AGENCY INFORMATION AGENCY: FBI RECORD NUMBER: — 124-10213-10343 RECORD _ SERIES: HO AGENCY FILE _ NUMBER: 2-2173-73 DOCUMENT INFORMATION ORIGINATOR: FBI FROM:  DEEGAN. J. G. TO: GALLAGHER. R. J. TITLE: ~ DATE: 10/12/1976 PAGES: 7 SUBJECT: | CUBANA AIRLINES, CRASH, SUSP, ACA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO POLICE, OBA, ASSOC DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER. TEXTUAL DOCUMENT ORIGINAL Secret NEW CLASSIFICATION: CLASSIFICATION: REVIEW_DATE: — 05/11/1998 UPDATE DATE: STATUS Redact OS | RESTRICTIONS: JFK Act 6 (1)(C) JFK Act 6 (4) COMMENTS: Docld: 32294567 Page 1
re ne . - “oor Toe a wa —— & OPTIONAL FORMING. 1000 | ™, ONE 5 2 “ ose han (a1 CFR 101 116 \ SECRET \ > _ ' UNiTED STATES GOv, cRNMENT a a hese. Om : - . ° 1 - Mr. Held : Dep. AD Adm, _ ~~ Memorandum Tlie. Adame ine * ECRETL 1 ~ Mr. Moore Adm. Serv. " 1 - Mr. Gallagher Ext. Affairs Mire Re J. Gallagher pate: 10/12/76 Zool Ident. 1 - Mr. Fehl Inspection J. G. peegan{0¥ 1 - Mr. Leavitt ee _ 1 - Mr. Ingram "we Lzégal Coun. | 1 = Mr. Kolombatovic Plan. & Eval. | UNSUBS; SUSPECTED BO BOMBING OF... 1 - Mr. Castonguay Res: Mane ‘CUBANA AIRLINES, DC 8, NEAR 1 - Mr. Deegan Training BARBADOS, WEST INDIES, 10/6/76 1 - Mr. McHargue © oe ‘NEUTRALITY MATTERS — - CUBA ° 1 - Mr. Graham “es NTI-CASTRO) ~- WEST INDIES PURPOSE: To advise of deve lopnents in connection 1 with this matter hon : wt _ SYNOPSIS: ReCTE “WAS Eg Am Z2/f92 “BN h On 10/6/76" 08 bana Airlines, DC 8, ‘crashed atom the te sea 16 minutes after ay Barbados, West indies, ee RT Ss » killing all. persons aboard An explosion was réported prior to crags ff Two Venezuelan citizens, Jose Vazquez \Garcia- and «. Lugo, were detained by Trinidad and Tobago Police as’ “ suspects in this matter. In .Lugo's possession was name 0f-) =... Legat, Caracas Lugo reported to be employee of Cuban exile; | | | “| ouis Posada,{former head of Venezuelan Counterintelligence Division (DISTP Posada known for anti=Castro activities and *his association” with anti-Castro terrorist, Orlando Bosch = Avila, leader of Coordinacion de Organizaciones Revoluetonariascea=: . Unidas (Coordination of United Revolutionary Organizations) a (CORU). A confidential source reported that Posada. and OCT 19 1976: 4 A osch engineered the bing of captioned aizcraft ° ‘and that . md © [Venezuelan Government[fProbably w privy to their actéswveiehiesee /. \ eae 2B Posada knowp to Legat, Caracas,fdue to his previous position BL with DISIP(S) On| 9/30/76 | a Posada employee, HernanVRicardo_ .§ Afozano ,~requestéd : sus piee assistance_in obtaining @ visa to BY Bs Ae On 10/8/76;-suspide efrenaseaferioia was determined to be 8 Ricardo Lozano. “Ridar eSpeazaue: “Légat’as casual acquaintance | Vs ee “Since 1974) Information received. .from 1337-S that CORU Boe} responsible for airline crash. but that i Bos “y by CORU until public reaction a | peed | He Ss oS fx) fa FSI 3 df JPG: rsm SEE REVERSE SIDZ FoR CLASSIFICATION ACTION Continued = Over “ Wy on the Payroll Savings Plan én ro1/00) Docld: 32294567 Page 2?
Wo SECRET Memorandum to Mr. R. J. Gallagher SECREDL Re: UNSUBS; SUSPECTED BOMBING OF... CUBANA AIRLINES, DC 8, NEAR BARBADOS, WEST INDIES, 10/6/76 CHILBOM 185-789 #pepartment of State (DOS) initiated attempts ‘to obtain eportation of Bosch, a Federal parole violator to the U.S. Venezuelan President Perez uncommitted as to whether or not Bosch will be deported. Perez told American Ambassador, Caracagftnat Guillermo Novo Sampol | and Ignacio Novo Sampol, two an Castro Cuban exiles, were in the employ\_| of Chilean. intelligence service and were responsible for the Letelier ‘killing. Legat, Caracas, briefing Ambassador, Caracas, regarding Novo brothers in order that further details ‘of killing: may be obtained. n 10/10/76, Bosch was reported to have left Venezuela J 10/8/76, an anonymous female - caller to the "Miami Grald" claimed credit in CORU's name for crash. No one from Miami or Puerto Rico known to be involved in plot according to MM 1337-S. Claim by “EL Condor" {group for crash responsibility belidved to be without sumerance ACTION: None. For information. > ' rronoveo > Ext. Affairs... Laboratory wen .) . 5G @ ss” Assoc. Dir... Fin. & Pepa J..... Legal Coun.._..._.... . nil” BO Dep. AD syegeee Gen. Inv Plan. & Eval... a cy id Dep. AD InWadtfeeey Ident. Lt. Rec. Mgmt... . Asst. Dir.: ; Inspection... Spec. Inv. Adm. Serv...  InteWe. Training... esenne a DETAILS: On 10/8/76, a Cubana Airlines DC 8, Flight No. 455, crashed into the sea 16 minutes after takeoff from Seawell Airport at Barbados bound for Kingston, Jamaica and Havana, Cuba. All persons on board (78) were killed. Prior to the crash, the pilot announced ’an explosion on board and that he was returning to Barbados. “y Trinidad and Tobago Police detained two Venezuelan citizens, Jose Vazquez Garcia.and Freddy Lugo, in connection ith possible sabotage against the Cubana Airlines DC 8, ; n the possession of Lugo was an address book with the following notation: "Embassy American 2846111-127 FBI Joseph Leo, 331511." (Leo is Legat, Caracas.) uw) NN Z SECRET . -~2- Docld: 32294567 Page 3
SECRET os : Memorandum to Mr..R, J, Gallagher SECRED, - Re: ‘UNSUBS; SUSPECTED BOMBING OF | | CUBANA AIRLINES, DC 8, NEAR oo BARBADOS, WEST INDIES, 10/6/76 - | - CHILBOM : 185-789 we abe ube, queef A confidential source abroad, [Ricardo rane C1) da Navarrette, Head, unterintelligence Division, (DISIP), | aracas, Venezuel as reported that Lugo is employed by 7 former DISip fheadLouis. Posada. Posada is a Cuban exile Zé who is known for s anti-Castro activities and who has reportedly assisted Orland oscbYfvila, head of CORU, in his terrorist activitiés? CORU WAS formed in June, 1976, by five anti-Castro terrorist groups at a meeting in Santo Domingo, ' Dominican Republic. Since that time, CORU has publicly claimed . credit for numerous acts of terrorism,including bombings and killings. CORU is headed by Bosch and ‘Frank Castro. This , source all but admitted that Posada and Bosch engineered the - hombing of the airline and that it was almost certain that (Ene: ‘Venezuelan Government}, yas privy to their activities. KX’) Association of Legat, Caracas with Sus ects WY (L) Legat, Caracas, became acquainted with Posada when Posada was employed by DISIPY6) After resignation(from DISIP}S) in 1973, PoSada continued to-contact Legat, Caracas, on rare occasions, usually in order to obtain personalized service in connection with visa requests. Posada has’ referred relatives and associates seeking advice regarding visas to Legat. On 9/30/76, one. of Posada's employees, Hernan Ricardo Lozano sought visa to travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on TOMS We i On 10/8/76, confidential source Morales, Supra, advised ; that arrested subject | ‘\|Jose Vazquez Garcia is , an ‘actually Hernan Ricardo Lozano, and that Ricardo and Lugo were . part of the support group in the sabotage operation against. Cubana Airliner. According to i ource, the bomb was suppose ' to go off prior to the takeoff. Oly fs , Legat, Caracas, advised that 0 tc Lozano became. ‘ known to him in June, 1974, when Ricardo sought visa assistance . 1 cu or child of DISIP official. Legat.led.. to believe that Ricardo was an active member of. DISIP. Subsequently LLegat became aware Ricardo yas auxiliary member of DIStp)fand in personal employL 57} ‘of Posada}ifRicardo has also represented himself as newspaper reporter” and photographer affiliated with the magazine "Vision. a4 SECRET -3= A- 2173-73 Docld: 32294567 Page 4
a : / SECRET Memorandum to Mr. R. J. Gallagher Re: UNSUBS; SUSPECTED BOMBING OF SECREY, CUBANA AIRLINES, DC 8, NEAR we BARBADOS, WEST INDIES, 10/6/76 CHILBOM 185-789 Ricardo contacted Legat approximately four times after initial visitland on two occasions furnished Legat data on members of Cuban Embassy which were obviously obtained from DISIP files|y(3) On 9/30/76, Ricardo appeared unannounced at American Embassy and requested assistance in obtaining a visa to U.S. Since he had a photographic assignment for "Vision" Magazine ; in Jamaica and planned a two-day stopover in Puerto Rico. Ricardo stated that he intended to leave on 10/1/76 and Since a travel agency told him the visa process would take three days, requested Legat's assistance, | FReview of Ricardo's passport reflected that Ricazdo had traveled from Caracas to Port-of-Spain, Trin » on . 8/29/76, and had returned to Caracas on a7 76 aa ‘recalled that the bombing of the Guyanese Consulate in J Port-of-Spain had occurred at approximately 10:15 a.m., on 9/1/76, and wondered in view of Ricardo's association with Im@is Posada, if his presence there during that period was coincidence, (CORU publicly claimed credit for this_ attack.) Legat informed Chief, Nonimmigrant Visa Section (NIVS), he wished no special consideration for Ricardo, and requested the issuance of a visa to him be considered on its own merits. (i) : On 10/1/76, at the request of Ricardo, Legat communicated “5 with Vice Consul who wished to know if Legat believed Ricardo would return to Venezuela after his visit in ‘the U.S., or if he was likely to remain there illegally. Legat informed the Vice Consul he had no reason to believe Ricardo would not return to Caracas. \ rn cr In a conversation with an official of DISIP on 10/1/76, Legat broached the subject of Ricardo and of the faint suspicion that Ricardo may have been somehow involved in the bombing of the Guyanese “Consulate in Port-of-Spain. The DISIP official a related DISIP “Age no reason to believe Ricardo was the caliber , of individual that ‘would be utilized in such an operation and that Ricardo was not known to be involved ip,such activities in spite of his association with Posada. 6) SECRET —_4= CE — 4-Q17B 73 J Docld: 32294567 Page 5
o on SECRET Memorandum to Mr. R. J. Gallagher Re: UNSUBS; SUSPECTED BOMBING OF ' CUBANA AIRLINES, DC 8, NEAR BARBADOS, WEST INDIES, 10/6/76 ~ CHILBOM 185-789 Department of State (DOS) Reaction Since the escalation of CORU terrorist activities, DOS has sought the deportation of Bosch first from Nicaragua, and now, because of this incident, from Venezuela. Boschis “a Federal fugitive from the U.S., wanted for parole violation. |\He was originally sentenced to a ten-year prison term in 1968 on charges relating to conspiracy, extortion and bombings. On 12/19/72, Bosch was paroled after serving four years, Following an interview with a news reporter in which he publicly admitted , sending letter bombs to Cuban Embassies, the U.S. Parole Board issued a warrant for his arrest. Bosch thereafter went - underground (# ) Con 10/9/76, Venezuelan President Perez was contacted by American hatfBesch h Caracas, andtitr ged to deport Bosch. |Perez. advised that sch had entered Venezeula clandestinely, but was now sed that] information on t Chilean Junta to the Venezeulan Government. [Perez stated tha osch claims to have carried out several terrorist acts for rg Chileans but was no longer in their employ. [Perez relate S)nowever, that Guillermo Novo Sampol and Ignacio Novo Sampol, ted] anti-Castro Cuban exiles living in ‘the U.S., are still working with the Chileans, and, in fact, engineered the Letelier killing. (This information had previously been reported by confidential source, Morales ‘Navarrette, and similar information linking the’ Novo brothers with Letelj f 's killing. has been received from other. sources.) Perez etelig decision on deporting Bosch, (Saying that while e understood the concern of the U.S. Government, he would study the matter and meet again with U.S, officials on 10/11/79) Legat, Caracas, briefing Ambassador, Caracasjregarding | [Novo brothers, in order that further details of killing may be obtained [from Perez.] XG) [on 10/10/76, confidential source, Morales Navarrette, | advised that Bosch had already left Venezuela and complained bitterly that the U.S, had requested the deportation of Bosch inasmuch as he, Navarrette, had been in the process of debriefing Bosch for the Venezuelan‘Government. Navarrette noted with some bitterness that the U.S. was about two years late ial /¢ uw) ‘SECRET -~5-. Docld: 32294567 Page 6
ry Memorandum to Mr. R.' J. Gallagher SECRET, | Re: UNSUBS; SUSPECTED BOMBING OF ° va CUBANA AIRLINES, DC 8, NEAR BARBADOS, WEST INDIES, 10/6/76 CHILBOM mo, * 185-789 7 Cue effort to have Bosch returned to ‘the U.S., referring to Bosch's arrest on 11/19/74 by DISIP and. of their efforts. to deport him to the U.S. at that time. DISIP was informed then that Bosch, as an alien, would not be permitted reentry into the U.S. This decision was concurred in by Department of State and D tment of Justice, (4) m Further Reports on CORU Involve MM 1337-5, a CORU member, was told telephonically on 10/6/76, by a Puerto Rican. CORU member, that CORU was responsible for the bombing of captioned airliner. Also, source was contacted telephonically on 10/7/76, by CORU leader, Frank Castro, who was then in the Dominican Republic. Castro ‘told source that CORU should (“delay|any news release regarding this incident until public reaction can be assessed. Source said no one from Miami or Puerto Rico known to be involved in the bombing of the Cuban Airliner. 4.) On 10/8/76, an anonymous female caller to the Miami Herald". daily newspaper took credit for the crash of the Cuban Airliner in the name of CORU. Y "El Condor" Organization Claims Credit On 10/6/76, the "Miami Herald" received a telephone call at 10 p. m., fronan individual who said the "El Condor" organization was responsible for placing the bomb. This call was received after extensive, news coverage of the crash lf ‘There is no known "El Condor" organization in the Miami, Florida, area, and the only previous use of the name "El Condor" to claim credit for terrorist activities was by anti-Castro Cuban terrorist, Rolando Otero in "Military Communiques," he issued after several bombings in Miami in December , 1975. Otero is in jail in Miami awaiting trial on these charges. i This claim is believed to be without substance; however, it has caused Caribbean countries to speculate freely that ‘anti-Castro. Cuban exiles in Miami were responsible for the crash of the airliner, ; SECRET ~ 6- DoclId: 32294 567 Page 7 ee _. . US