie's assistance and interest: appears to have been completely voluntary. HW 53060 DBocld: 32273595 Page 194
HW 53060 David Ferrie -— 13° fio) ele Ral at Ferrie had continued . to , have’ rene ‘personal problems. in 1960 he had provoked the ‘ire of 108 “other CAP commanders while on a cadet campout.— Lael a The incident ended with Ferrie withdrawing his cadets from the. outing and ¢ eventually led to his permanent | resignation from the CAP in 1960. = | (424) 24), Ferrie! s troubles intensified when charges were brought against him by parents of boys who had run away from noma. ° In one instance, Ferrie had gained entrance to the New Orleans Youth Detention Center to visit one runaway boy by signing himself in as a doctor. z= | ¢ 4 25) The parents of “angther: boy compllined Meitaan a - was staying with Ferrie. = “As a result, sme Ferrie was arrested on August 8, 1961 for contthuting : - to the delinquency of a juvenile. = (24) « Cuban exile leader Arcacha smith* intervened on Ferrie's behalf by telling police that the boy would be returned to his parents if they aia not press charges- against Ferrie. But Ferrie was arrested again on a August 21, 1961 for crime against nature on ometlens 15- 115 year-old boy and indecent behavior with three others. He had moved the office of the crc to the New-- man Building at 544 Camp Street in 1962, but lack of funds caused him to leave town in mid- 1962, his reputation among anti-Castro Cubans ~ tarnished by his association with Ferrie.. He was also accused by several Cuban exiles of misappropriation of funds. 116 (427 Arcacha Smith was having problems of his own.- Docld:322735595 Page 195
HW 53060 David Ferrie - 14 Gat An intensive New Orleans police investigation of the charges against Ferrie produced statements. from - several boys * that Ferrie had committed indecent acts 7 with them. The boys also told investigators Ferrie had told them he had had homosexual relations with a ‘married man in Houston. ue — On August 26, Eastern Airlines removed him from the payroll for an. indefinite period . and the Federal Aviation Administration then opened its: 120 own investigation into the charges. u 24) With his problems mounting, Ferrie sought 121 legal aid from New Orleans attorney G. Wray Gili, Sr.’ Ferrie later testified that he and Gill. had entered into an agreement in March,,1962 that Gill would represent 7 ‘Ferrie in his legal difficulties in return for Ferrie's 122 research and investigative work on “other cases for Gill. (429) Ferrie also testified that he also entered. into 123 - a similar arrangement in February, 1962 with Guy Banister, | 124 - a former FBI agent who ran a private investigative firm. . By the terms of the agreement, Ferrie’ Ss work for Banister. included analyzing autopsy reports - in payment ~ 125 for Banister’ s investigative services. Banister stated 126 ; he handled Ferrie's case "personally". L431) Ferrie may have first met Banister late in 1960 “or early. 1961 when Banister, also a strong anti-Communist, was helping to establish the - "Friends of Democratic Cuba” 127 organization as a adjunct to Sergio Arcacha Smith's CRC. At the. time, Banister's investigative business and the DoclId: 322735595 Page 196
HW 53060 Although he was categorized as a "poor" credit risk in David Ferrie - 15 a 128 ~—C > CRC were both located in the Balter Building. In Febru- ary, 1961, Banister was conducting background investi- “gations of the members of the CRC from a list provided | by Arcacha Smith. . In early, 1962, both moved their offices to the Newman Building, which carried the two addresses for the two streets it faced: 531 ‘Lafayette and 544 Camp Street. U3X Jack Martin, a private investigator associated with Banister, may also have been contacted by Ferrie for assistance on his case. Ferrie testified in August 1963 that he had helped Martin on a case involving a phoney religious order in Louisville, Kentucky, in November, 1961. ‘Later, Martin wrote letters ae the FAA and Eastern Airlines on Ferrie' s behalf. Vor _ (BD). With this assistance, Ferrie was. able: to re- a solve “many of his difficulties. At the end ‘of ‘Pebruary 1962, Ferrig yas triea and acquitted: of the charges of extortion. 136 other charges were nolle prosequied in November 1962. _ oa 3) | Ferrie wager managed to stay afloat financially despite his loss ‘of income from Eastern Airlines in 1961. 37 October 1962 by the New Orleans Retail Credit Bureau, ~ Ferrie maps dre payments on his car ~ and mee living expenses. Meanwhile he was also attempting to be reinstated as an Eastern pilot. Attorney G. Wray Gill notified Eastern when the last of the charges © Docld: 32273595 Page 197
David Ferrie - 16-— _ 139 - against Ferrie had been nolle prosequieds Eastern re- sponded. with a letter inviting Ferrie to discuss the . : 140 141 charges at a meeting in Miami. Ferrie did not go. Instead, several individuals, including one of the boys who had been named in a@ sex offense charge against him, wrote to Eastern to plead that Ferrie be rein-— stated, | Ferrie also filed a “grievance” against Eastern. Then, in February, 1963, he went to Miami with attorney Gill for the hearing regarding his dis- missal. Eastern ruled against him “Ferrie filed an~ other grievance. . So . 148 (435) Hearing dates were scheduled and rescheduled. : During this period, Ferrie was often seen nt Banister's offices in 544 Camp Street as he prepared his case (G34) Ferrie’ s final i .grievance hearing’ was set for: July 15, 1963, in Miami. Ferrie, Gill and Banister were in Miami on July 15, 16,. and 17. while Eastern Air- lines presented its case against Ferrie. The record of these hearings reveal that the company's charges were | based on Ferrie's deliberate omissions and inaccuracies in his original application to the company; charges of Ferrie's moral turptitude; and his having. misrepresented himself as a medical doctor and psychologist. |. (43p. The hearings were resumed on August 5th. ‘Testi- fying in Ferrie’s defense were former CAP cadet John HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 196
David Ferrie - 17 Irion, Ferrie's long-time friend James Lewallen, 154 Ferrie's investigator Guy Banister and Ferrie himself. — ; “Layton Martens provided a sworn deposition in defense . of Ferrie's character. Banister testified to Ferrie's — | good character supposedly based on his own investigation. of Ferrie. fWowewer,[n cross-examination Banister could not rationalize to the satisfaction of the hearing board the reasons for Ferrie’s vituperative remarks in . 1961 against President Kennedy@ nor could he adequately ~ explain Ferrie's involvenent with a questionably legiti- mate church group. | . 43a) On September 30, Ferrie received the final decision from the Eastern appeal board? ; @® unanimously » . upheld his discharge. | - | - . (434) By the Fall of 1963, Ferrie had become actively 7 involved in the defense investigation of Federal | me charges of a fraudulent birth certificate against Carlos | Marcello, an alleged organized crime leader in New or- a leans. | . | . 7 : | ata, Ferrie's ties to the Marcello organized crime family apparently continued at least until July 1966. As of that time, Ferrie was involved with Jacob Nastasi, a known associate of the Marcello family who had been the subject: of an FBI probe of racketeering in the New Otleans area, in a commercial cargo airline venture, Space Airfreight Lines, Inc. * previously he had been involved in the United ct Service with | other suspected MArcello associates. a. a en an (444i) Ferrie's involvement with Upreetio may have- begun as early as the Spring of 1961. An unconfirmed =. from the immenaeer. and Natuauzatitn Ceryie. _ Border Patrol report of “February 1962Yalleges that Ferrie . was the pilot who flew Carlos Marcello back into the . United States from Guatemala after he had been deported in April 1961 as part of the U. s. Attorney General 165 Robert Kennedy's crackdown on organized crime. This . HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 139
David Ferrie - 18 — may have helped Ferrie establish an enduring relation-— ship with the Marcello organized crime family. U2) The return of Marcello to the United States . chronologically coincided with rie's activities with the Cuban Revolutionary ao ae to Carlos Quiroga, a Cuban who had been involved with the . RC, Ferrie often provided Arcacha Smith with fund 35 stating "Ferrie tent him (Arcacha smith) money when he needed it for his family...He (Ferrie) had hundred dollar bills around all the time," even after he had lost his ‘job with the airline Ma S U4) An ‘PBI. report of | ‘April, “1961 indicates Mar~ oe cello offered Arcacha smith a deal whereby Marcello -_ would make a substantial donation to the movement in _ return, se eaRreetions in Cuba after Castro's over— throw.-7One” explanation of Ferrie's ability to provide - funds to Arcacha Smith may be. that he acted as Marcello's financial conduit. © | | : ; oo - [eey) ‘Another indication of an early Ferrie relation~ . ship with the Marcello organized crime family may be the legal assistance puso aes Mercéllo lawyer, Jack Wasserman, provided to Ferrie associates, Layton Martens, who weeD himself to : | police as an ‘Smith’ Ss second- -in- command, and Andrew oS Blackmon. Both had been arrested shortly after Ferrie! s HW 53060 Docld: 32273595 Page 200
HW 53060 David Ferrie ~ 19 arrest for indecent behaviore” (U4 5) Ferrie’ s ties to the Marcello organized crime family continued through his association . + with G. Wray Gill, Sr., who was also attorney of re-. . 174 cord for Carlos Marcello. (446) Ferrie told the FBI that he had begun work - on Marcello’ Ss case after his last Eastern grievance hearing. er telling the Bureau about his work for rent rte only activities in October and November. . aad ‘He said he went to Guatemala on business for Marcello from October llth te, October 18th and from’ October 30th to November lst. The day after Marcello! a trial started, November 5th, Ferrie purchased a (+38 revolver. On the weekends of November 9th and 16th, Ferrie, stayed at Churchill Downs, Marcello’s countryside estate. He said he. had gone there to map out strategy for Marcello’ s trial. THE DAY THE PRESIDENT WAS SHOT (qua) New Orleans Police xecords ‘for ‘November 22, 1965 indicate that Guy Banister pistol-whipped Jack Martin on the evening of the assassination in a heated 181 argument over "long-distance telephone calls." Although Martin reported the assault to the police, anise 182 he refused to press charges against === re Within 48 hours, however, Martin had the entire New Orleans Docld: 32273595 Page 201
David Ferrie - 20. police department out hunting for Davia Ferrie. He told the police shat Ferriéwed-been involved in the ; BED Geedtically weSusteced, Kennedy assassination. at Ferrie was in . Texas on the day of the assassination; that. he was ne supposed to have been the getaway pilot in the assas~ sination; and that Ferrie had known Oswald from their - - days together in the civil Air patrol, when Ferrie had “given Oswald instructions in the use of a rifle. 7 (aa) In an attempt to locate Ferrie for questioning, art arrested two Ferrie associates, Layton Martens andNewy Beauboeut r “ge Ferrie’ s residence and charged them with vagrancy. Beauboeuf was uncooperative during — the questioning) Martens was more talkatives Be said > Gill had come by to relay a message to Perris ao ‘his library card was found among Oswald's effects, ATOR we PALS AOE 2 wet tie LOLS. (se) Ferrie retue to New orleans | on the after-_ . noon of November 25th. He and ae Gill appeared at the DA’s office around 4:30 p.m. He was questioned — by the New Orleans police, the U. S.. Secret Service 192 193 and the FBI. He denied ever seeing Oswald before. alse, | Us! Ferrie Said that he had been in New Orleans until at least 9 p.m. on November 22nd, celebrating Marcello's trial victory at the ‘Royal Orleans. He said he then left the city with two friends for a little rest and. relaxation. HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 202 wae we
yp David Ferrie ~ 21 (45a) Ferrie's account of his travels between Novem- } " ; x _ per 22nd and November 25th contains some contrdictions.- Ferrie said he left New Orleans by automobile, bound for Housten and_ accompanied by Melvin Coffey and Al. | Beauboeuf. The group checked in at the Alamotel early — on November 23rd. ‘That date on the motel registration card was written over a November 22nd notation. mmm, “Fie motel. employee said that was because of the e early | morning hour. of the "check-in and that he is certain. of | the correct date as the 23rd. : (4s» On the afternoon of the 23ra, Ferrie saidg he, - Beauboeuf and Coffey. went figure skating at the winter- Zo0 land Skating. Rinks wirs The three then went 'to 4 the Belair Skating Rink before | driving one hour to Galveston, Texas, where they arrived at 9 p.m, and, shortly after, checkea into the ‘Driftwood ‘Motel. (Es). Check-in and check-out times for the Houston and Galveston hotels conflict. Alamotel records in | Houston indicate. that Ferrie and his friends checked | into ‘the hotel early on gre 23rd and did not leave until 8 or 9 p.m. on the 24th. Yet the registration records and - witnesses at the Driftwood in Galveston show the three registering late on the 23rd and checking out at 10 a.m. on the 24th. | CS. Records from, the motels indicate the group made a number of phone calls. Two calls made from the Ala~ HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 203
- David Ferrie - 22 ae motel went to radio stations WSHO and WDSH in New Or- 206 . leans. A collect call went to the Town and Country , ; : 7 >) . ; “Motel, Marcello's New Orleans headquarters) qa Cl j . | | , oo: (45°) Evidence indicates that Ferrie conducted his Doe own investigation. into the Kennedy assassination. _ ; . . Oswald's former landlady in New Orleans, Mrs. Jesse Garner, told the Committee thatgeas she recalls, Ferrie visited her home on the night of the assassination and , 208 a Do, asked about Oswald's library card. Mrs. Garner would. oo 209 ae ’ = _. oe 1 aN abe . of the Civil Air Patrol gumanamiais to find out if any ' former cadets recalled Lee Harvey Oswald in Ferrie's Squadron. Among those contacted was former cadet Roy - oo McCoy, who told the FBI that Ferrie had come by looking oe for photographs of the cadets to see if Oswald was - , a oo 219 °° os . Pictured in any photos of Ferrie's squadron. ee HW 53060 DBocld: 32273595 Page 204
HW 53060 544 CAMP STREET i) ~ (469 Jon August 9, 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald was. arrested on Canal Street in New Orleans and charged with disturbing l the peace. The arrest was the result of a confrontation with anti-Castro Cuban exile Carlos Bringuier and two of his associates, Miguel cruz and Celso Hernandez. Oswald was handing out pro-Castro leaflets when Bringuier, | Hernandez and Cruz approached him. When Hernandez tried to take the leaflets from Oswald, a shouting match began; the New Orleans police then intervened, arresting all four individuals. (461) Samples of the literature were confiscated by the | a “One of the pamphlets bore the hand- “stamped imprint of an address for the’ Fair Play for Cuba Committee-of which Oswald was the president and only member in New Orleans-- as"544 Camp Street, New Orleans, ta." (4oa} this pamphlet was among the materials turned over by the New Orleans police department to the Secret Service following the assassination. “The Secret Service and the FBI then set out to investigate the 544 Camp Street address. These agencies established several facts: (He3 3) The address had been stamped with a home printing kit in the same manner Oswald had stamped other literature with his alias "A. J. Hidell" or "L. H. Oswald," indicating “it was by Oswald! s own hand that the 544 Camp Street address was printed on the pamphlet. . (You) It was learned also that Oswald had written to the national president of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, Docld: 32273595 Page 205
HW 53060 544 Camp page 2 Vincent T. Lee, on August 1, 1963, eight days before his — 12 . arrest. In the letter, Oswald mentioned he had rented an office for his local FPCC chapter, but was told to vacate after three days because the ‘building was to be 13 remodeled. (465) The FBI and the Secret Service investigation apparently focused on whether or not Oswald actually 14 had rented an office at the 544 Camp Street address. (460) In interviews with the FBI and the Secret Service, the building owner, Sam’Newman, denied renting an office 15 oe to Oswald. Others renting office space at 544 Camp Street were questioned ‘and none recalled seeing Oswald 16 — at the Newman building or elsewhere. in New Orleans. x7 pains ne / i 4e7 HOEBvEE, ‘During the course of that investigations the Secret Service received information. that. an office in the Newman Building had been rented to the Cuban Revolutionary Council from October 1961 through February 1962. Leaders of the CRC were contacted and asked if they had any associa-. tion with ox knowledge of Oswald or the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. The Cubans said they had none because they had vacated the building fifteen months prior to Oswald’ s 19 Gad The investigation of a possible connection between 20. ‘Oswald and the 544 Camp Street address was closed. The Warren Commission finding§ concurred with the Secret | Docld: 32273595 Page 206
544 Camp page 3 Service. report that no additional evidence had been found to indicate Oswald ever maintained an office at the 544 Camp Street t address. (469 The Committee investigated the possibility of a connection between Oswald and 544 Camp Street with ‘Get different results. y7) The Committee learned ‘Es its research that the Newman building occupied the corner lot facing Lafayette Square. On one side its address | was 544 Camp Street. * Its other entrance was addressed 531 Lafayette ‘street. It was a ‘three- ~story granite structure owned: and operated by Sam Newman as a rental income property for commercial offices. (Grothe Committee interviewed Sam Newman and other witnesses “to obtain a complete list of the occupants of the building for the period from May, 1963, when Oswald arrived in New Orleans, to September , 1963, when he departed. ¢B)newnan told the Committee he had great difficulty ‘renting space in the = buidling. Consequently, there were few tenants vin the summer of 1963; the Camp Street address ? was the main entrance to offices for two worker's associationss the Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Worker's Union. and the Amalgamated Asssociation of Street Electric Railway and Motor Coach Employees of america. It was also the entrance which led to the quarters of the the building's janitor, 27 James Arthus. There was only one office at the Lafayette HW 53060 Doclda: 322735595 Page 207
544 Camp page 4 Street address, that of Guy Banister Associates, a private investigative ae The offices once rented by the Cuban Revolutionary Council at 544 Camp still lay empty. “Mancuso's", a small coffee shop, was located on the ground floor with its own entrance onto the corner of Camp and Lafayette. streets. (473) one Committee located and interviewed individuals associated with these organizations. Whenever possible, the Committee obtained relevant records from the organizations to check for any link to Oswald or persons implicated in the assassination investigation. The Cdmittee investigation produced no evidence of any connection between Oswald and any person or organizations occupying the Newman Building in 1963, except for that involving Guy Banister's private detective agency. (474) Before leuncteeireena discussion of the investigation of the Banister office, whine Beech SES [eae the results of the investigation into the other occupants of 544 Camp Street. | (475 The Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Employees Union is ‘known today as the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartender's Union (International). Although the Committee was unable to locate personnel who had worked in the office at 544 Camp Street and had been interviewed by the Secret Service following the assassination, the Committee did obtain a "master" membership list froam.the union. The lists contained names of memrers for th years. 1962 through 1964 aed were studied for names of associates HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 208
HW 53060 544 Camp Street page 5 of Oswald or others of: interest in-the investigation. Among the names appearing’ on the:list.as a. member from. . 33 October.30, 1962, "through April 1963" was Kerry Thornley, who had been an acquaintance of Oswald's for“three or >in 1959: four months ‘when both were stationed at the El Toro Marine 34 Corps base in Santa Ana, California.- Later, Thornley ren learned from newspaper accountsiof Oswald's defection to the Soviet Uniom® Thornley found the story so interesting that he set out to write a novel based on Oswald's defection. (#7) Nevertheless, the Committee's investigation of Kerry Thornley uncovered nothing of significance in the appearance of Thornley's name on the list of members of the union. As reflected in the union's records, Thornley dropped his. membership after April 1963. Thornley had left New Orleans to travel to California and Mexico and dia not return to New Orleans until August 1963, leaving little overlap of time in which Oswald and Thornley could have possibly come - in’ contact. 447) fn-testimeny-befere—the-Comnittes’ Thornley has firmly denied contact with Oswald at 544 Camp Street in New Orleans or 39 at any time since his Marine Corps days. His statements See and no evidence have been has been found to contradict him. (774),conmittee imvestigatans located and interviewed George S. Gay, present. president of the Amalgamated Association of 40 Street Electric Railway and Motor Employees of America. Gay DoclId: 32273595 Page 209
HW 53060 544 Camp Street page 6 4l has been president of the union since 1960 and confirmed for the Committee that the union's office was located in the 42 Newman Building. in 1963. While Gay reiterated what he had told Secret Service agents, that he did not recall ever 43 seeing Oswald in the building, he told the Committee he was not in the office very much due to frequent business ' 44 trips. He said he did not mingle with the other tenants 45 in the building. Gay believed the union's searetary at the time, Mrs. Eugenia Donnelly, would have more information 46 about others in the Newman Building. Subsequent attempts to locate Donnelly proved futile and she is believed to be 47 deceased. Unfortunately, she was not questioned by investi-_ ‘gating officials following the assassination of President Kennedy. (“79 Jack Mancuso, owner of Mancuso's Coffee Shop located &n the ground floor of the Newman Building, was interviewed 48 by Committee investigators and questioned about his customers. Mancuso recalled that Guy Banister and his associates Jack Martin and David Ferrie were "steady" customers, but Mancuso personally 49 could notArecall ever having seen Oswald. Mancuso was not interviewed by FBI or Secret Service agents following the assassination. | (#80) James arthus was interviewed by.Secret Service agents immediately following the assassination. He told the agents that an unknown man had attempted to rent an office 52 at 544 Camp Street, but that he.-had discouraged him. Arthus could not describe the amn and recommended the agents Docld: 32273595 Page 210
544 Camp Street page 7 speak with "Mrs. Downing", presumed to be Mrs. Donnelly, since she had also seen the man and could possibly provide a description of him. As pointed out above, Mrs. Donnelly was notinterviewed by either the Secret Service of -the FBI on this matter. Arthus could not be interviewed by the Committee because he died in 1967. vei) The FBI and the Secret Service apparently failed to question all the occupants of 544 Camp Street, including a witness who: may have had information about a man who had attempted to rent space there. While the FBI did speak to Guy Banister, there is no indication from the report of that interview that Banister was asked any questions about Oswald. Instead, he was asked about Sergio Arcacha Smith and the Cuban Revolutionary council. (yé2) The overall investigation of the 544 Camp Street issue at the time of the assassination was not thorough. It is not surprising, then, that significant links were never discovered during the original investigation. The Committee concentrated on an investigation of the activities and individuals in and around the office of Guy Banister, ‘since this was the area of the least investigation in the days following the assassination. Various resources Consulied S . . . were Tapped. by the Committee for information regarding ‘i There induce: Banister and his colleagues» Sriginal documents from Banister's office collected during the 1967-69 investigation into the Kennedy assassination by the New Orleans District Attorney; investigative reports at ot HW 53080 Docld: 32273595 Page 211
HW 53060 544 Camp Street page 8 the District Attorney's office dating from that investigation; materaails amassed during the 1961-63 investigation of David Ferrie by Federal Aviation Administration officials including transcripts of Ferrie's grievance hearings; information obtained from Aaron Kohn of the Metropolitan Crime Commission of New Orleans; and information obtained from reviews of relevant files of the FBI, Secret Service, DOD and CIA. In addition, the Committee simepiem interviewed “aéex surviving witnesses, many of whom had worked for or with Guy Banister. G53) According to one of Banister's own biographical sketches dated March 1964, he was born in a log cabin in rural Louisiana in 1901, the eldest of seven ena Terence dp tok oF started his carer in crim pas justice with the4Monroe, SPECIE IA ryt ore cymes Sia SP Louisiana,pelice-depesimaent. In 1934 he became a Special hak Agent for the agency of the Department of Justice which. was soon to be named the Federal Bureau of investigation. Banister served in the FBI for 20 years, 17 of those years as Special Agent in in Charge. He retired in 1954 to become an assistant superintendent for the New Orleans police department and was assigned the task of investigating police corruption. After a falling out with the Mayor of New Orleans, allegedly over Banister's attempt to have the Mayor indicted on charges of "malfeasance, etc.", Banister quit public service and formed his own private Doclda:32273595 Page 212
HW 53060 544 Camp Street page 9 61 detective agency, Guy Banister Associates, Inc.. (U4! according to FBI files reviewed by Committee. staff, Banister also became very active in anti-Communist activities after his seperation from the FBI and testified before various investigatin bodies about the 62 dangers of Communism. The CIA file on Guy Banister indicates the Agency ii SapLanespmbGGOnconsidered utilizing Guy Banister Associates\as a cover mechanism| 14 Stpteim ber; 1960. ~ 63 for collecting foreign intelTigence> ‘The idea was dropped.when "derogatory" ‘data about Banister was \ yo oo . discovered during the Agency's security investigation _ into Banister's background the files indicate there | 64 ; was some concern over Banister's clash with the Mayor. i Early in 1961, Banister helped draw up a charter for the Friends of Democratic Cuba, an organization set up as the fund- -raising arm of Sergio Arcacha Smith's branch 65 of the Cuban | Revolutionary Council.* (See "Geert feReoT er” Banister ‘described his work for the Councils "Our work was primarily to gather food and clothing for the refugees. However because ef my being known in connection with that, / ~and/ my background being known with Arcacha smtih and others, I have had high-ranking Cuban ~ refugees in my office asking me how to go underground, and I gave them diagrams for that. I have talked to military and political leaders from the various provinces of Cuba that have Slipped out and slipped back."66 ra Pe o i US * The FBI files also indicate Banister was forming 4 ‘, another service for the Cuban exile group. He ran backround investigations of\ those Cuban students on the\ Docld:322373595 Page 213
544 Camp Street page 10 campus of Louisiana State University who wished to be members of Arcacha smtiih's anti-Castro group, ferreting Sdetee CUS 2: cee te : out any pro- Castro sympathizers who might be apong. them. NGA HL HhiFO legsina dee abel Chae got soweGel fe the Cubers ($4 | It was pwobably a result. of ‘such anti-Castro activities Combed. that Banister became acquainted with David Ferrie. . Ferrie, Aa Rowe an Eastern Airlines pilot, was also very active with £854 Sergio Arcacha Smith's anti-Castro group. Ferrie shared bY 78 Banister's anti- Communist and anti-Castro fervor. 87) Both Ferrie and Banister were implicatedin a raid in late 1961 against a munitions depot in Houma, Louisiana, in which a? } various weapons, grenades and ammunition were stolen. Banister's role may have been limited to storing the materiél which was reportedly seen stacked in Banister's Ft 72 back room by several witnesses. . Others who actually participated in the raid, include Andrew Blackmon, a Ferrie associate and former Civil Air Patrol cadet, and Sergio _ F2~7 2 Arcacha Smtih. ee} H ré AL ae .\) InFebruary 1962, Ferrie lsd ook Banister’ Ss assistance in fighting his recent dismissal from Eastern Airlines. Banister investigated the case for Ferrie's defense to charges brought by the airline and local reed Orleans police of crimes against nature and extortion. In exchange, Ferrie provided Banister, research services, such as analysis of autopsy reports. panister worked with Ferrie's lawyer, -G. Wray Gill, on this matter until its culmination in Ferrie's hearing before the Airline Pilot! S grievance board in the FE27 summer of 1963. Banister ‘testified on ‘Ferrie! Ss behalf HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 214
HW 53060 544 Camp Street page ll 28 TH . during those hearings. According toAstatements of witnesses9 i in the fall of 1963, Ferrie and Banister worked together again with G. Wray Gill for the defense of New Orleans 24 organized crime head Carlos Marcello on a deportation case. Little is known of Banister's exact contribution to that investigation which ended in acquittal on the very day . b> and almost the very hour that President Kennedy was shot. Get) The long-standing relationship of Ferrie and Banister is significant since Ferrie became a suspect in the Kennedy ‘assassination soon after it had occurred. The information to the District Attorney's office that had put Fhe spotlight | P2 on Ferrie had emanated from Banister associate, Jack Martin. ~ As detailed elsewhere in the report, although Ferrie was ' Cleared of suspicion in the assassination during the original investigation, the Committee found persuasive } evidence of an association between Ferrie and Oswald. (4 )arerough Banister was questioned by the FBI following the assassination in regard to the activities of the CRC at 544 Camp Street, the FBI and the Secret Service failed to discover the significance of Banister's connection’ to 544 Camp Street) byaree losation for his cféieey Banister' s close association with a suspect in the assassination, David Ferrie; “and Banister's close association with Ferrie's accuser, Jack Martin -- all of.which begged the. question of what, if anything, | was Banister's relationship to Lee Harvey Oswald. (U/l) witnesses interviewed by the Committee indicate Docld: 322735595 Page 215
544 Camp Street page 12 Banister was aware of Oswald and his Fair Play for Cuba Committee before the assassination. Banister's brother, Ross Banister, who is employed by the Louisiana State Police, told the Committee that his brother had mentioned seeing Oswald hand out Fair Play for Cuba literature on one occasion, ‘'Ross Banister theorized Osywald had used the 544 Camp Street address on his literature to embarass Guy: Ross Banister did. confirm Guy's interest in the assassination: cand: Oswald, but knew of no direct association bétween Oswald and Banister. (WIZ) van E. "Billi" Nitschke, a friend and business associate and former FBI agent’ corroborates that Banister was | cognizant of Oswald's leaflte distributing. Nitschke was deposed by the Committee in July ie He testified that he had known Banister when they were both in the FBI and for a short time worked for Banister in the office in the Newman Building! (43) Nitschke said he never saw Lee Harvey Oswald at r 544 3 Street | and does not know if Banister ever met Oswald. roe Nitschke recalls that Banister became "interested in Oswald" during the summe of 1963 when Oswald had been distributing handbills. Nitschke recalls Banister had some of these handbills in his office or made reference to then? From the context of the conversation, however, he was not pleasea.?/ 494perphine Roberts, Banister’ s long-time friend and secretary, stated to the Committee that Banister had gotten HW 53060 Docld:32273595 Page 2716
HW 53060 544 Camp Street page 13 very angry with James Arthus and Sam Newman over Oswald's cr use of the 544 Camp Street address on his handbills. (445) The Committee questioned Sam Newman regarding Roberts' allegation. Newman could not recall ever seeing 7; C4 Oswald or renting space to him. He did recall, however, asking a young man who was in the office once used by the Cuban Revolutionary Council a leave: Newman did not think this person was Oswald. Newman theorized that if Oswald was using the 544 Camp Street address and had any link to the building, it would have been through a connection to the Cuban Revolutionary Council or Banister's office. (4% The Committee questioned other individuals once erase et with Guy Banister, including: Joseph Neybrough’ Vevnain &evde ax investigators who had worked with Banister in 1963; Mary Helen Brengel, one of two secretaries in Banister' s office i from approximately June 1963 to December 1963; Louise Decker, a secretary in Banister's office for the period from October 1961 to January | 1962) Joseph Oster, one time partner of Banister's who set uv his own private detective agency, Southern Research, in 22, and Carlos Quiroga, the Cuban exile who visited Oswald at his home on approximately August 16, 1963, endeavoring to learn more about the FPCC. Quiroga told the Committee he frequently visited Banister's office and Mancuso! s coffee shop in the company of Sergio Arcacha Smith and David Ferrie when all were heavily involved in Cuban exile activitieee However, 104 this would have been in 1961 and 1962. None of these DoclId: 32273595 Page 217
HW 53060 544 Camp Street page 14 individuals recalled seeing Oswald at 544 Camp Street. Several witnesses recommended the Committee speak with Jack Martin or Delphine Roberts since thes@# were in most contact with Banister + (AD) marcia and Roberts have both been interviewed by ‘the Committee on several occasions. Roberts, who initially refused to speak with the Committee staff, told the Committee she was very active in anti-Communist activities in the early 1960' 155 she said she worked with Banister as a volunteer typing correspondence, making files and clipping newspapers because Banister was working for what Roberts believed {28 Roberts claimed Banister had an extensive file on Communists and fellow travelers, including one on Lee Harvey Oswald, which was kept out of the original files because Bangster "never got zaround to assigning.a number to it" Roberts does not remember what was in the file other than that it contained general information on Oswald such as newspaper clippings. Roberts also related the incident described previously in this section in which Banister became angry over Oswald" s use of the ye ah my pee, i Camp. Street adares® 7 Roberts femubieopeaebetced her version of an incident that took place late in the evening on the day of the assassination. She said Jack Martin came into the office and approached the area of the office where the files were kept, when Banister walked if/? panister accused Martin of stealing several files and hiding them in his coat. When Martin protested, Banister pulled out his gun and Docld:32273595 Page 218
544 Camp Street page 15 ne tte struck Martin on the head, causing him to bleed. Both men then went into Banister's private office and continued tts \\7 their discussion beyond Roberts' earshot. gd During another interview, Roberts told the Committee ‘Chat Oswald came into the office seeking employment and sometime later brought Marina in with him. Contrary to her statements in the inital interview, that she had never seen Oswald, she stated that she saw Oswald come into Bansiter's . MW office on several occasions. Because of such contradictions in Roberts statements to the Committee and lack of independent corroboration of many of her statements, the Gommittee Gannetaticst -e~se reliability of her statementscm hur be lato d (ig) New Orleans Police Complaint filed by Jack Martin _ % v November 22, 1963 corroborates Roberts' story insofar as it established Banister's assault against Jack eight 1 Martin with the pistol. ‘According to the report, Martin and Banister had been drinking at a bar’neighboring the Newman Building, then visited the Banister's office and became involved in various discussions about "personal and n7 They then began to argue about Ww political subjects. unauthorized long-distance telephone calls which Banister deter ff 5" accused Martin of making from the office. The discussion became more heated and Banister pulled out a .357 magnum revolver and hit Martin on 5 head four or five times with the butt of the gun.° When Martin began to bleed, Banister stopped hitting him and Martin went to the restroom to j wee clean up.” Banister told Martin to watch himself and be HW 53060 DBocld: 32273595 Page 219
HW 53060 544 Camp Street page 16 ~ {2} careful. Martin then went to Charity Hospital for trea ee returned home and called the police to file the report. Martin refused to press charges as Banister was "like a 123 father” to him, (x0 Martin was questioned by the Committee regarding the incident and for information about Banister's office. Martin told the Committee he is a part-time investigator 22 +a and writer, as he was in the early 1960' S. Martin was one of the members: of Banister's investigative "pool" (es dod. and was frequently in and out of Banister's offce. Martin told the Committee that on Novmeber 22, 1963, he was having L2G “or drinks with Banister at a local bar and they got into an argument. They went to Banister's office and, in the heat of the quarrel, Banister said something to which Martin replied, "What are 25/27 you going to do -- kill me like you all did Kennedy?" eed Banister drew his pistol and beat Martin in the head. Martin beleives Banister would have killed him but for the intervention of Banister’ s secretary, who pleaded with Banister not Lope) 2-9 to shoot Martin. (50!) It was the day after this incident that Martin related his suspicions about David Ferrie to the New Orleans raed zo District Attorney's office. Martin had at one time been bagi / a Close associate of Ferrie. Ferrie told the FBI he met Martin in the fall of 1961, probably not long after Ferrie dQ. (3 2 had met Banister. Martin apparently shared. Ferrie! s interest in obtaining a position with an ecclesiastical order, although Ferrie insisted he became involved. with Docld:32273595 Page 220
544 Camp Street page 17 _ these religious orders only to assist Martin in an wees Qik “i ra hea e. HEW investigation into the sale of phony certificates Tot 133 of ordination and consecration. Ferrie said he and Martin had a falling out when he put Martin out of attorney G. Wray Gill's office in June, 1963,because Gill did a2 13¢ not want Martin "hanging around the office." Gill said Ferrie and Martin had been "close friends" until they got involved in an "ecclesiastical deal wherein Martin was supposed to represent a large territory of the Holy “433 17) Apostolic Catholic Church of North. America! Martin held Ferrie responsible for not getting, the job and has "slandered Ferrie at every CPportunity- 502) Martin haf*told the Commitee he saw Lee Harvey Oswald 37235 tueptls ebay with Ferrie in Guy Banister's office in 1963. Jin light of Conayveedic AO Martin's previous statements to authorities shortly after the assassination in which rest made no such allegation about having seen Oswald = 6Laewa pet Ge gis-ted credence, in Martin's ‘statements to the Committee. (503) me Committee sought to trace Banister's office files that had been reportedly scattered to various individuals or agencies soon after Banister's death in June 1964. a _ (50%) wary Bnaister Wilsay, Guy Bnaister's widow, told the Committee she had not retained any of the files but had given many away to various state-ageneies. Mrs. Wilson said she sold some of Banister's files fem=:¢586 to the Louisiana State Police in a transaction involving Russell naan 18 Willie and.oceph-Camyre of the State Police.” _ She said HW 53060 DBocld:32273595 Page 221
HW 453030 544 Camp Street page 18 another portion of the file was given to Aaron ‘Kohn of, the | . New Ojjreans Metropolitan Crime Commission. \e Several ‘books from Banister's collection went to Banister's associate, PQ HR. Kent Courtney. The rest of Banister's "extensive" library of books was, gonated to the Louisiana State University Library. (05) Russell Willie and Joseph Cambre of the Louisiana State police confirmed for the Committee that they purchased from Mary Banister in late 1964 a five-drawer file cabinet contayning file folders belonging to the late Guy 42.|4 Banister. The "half-filled" file cabinet contained tes _ - aa Be | Ss large manila folders, each subject titled and numbered. One of the folders contained a group of 3" by 5" index cards. ee index cards contained numbers and subject | Hee 14 7? -headings corresponding to the file folders in the cabinet. Not all the files listed in the index were among those files given to the Louisiana State Police; most of the files obtained by the State Police dealt with Communist groups and subversiv Mes¥ organizations, according to State Police Officer Cambre. Cambre recalled that although Lee Harvey Oswald's name was not inclded among the main subjects of the files, Oswald's name was WA included among the main subjects of the file Pes /4 “on the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. Cambre had read the FPccC file and found news clippings and a’transcript of a ~ flat i as Park a yew gt ty radio program wald WEEE presumably a transcript of the August 21, 1963 debate between Oswald and Carlos Bringuier on WDSU radio. Unfortunately, this file was routinely DocId: 32273595 Page 222
HW 53060 ~mid-1950's. 544 Camp Street page 19 destroyed in keeping with the requirements of the Privacy MAIS / Act. OY) aaron Kohn, Managing Director of the New Orleans a | | —_ Matropolitan Crime Commission, acknowledged that he received files from Mary Banister Wilson after Guy Banister's TSO 5 ee death. The files received by Kohn dealt with an investigation of corruption within the New Orleans Police Department ,which Banister had conducted while he was Assistant Auperintendent of Police in New Orleans in the reas 3 (7) While the Committee was unable to trace or recover N. all of Banister's files, a partial index of the files was made available by Jim Garrison, former District Attorney Pte) sof of Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Garrison had sent investigators to the Louisiana State Police Intelligence Section in 1967 during his inyestigation into the assassination of President 46.2555 } Kennedy. The index did not include the name of Lee Harvey $540) 52 Oswald or the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. hy oa) Thus, the Committee could find no documentary proof that Banister haa a file on Lee Harvey Oswald nor could the Committee find credible witnesses who ever saw Lee Harvey Oswald and Guy Banister together. There are indications, however, that Banister at least knew of Oswald's leafletting activities and probably toy maintained a file on hin. As for Jack Martin's reasons for calling attention to Ferrie as a suspect in the assassination, they may not have been based on personal knowledge -- Martin never claimed such information -- but his action seems to have been based on sincere concerns and some legitimate Cerrseg vent y cy rh ps bat. fossil! z 2 suspicions. The-Conbibies ee umabte to: @etinitiverys vam hak AE REL OSHS Tet em ate ert ene ee woe wen determineVthe reasons for Banister's assault on Martin ; . . one tically the night of the assassination, Reedacaiey it had anything to do with Martin's suspicions of Ferrie. DoclId: 32273595 Page 223
HW 53060 IMPLICATIONS 649) The primary import of the 544 Camp Street address “must be analyzed within the context of evidence of a Ferrie- Ogald link. Unfortunately, the precise nature of aueh their relationship may never be known. Ferrie could have become familiar with Oswald and his background, habits and motivating factors, and groomed Oswald for use in clandestine activity, perhaps (ia) along the model of private investigator HEE can be-seen by the Committee investigation into Ferrie's associations and activities throughout his life and especially during the summer of 1963, there are several factors which explain why Ferrie and Oswald could have become closely associated, as improbable as this may seem: a} Pr) Both men spent considerable time in the same locale: Ferrie frequently visited the office of Guy Banister in the building at 544 Camp Street; Oswald worked only one block away and had used 544 Camp Street as the address of the Fair Play for Cuba ‘Committee. Additionally, the Qn wire 4 wikrassS Prom testimony of ther "Clinton Witwesses> placing Oswald and a Bey mm @ Ferrie together in early September, 1963, i credible. Evidence also exists to support the belief that Ferrie's closest colleague, Guy Banister, was knowledgeable of Oswald's pro-Castro leafletting. pA ccdtch SPREE SEE SST) | L (51 12) ®) Both men had similar, fervent interest in political topics, especially the Cuban question. Although Ferrie stood firmly on the anti-Castro side of the issue and DoclId: 322735595 Page 224
during his interviews with FBI agents in discussing his opposition to Kennedy, his conflict with Jack Martin, his involvement in the Marcello case, etc., Ferrie denied outright that he had ever known "of the Cuban Revolutionary Front maintaining an office at 544 Camp Street, nor does he have any knowledge of Sergio Arcacha Smith maintaining an office at. that address during the time he.was head of the organization and later after he was replaced."!57 This is clearly in contra- disction to the accounts of the:witnesses on this subject. Gz) Strangely, although Ferrie seemed to be straightforward HW 53060 Docld: 32273595 Page 225
Oswald was involved in pro-Castro activities, this alone would not rule out the possibility of an Oswald-Ferrie association. Oswald, on at least one occasion, made a friendly overture to a known anti-Castro activitist, Carlos Bringuier, the New Orleans delegate to the Student Revolutionary Directorate (DRE) and even offered Bringuier ' assistance in military training of Cuban exiles. The Oswald-Ferrie association may have begun in the same Manner. | | f (sia) & ‘Significant to the argument that Oswald and Ferrie ‘ were associated in 1963 is evidence of prior association have greatly facilitated their reacquaintance and Ferrie's noted ability to influence others could have been _utilized with Oswald. { £18) a) Ferrie's experience with the underground activities “of the Cuban exile movement and as a private investigator for Carlos Marcello and Guy Banister might have made him a good candidate to participate in a conspiracy plot. He may not have been knowledgeable of what was to be the outcome of his actions, but once the assassination had been successfully completed and his own name cleared, Ferrie would have had. no reason to reveal his knowledge of the plot. Further, fear for his life may have prevented him from doing so. | . (S16) While great gaps exist in discovering whether Ferrie HW 53060 DBocld: 32273595 Page 226
had any contact with Oswald after Oswald left New Orleans on September 24, 1963 until the day of the assassination only two months later, the Oswald-Ferrie relationship is the most siginificant of the Oswald associations in thoerizing an assassination conspiracy. REPOrt ef Or cemeee ee orl HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 227
ANTI-CASTRO CUBAN CONSPIRACY? Footnotes 1. “The Investigation of the Assassination of Presi n £. Kennedy; Performance of the Intelligence Aeeneiee> Book V, Final Report, ef=eks Select Committee To Study | Governmental Operations With Respect To Intelligence Activities, @@BMEE 94th Congress, Rema Sn es ea E50“), Beet 7/23/70, 10 OO LEE OO ("I OFF CE , (97%, p. BY, (era Kepowt 94-788). é& 2. Memorandum of William T. Coleman Jr. and W. David Slawson . to Warren Commission, pp. 110-111, GFK Document No. 013/90 3. ‘\"The Longest Night," Miami Herald Tropic, 12/28/75, p. 7. 4. Ibid. — | 5. Haynes Johnson, The Bay of Pigs. Norton, 1964. p. 17. 6. Ibid. 7. Ibid, p. 18. 8. "U.S. Seizes Batista Backer in Miami," New York Times, 4/9/61, p. 4. See footnote #57 9. 4 Hatnesetehmeon—opseite, p. 23. 10. Paul Bethel, The Losers. Arlington House, 1969, p. 102. joe 11. "A Selected Chronology on Cuba and Castro," March 10, 1952 ~ Octo- Bey ,22/,1962)*.* Legislative Reference Service, Library of Congress, p. 6. (JFK Document No. 0/31|0 o) w 12. Ibid. 13. Mario Lazo, Dagger In the Heart, Funk 5 Wagnalls, 1968, p. 186. 14, Ibid. Kee Belnoic * Il, | #15. "A Selected Chronology on Cuba and Castro," opus p. 7. AW 55060 Docld:32273595 Page 228
~ 2. footnotes - Anti-Castro 20. Ibid, p. 24. 21. Ibid. “/I | | . | il>«/e | ye Botnote a. / Os ; #22. ~ "A Selected Chronology on Cuba and Castro," 22> p- 9. saae Ibid. +29. "U.S.-Cuba Relations, 1959-1964: An Analysis," Congressional Research Service, (JFK Document No. 011478) 30. ry. pp. 23-31. 31. Ibid, p. 27. 32. Ibid, p. 76. 33. Ibid, p. 222. fork ok Hit . 34 op Selected Chronology on Cuba and Castro, "<6p@ dit / 4/18/61, p.26. of Manuel Autor cle Verona Neariuo Befeu tha” Hour Select °35. Executive Session Testimony,”3/16/78,‘p. 23. Committee om Assassin 9774: See Scotmote + il, 36. "A Selected Chronology on Cuba and Castro," OPO OPED 4/24/61, p.29. 37. eg J p. 213. See ae 13 38. Menace Lazo, emo vis. 39. Ibid, p. 299. 40. Taylor Branch and George Crile III, "The Kennedy Vendetta," Harper's, 8/75, p.49. See Somete +24, 41. "U.S.-Cuba Relations," GY. Lofisry p. 39. 42. Ibid, p. 40.. 43. Ibid, p. 41. ———— 44, Ibid. HW 53080 DocId:32273595 Page 229
3. footnotes - Anti-Castro eo « 45. Ibid, p. 42. ok # f, see Bon : 46.A# the Investic ation of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy J Book V, p. ll, footnote 4. 47. Ibid, p. 99. | 48. Ibid; See Also: "Our Heritage--The Exile Cuban Terrorists," - Washington Pos Post, 11/7/76, p. C3. Le temotge +40, 49. Branch and Crile, ODOOH) p. 49. 50. Andrew St. George, "The Cold War Comes Home," Harper's, 11/73, p. 70. 51. "How the CIA Operated in Dade," Miami Herald, 3/9/75, p. l. 52. Ibid. ¢ Bomolct40, 53. Beek and Crile, Om) (ditd)p. 51. 54. Ibid. | 55. tbid. Seé #51, 56. )\ "How the CIA Operated in Dade," -opaneet> PL, oss fa) : € 57. Ibid. eu? 44 58. Ibid. See @lso; ae staff memorandum¢ Crozier ,intersiew, a . 1/16/78 ,4(JFK Document No. 00¥72 ») See Getnoke #4o douse Seth Comm wee or  ASSASSNA TOS, 59.4 Branch and Crile, peymepeim pp. 52, 56. 6a. ibid, p. 58.. 61. Ibid, p. 62. 62 Ae, feeds > a lations 1" OPyOeawm p. 48. 63. Ibid, p. 49. 64. Ibid. 65. Ibid, p. 53. 66. Ibid, p. 54. 67. Seg, Coplrck OD ose p: 364. 68. Ibid, p. 378. HW 53060 DBocld: 32273595 Page 230
4. footnotes -°Anti-Castro | Wy 69. “A Selected Chronology on Cuba, April 1, 1963 - April 30, 1963." Legislative Reference Service, p. 1, (GFK Document No. 013101) . 70. Ibid. 71. Ibid, 72. j%«Ibid, p. 2. fanientee 73. Ibid. 74 ° Tbid,, Pp. 4 ° 75. "U.S. Nabs Anti-Castro Fighters," Miami Herald, 12/5/62, p- 21A. oe 76. #\New Orleans Times-Picayune, 8/1/63, p. l. gd 77. "U.S.-Cuba Relations, 1960-1963: Neutrality Enforcement and the Cuban Exiles During The Kennedy Administration," Congressional Research Service, p. 12, (GFK Document No. 0/30 74) 78. Ibid. eee 79. Ibid. 80. Ibid. Se Saakroke * @ 64, | 81. "A Selected Chrondogy on Cuba," @Oepddps 4/6/63, p. 4 82. Ibid, 4/7/63, p. 5. 83. Ibid, 4/20/63, p. 18. 84. Ibid, 4/10/63, p. 7. 85. Ibid, 4/15/63, p. 10. 86. Ibid, 4/18/63, p. 12. 87. Ibid, 4/15/63, p. 10. Se foolne te # (Ff |. 88. "A Selected Chronology on Cuba,"7%10/10/62, p. 24. Se Footnote #77, 89, “U.S.-Cuba Relations, 1960-1963," @BxyxKig p. 8. HW 53060 DBocld: 32273595 Page 231
@E. 5. rootnotes - Anti-Castro_ - “ - See otnate #64, 92. A"A Selected Chronology on Cuba," dE) x84) 4/26/63, p. 24. 93. Ibid, 5/21/63, p. 10. 94. Ibid, 6/12/63, p. 5. See Sootnote *T7 . a 95. A "U.S.-Cuba Relations, 1960-1963, Neutrality Enforcement ,@@p> i p. 9. s a i . ; 96. j"U.S.-Cuba Relations, 1959-1964: An Analysis," @O@2? p.69. 97. ‘Ibid. p. 71. 98. CIALDDO, Ray Volume XVI, \Memo to Director [from Chief/WH Division,| . 7/9 4. {Subject: Chronology of Concept of Autonymous Operations Summary of Financial Support to Manuel Artimé.| See totnotet 64 99. A"A Selected Chronology on Cuba," cy 4/19/63, p. 16. $ 100. Paris Flammonde, "Why President Kennedy Was Killed." ps269, (JFK Document No. 0/3/06 - 101. Ibid. 102. Ibidjasf Associate Press dispatch, 5/10/63. | = Soke > | 103. A Baynes—Johnsen;-GPnxerm pp. 75-76. (In a footnote in later editions, Johnson notes that after initial publication of his book "the CIA let it be known that Frank Bender denied -- in writing -- making such statements.") See. Gotnote * | 104.1 #The Investigation of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Book V,“* @pigdite p. 14. CT 105. “Our Heritage-The Exile Cuban. Terrorists," Washington Post, 11/7/76, p. C3. HW 53060 DoclId: 32273595 Page 232
Footnotes | 7 Odio 1. Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy -- herein after, Warren Report -- 1964, pp. 322-324, 2. Ibid. 3. FBI report LA 105-15823, 9/23/64,.Warren Commission Document 1553, p. 4. 4. FBI report DL 100-10461, 9/10/64, pp. 2,3, Warren Commission Exhibit 3147. ; { , : 5. Ibia.| Pepe of Une Kuclent> Cowmiorier on ha Uneaten ecliut'> Comrniaecor on 3 ptarBink Kenrihy, SY tue Ubakuyton, 0-9 US Gorevimed Lanting 6. WaexenReposé, pw333, OFFICG “(aou), p 333 Cherernatin, is Warum pet). 7. Commission Exhibit 2134; Commission Exhibit 2962. 8. Commission Exhibit 3045. | 9. Warren Report, p. 730. 10. Commission Exhibit 3045. ll. Warren Report, p. 324. 12. FBI report PX 105-1529, 9/18/64, Commission Document 1553. 13. FBI memorandum, Miami 9/26/64, Commission Document 1553. 14. FBI report LA 105-1582, 9/20/64, Commission Document 1553. 15. Ibid, p. 8. | 16. FBI memorandum, Miami, 10/2/64, Commission Document 1553. 17. Ibid. | 19. Ibid, - oe | ~ 20. Ibid. 21. Warren Report, p. 324. 22. "U.S. Nabs Anti-Castro Fighters," Miami Herald, 12/5/62, p. 21: HW 53060 Docld: 32273595 Page 233
HW 53060 24, 25. 26. 27. 46.. “rootnotes vd1o Ibid. "A Selected Chronology on Cuba," Congressional Research Service, p. 34, (JFK Document No. )- Statement of the chairman of the Committee for the Monroe Doctrine, "A Selected Chronology on Cuba, " .<@ummpent . 4. Pues ac ences Nes ENT eer Se a } th Sesh a _— 7 Co, vin rind riguae Select Comm Tice ASS ASSI WATLOS : 5723/78, we. 5, “GFK Document oa Stop, Imtervitws oF Leewrence toward sn’ Stect Gumtree on ASSASSIVATIOWS are 11/8/77, APRD 1-3, G@FK Document No. 003537) Daten deus oF Witham Seymour, forte Scleck. Cammnitlte on hess ASSimancns , wre memorandum, 1/8/76 GFK Document No. 01333 6) Tbb ibid. "Exiles Fear Parents Shot By Cuban Red Firing Squad, Dallas aie 5/5/62, wet et AN e Odo v] , 4/ 0/76 pe] 1, Grex Document No. 2013237) Sy pSaierview st + Sha ois acto foazi 34." eiaesere wm 16/76, 13334) See footnote 3a, -. 35.A Dallas News 5/5/62, SE . Se footnote 23, ~ 36.4 Fonzi interview 4/30/76, ¢gummuin . 37. . Ibid. ; : ; Amado® 4 P -(f Nssaxssiwarress 38. ee ne ok Poe Odio: blouse Seleet Camm thee mM - AW 39. am EERE, 9/5/77 (GFK Document No. 013334) 40. Ibid. sce otro, 23) 41. Fonzi interview, 4/30/76, een cr Ne 42. Ibid. 43. See section of report dealing with alleged relationship = with Maurice Bishop and Lee Harvey Oswald. Hear \, - eS POS ee eS . PBS ts wee : j/ 44, aS eri enor ite sie ,2 Vol.’ XI, p 570 Lieve inal Um, ” ULV eln Cyan Ssaun Neaciuge ) 45. Ibid. sss, NO 100-16601, 9/21/64, Warren Commission Document DocId: 32273595 Page 234
HW 53060 frolwale* ih Odio oy Coe ; See 58 7 Sh Interview 1/16/76 = P. 1. howe 2 SRS ans paca Au 4 ° = — 3. 47. Ibid, 48. Ibid. how etree * 32, 49 patias News, 5/5/62, SEA. . Sele one the smeseimecvieus of Lucile House 50. EE EE Connell, MENON, 4/5/76 ,"CFK Document No. oO/32 YA). 5l. Ibid. 52. Ibid. 53. Ibid. tee ; Jelee ect Conn HAS, 34. ibid. Oo House AssAass!" 55. Deposition >. Silvia Odio, 5/2/78 ,"p -, 6, GFK Document No. 009088 footnote 50) norenduen fe “ee Stet iintomnew oF Lucille, 56. Ibid, p. 6; also kaupezees a Connel 1; Sees, qe and FBI report DL 44- 1639, 11/29/63, Warren Commission Document 205, p. 641, GFK Document No. 000200), ° ke fotnoie. * SS) 57. Odio deposition, een p. 8. “at “x, ) 59. Ba Poh is SRN ES @ Annie Odio, 9/20/78, “GFK Document a) los > . . . No e 60. [bid. 61. Ibid; exam ove deposition, ~epemmagm pp. 8, 15, 21. Hreroe Setect Camm voter Qn Art asstam ods 62. bid; also ams memorandum and photographs, 8/23/78, " (JFK Document No. 013335) 63. Ibid. see Foorrok, 2S 64. Odio deposition, SEES). op. 8. Ye foe» 1B Finders of _ Docld: 32273595 Page 235
HW 53060 4, 70. Ibid. 71. Ibid, p. 2. ‘72. . Ibid. 73. Ibid. see forma 855: 74. Odio deposition, cau pp. 9, 14. 75. Ibid. 76. Ibid, pp. 11, 12. 77. Ibid, pp. 10, ll. 78. Ibid, p. 10. 79. Ibid, p. 13. 80. Ibid. gl. Ibid, p. 16, 37. ce Sootnok * 54, Abb idawit 82. Sea) of Annie Odio, TEM. p. 2. See Sourok + 55, 83. Odio deposition, gprepmaaes 84, Ibid, p. 20. 85. Ibid. p. 33. ee foctrote HSS 86. Warren Commission Hearings, ‘Vol. XI, p. 370; ;*0dio deposition, =amREEm pp. “ll, 16, 35. 87. Ibid. . Se Sentral 45°55 88. A QOdio deposition, page 89. Zbid, p. 70.. 90. Ibid, pp. 15, 21, 24. ° pp. 11, 70. 91. Ibid, p. 60. 92. Warren Report, p. 324. ~. 93. Odio deposition, @azmmss 94. Ibid. 95. \— vege aeee mem 7 of Annie Odio, “=ymmammn, i 2. Docld: 32273595 Page 236
Ce Gomde? SS) 96. Odio deposition, (ymBmMA p. 53. 97. Ibid, p. 12. 98. Ibid, p. 28. 99. Ibid. 100. Ibid. 101. Ibid. p. 30. 102. Ibid. 103. Ibid, p. 31. 104. Ibid, p. 32, 50. 105. Warren Report, p. 324. Se Seotmokt 5S) 106. Odio deposition, samp, p. 44. 107. Ibid. 108. Ibid, p. 62. 109. Ibid. - 110. Ibid, p. 63. | ~ lll. Ibid, 7 2 112. Ibid, p. 64. 113. Ibid. 114. Ibid, pp. 65-66. Sec foci ok H 54, 6 fFidiaat 115." @ aan Of Annie Odio, eg Be pp. 2-4. 116. Ibid, p. 4. 117. Contact Report with Lucille Connell, 5/15/78, (cFK Document at No. 012340). mesnonadiom FE Sor also ho Garhi sha iE simler we af Luc le | 118. Ibid; ; 2 Ne SB repeeeemcseeseriae ts Connell © interview, Fn ame) p. _ Se ato forbrot 150, ogy Finkerwices of Lute (he . 119. @& === Connel Sai) “‘GeeeBE), p. 2. 120. Ibid. 121. Ibid. HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 237
HW 53060 6.. 122. Ibid. 123. Ibid. 124. . Ibid. 125. Ibid, p. 3. 126. Ibid; Also FBI report DL 44-1639, 11/29/63. N.B.: The Committee is puzzled by and cannot resolve the inconsistency of the substance of this and certain related FBI reports. DL 44-1639 states only that Connell said that Odio told her that she knew Oswald and that he had spoken to groups of refugees in Dallas. Nothing is noted about a visit of three men. Connell: told a Committee investigator (Fonzi memorandum, op. cit. p. 3) that she doesn't recall ever telling the FBI that. Neither does the FBI report of the Bureau's initial interview with Odio on 12/19/63 (report DL 100-10461) mention that she had knowledge of Oswald speaking to refugee groups. S@M@BEEID, “Fhe FBI interview with Connell  Mowenen @@BHA does not note Connell's report of her conversation with her friend, Mrs. Sanford Pick, regarding Ruby's - visiting the law firm where Pick worked. Connell said she is positive she told that to the FBI. The Committee has. found that neither Pick nor the attorney who handled Ruby's case at the law firm were questioned by the FBI. (Fonzi memorandum, - op. cit. pp. 4-6) But because neither Pick nor the attorney, Graham R.E. - ‘Koch, could specifically recall Ruby requesting power _ of attorney for his sister and because, according to Koch, his firm's records on the case were later routinely destroyed (Fonzi memorandum, op. cit), the Committee was unable to further pursue the possibility. See foaimoe # SS) 127. \ Odio deposition, p. 43. [ af Sootrok, #34, Ste+f A QE interview, Fs ay Pp. 2. 129. Warren Commission Odio Exhibit No. 1, Vol. XxX, p.690. 130. Ibid. 131. Contact Report, 5/17/78 ,( JFK Document No. 013341), 132. Ibid. — were | a - 133. bid. 134. Ibid. 135.. Contact Report with Lucille Connell, <a. Docld: 32273595 Page 938
HW 53060 136. Ibig. 137. Ibid, Xe feoak. asf 138.4 Odio deposition, =F) p. . 139. Griffin memorandum to Slawson, 5/16/64, Grx Document No. 002969) Degorihin o£ Da. Qurbn C. Er Atspauchs 140. Rapa, 7/11/78, p. 5, Grx Document No. 010069}. 141. Ibid 5. =<; P- bee Footrok & (3%, 142. FBI report DL 1000-10461, -42/19/635" also Griffin memorandums QipEaees 143. FBI report DL 100-10461 op. cit. See Sortmok * 134 144.% Griffin memorandum, SEY. 149. Ibid, p. 9.. 150. Ibid, p. 10, 151. Ibid, p. 9. ‘152. Ibid. 153. Ibid, p. 17. 154. Ibid, pp. 14-15. Sce fostnek. # 32 155. Dallas News, 5/5/62, B= 156. Ibid. Sec foot 34» Mob: of 157% eae Annie Odid, wa, 158. Geez interview, ym my Fonzi interview, ===. He FF inter 159. Mere Tomas and Alentado, 8/26/78, ‘JFK Document No. 01333¢. \S Heute Selech Committee om Resass wanes, Nang en se Ht ce ae an ev sm AB ETAT ee Docld: 32273595 _ Page 239
HW 53060. | . Louse Select Corn mitte “on 160. Ibid, Kes e851 wA Tig) , ~ Shad f wate Vee o mhanolo Kay, 16l. Pome 2 eee 2 6/28/78, "GFK Document Nd, 013333) 162. Ibid, p. 8. 163. Ibid. 164. Ibid. 165. Ibid. 166. Ibid. 1é Scr Sootnale * $7 | | 7. Odio deposition, mE sez 91-103. ese ° -_ owns Seleck Commetice on Munstene row, 168. a memorandum, 8/30,78, GFK Document No. 013332), 169. Ibid. 170. Ibid. Docld: 32273595 . Page 240
VECIANA FOOTNOTES _ | | 14 ple baa shi fear 3/2/76, p. 1,(aFK Document No. 012927), 2.. The Investigation of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy: Performance of the Intelligence Agencies, Book V, Final Report of the Select Committee To Study Governmental Operations With Respect To Intelligence Activities. 94th Congress, 2nd Session, Senate Report No. 94-755.. ‘er rs 3. mr Memorandum to Marston, S/16, (Fk Document NO. O1aI%2 y). p. 4, (QFK Document No.o (2927) 5. Ibid,“also pp. 1, 2, 5,6. - rs i 7. dbid, Pp. 37. Riclard S Schueker +0 Lyne Select Committee on Letter Enon Serato SSASS IN ATIOnNS, 8. qnhpereer—tStten, 12/14/76 ,(SEK Document No. 000 521). 0. GREECE IEG EER Sec footnok #1, pt 10. ime s /2R/ | "Sugar King a Many~Sided Man," MY. L/D , 1l. Executive Session pi 7/2o St ( 4(2s] 74 , aS wn Gy Antonio Veiuane Bhone 12. Ibid, p. 6. Neauap in prow Select Curr ittec 13. Ibid, p. 7. Assessivmmions, pot Cheremapler &Xceulre . SesS Cas Terao y Alesf >) 14. Ibid, p. 5. : | 15. Ibid, p. 8. 16. Ibid, p. 9. . eam Gauckon Fonzi, S4nhh | : ( ) % (i17. sont Memorandum, 1/17/77, (oFK Document No.0 '!2722)- oo 18. My 14 Months With Castro, Rufo Lopez-Fresquet, see, World Publishing Co. , 9. yl. 19. Executive Session, 4/25/78, p. 10. : 20. Ibid, p. ll. .21. Ibid, p. 12. 22. Ibid. 23. Ibid, P. a” HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page 241
- Veciana footnotes: - +2: 24. 25. 26. (27. 28. Ww 29. HW 53060 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. | 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 4. 42. wm 43. 44, 45, 46. 47. 48. 49. ‘Ibid. . 5 ‘Executive Session 4/25/78, p. 27. chy 4 fpe}7d, Hearmye 7 Ibid, p. 18. Comm kee Meg nes varios oN 2rd Sc ssean Lo as hing ho Ibid, p. 19._ we 5 Cong Ors. nveaamens Pankey Slew Immunized cestinny hiddiome te. peewe, ER , p- 6 8.Chere ina: . Ad testimen Executive Session /25/78, p. 21. Fone l78): 4 See footnote | i ; 7 p. 2,(JFK Document No. 012.922) qemep Executive Session4 4/25/78, pp..21, 59. Ibid, p. 22. Ibid. p. 26. ——_— Ibid, p. 25. —_—— Ibid, p. 26.25 ‘Ibidy p. 24. U.S. News & World Report, 10/29/62, ‘Dp. 40. New York Times, 9/14/62, p. 13. Immunized testimony, 4/26/78, p. 72. Limory Immunized testimony, 4/26/78, p. 88. Ibid, F #4. Nee Outside Contact Report, 8/30/78,AIFK Document No. 011267 Testimony Executive Session! 4/25/78, p. 26. Ibid, p. 28. Ibid, p. 27. Ibid, p. 28. Tbid. Ibid, p. 38.34 Docld:32273595 Page 242
- Veciana footnotes - 3 & 50. Department of State, elegram,f FK Document No. 01272 o). Ibid; hmny x Bris Vetrane 27? 51, AExXecutive Session pire Aichi amy pareve eel 7a) breaean? P one Before | i . . R “Cings2, Aro SEK ow wAshingtor, OC LAS. yer Prince rs vtry VEE, 3b) 0 Goan Li, Fhecuth, SeSb ium Mm SB. OLagAao Department of State See. ftotnok +/ de 54. Fonsi—interview-netes, 3/2/76, p. 5. GFK Doweumewt MD, 012927). qs mrp 55. Executive Session, 4/26/78, p. 41. See botrnok #4 56. Ebadi 3, Fenced ilemtee azar 27s /'> b, Oper Pp F. 57. Immunized testimony, 4025/7184 P- 53. 58. Ebtd. £xeeutive Sesssont Yelena . cee | ” op geet ‘* ppepe——re a — = . = ‘sw Ser ta>- 59 e ap aA a SE, ee a ove: a 60. ie ESevere ieee 3/2/76, p. 9, Grx Document No. 012927) ol. — “trerviaw ot fintmio \eoana Bands by Qteton FonZ\, ae 62 LBD ol stot 3/11/76, JFK Document No. 0/292? 63. 64, 65. 66. x 67. : . : . Dh, 4. . Y[2</ 79 68. Execube Sessa Tes bi mmy 2: (4 , 3/2/76, p. 7, I, 25: 70. Ibid. 71. Executive Session’, @ ness, foomote+ | a a 74. Executive Session, 4/26/78, p. 31. 28, 75. Ibid, pp, 36. ~~ 76. Ibid, pp 29v30. ao HW 53060 Docld: 32273595 Page 243
HW 53060 zr ET -Veciana footnotes - 4 77. 78. 79. 80. al. 83. 87. 88. Bg, 91. wn 92. 93. 94. 95. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 84, 85. 86. Ibid, p. 28. Ibid, p. 29. ibid. oo | — Thid, ¢. 37, | | Ibid, eo 32. | See Lootmote + | Fornzet—tirterview—netes, 3/2/76, (5FK Document No. 012427). : fim Qaehm Fonis . @euzet Memorandum to Marston, 3/4/76, p. 1 ,(aPK Document No. 012923 Se Gotnote* \ , nae i | 3/2/76, p. 10, or Document No. 012927): Con mt, Epax Memorandum to Marston 3/4/76, Grx Document No. Ola 723) Testimon Executive Session, 4/26/36, p. 9. fete Select Grae thee > AssasSivAT7ra ar S @hhe staff interview with Lopez-Fresquet, 5/86/77; p. 13, JFK Document No. OOiSIa a ----—- 9 Memorandum; ne, p. 2, ee Document No. 0129/9) "Revolucion," 11/7/61, p. 1. See. Scotinote * | —: Sew , 3/2/76, p. 6, (JFK Document No. 0/272 7). Ibid. CIA Memo to FBI (Secret) , 9/11/62; Rorke pamphlet attachment. Testimony, ; Executive Sessiong 4/25/78, p. 18: Staff mememorandum, Kail interview, 7/24/78, p. l, (FK Document No. 9 10307) | a | _ thid, ibid, p. @.5. Ibid, p. 2. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Docld: 32273595 Page 244
‘Veciana footnotes - 5 103. Ibid, p. 4 104. Castro Report, ep man No. 000593.) MAX : 105. Staff Memorandumy~ Lesnik interview, 5/30/78, p. 4, (JFK Document No. oo 8##%\ 106. Ibid. 107. Ibid. er —— Lueilo . 108. Staff MemorandumA Pena interview, 6/12/78, (GFK Document No. 0979270 109. Ibid. 110. Ibid. lll. Immunized testimony, 4/26/78, Pp. 54. 112 Staff Memorandumg{ Pena interview, 6/12/78, p. 2, GFK Document No. 00727 0). . 113. Ibid. 114. Ibid. . | 115. LIbid; Immunized testimony, 4/26/78, p. 54. (116. Miami Herald, 10/16/76, p. 8 117. FBI file #2-2173, Sec. 6, Serials 231. 118. Staff MemorandumgfPosada interview, 6/17/78, p. 1, (JFK Document No. 0094 12) 119. Ibid, p. 2. 120. ‘Ibid. 121. Ibid. 122. Ibid. 123. Ibid. 124. Ibid. . — 125. Ibid, p. 1. 126. Ibid, p. 3 HW 53080 DocId:32273595 Page. 245
"k2% Veciana footnotes - 6 127. hg 128. 129. 130. 131. “132, 4133. jae i34. w i135. 136. 137. / 138. 139. 140 141. 142. 143. 144, 145. 146. wtl47. 148. 149, - 150. 151. w4152. 153. > ott? {wn Executive Session 4/26/78, pe 28230. Ge Pootnok + | | , 3/2/76, p. 8, JFK Document No. Ol2A9Y27 Ibid; Executive Session, 4/26/78, p. 28. em A ssasssawons, Sta * * \ SECNATIONS ~HS€A interviews oe ae pp. l, 7. Selec Con midlet, on WSS 695" vs, Outside Contact Report, 8/30/78; p. 1, (PK Document No.0 11267) ms Qhoeton Fone - ’ €Bizk) Interview notes 3/16/78, p. 5, (JFK Document No. 012429) Outside Contact Report, 8/30/78, p. ae Document No. 011267) Ibid. . . . adbid. | les SinSt O06 A 6S ASS naruans 7308, 8 serie W774 a "Sled Cow Cade thee On Ibid, p. 12. Ibid, p. 13. Ibid. Ibid Ibid, p. 9. Thids p- ll. tid. Celect Comm tetee on AsSASsrnatiors, Outside Contact Report, 9/12/78 , “GFK Document No. oll 465) Thid. ibid House Select Commi Hee on Auss ass. varvans, Outside Contact Report, 8/30/78 np. l, (GFK Document No. O11267)- Immunized testimony, 4/26/78, pp 65 #66. —~Porzi Interview notesA-3/11/76, p. "4, (re Document No. 0129 gag). Ibid. ~—eecy HW 53060 Docld: 32273595 Page 246
, €28.Veciana footnotes - 7 154. Ibid. 155. Immunized ces timen 4/26/78, p. 87. Le-tew Fem Somitoe. K awa 6. $< hu é ) | 156. _ Sehweticer PECs (12/14/76, JFK Document No.c0oo S2\ FON, to 157. Menor 8/6/76, Pp . 2, (i Document No. 012921): jar tt 25) (a0 2 A | 12S —158- Executive Session, 11/27/76. 126 . : —+537- Ibid. 1277 . ; 466- Nightwatch, David Phillips, 1977, Atheneum p. 5, De AS 441, Ibid, fess Louse Selcek Cymer & Acsassimareo ns, “3G. Staff interview of*¢roztes, 1/16/78, pp. 1,3; QFK - Document No. ©6669 9°#721) I63. Ibid, p. 2. 0 “EE, Ibid, p. 4. | . Give Us This Day, Popular Library edition, p. 26. Thid. | ? oF ALE. Memorandum @ Crozier interview, 2/4/78, p. l, (JFK Document No. 005 0 63) fPX “68. Ibid, p. 2 | a | Ga Ibid. SE mammeed see Gupton insert - CIA, THs B TN 8ert-c see Phillips insert - CIA Immunized testimony, 4/26/78, p. 70. wD fg AC Sern oeet . = HEA “ae ‘Gy EOS 1G ameep Co CIA Office of Legislative Bay 3/2/78. _ Loup Selet Comm ithe om Assass/ Keron’ , Outside - Contact Report, 3/31/78,"%p. 4, JFK Document No. 006911. HW 53080 .Docld:32273595 Page. 247
add to footnotes - Veciana sh Foor Gaetan Fema, @a57a. BPorri tlemorandum to Gustavson, 9/20/76, (JFK Document No. 013455) | 15% $575. Ibid. (60° iS7e. Ibid. (ol. +574. Ibid, p. 2 ( bX Br: Ibid. eee. ria. 164 —t57y. Ibid) p. 3 SOS +5Hr. Ibid. (bE a +57+-. Ibid. 467. —<37J.. Ibid. SOF 157- Ibid. Ate ; Ibid. . “27d —ts7m. Ibid. S77 —tSnr. Ibid. SID —i57o. Ibid. 47? 48 Ibid, p. 4. - Ibid, p. 3. HW 53080 Docld:32273595 Page. 248