JFK Assassination System Identification Form Date: §/11/201 AGENCY : RECORD NUMBER : RECORD SERIES : AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ORIGINATOR : FROM: TO: TITLE: DATE: ‘PAGES: - SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW: OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : v9.1 HW 54460 Docld: 32340863 Agency Information FBI 124-10221-10256 HQ 105-72630-2ND NR 16 Document Information FBI DONAHOE, S. B. BELMONT, A. H. . 07/09/1959 3 {Restricted] PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT Unclassified 4 Redact 05/29/1998 INDEFINITE Page 1 Released under the John Kennedy Wssassination Records oOllection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Note). asef#: NW 54460 Date: 1O-O4-2017
very : 2 ~~ GOVERNMENT pate: 7/9/59 . ] Tolson Boardman ‘nom : S. B. Donahogpy, fen Za ae 3 A. A. Belmont’ Nease ____— Parsons | ANDEZ DE CASTRO RODRIGUEZ)| is ~~ Wc. Sullivan ~ Yo _ Above informant (no relation to Fidel Castro famil ) ts Miant informant on Cuban matters. He is Cuban citizen ‘and is paid up to $200 monthly for services rendered. He is 32 years of age, former Miami resident and more recently has, resided|in Havana with his mother. eeceed ie eet Fernandez offered his services to Miami Office on 2/1/5§. He had previously been implicated in gun smuggling activities on behalf of Carlos Prio group in Miami and is former member of Cuban National. Policese, Prior to fall of Batista he furnished valuable data on Cuban G@fairs and was active in reporting on July 26 Move- ment. Hé has oved to be stable and reliable. »He went to Cuba H in March, 191959, at invitation o Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz, then Chief of Cuban’ Air Force, and on 4/7/59 came to Miami and advised he had been made Second Lieutenant in Cuban Air Force and was serving as assistant te Marcos Diaz, Cuban Air Force Inspector and brother of Pedro Diaz. .He uas accompanied by Diaz brothers on trip to Miami and he advised of concern of Pedro Diaz over communist trend in Cuba and efforts of Raul Castro to oust Pedro Diaz. He personally recognized his ou position was extremely precarious and dangerous should Castro learn of his cooperation ith Bureau but indicated he intended to travel to Miami to report and has done sow He actually accompanied Fidel Castro on his visit to U.S., which indicates excellent position he was in to furnish data. He has furnished excellent data and has been repeatedly briefed on necessity not to disclose his cooperation with Bureau. * 2 ” ORIGINAL FILED IN Recently Castro deposed Pedro Diaz Lanz as Chief of Cuban Air Force. Diaz escaped to U.S. and was interviewed by Miami Office 9/2/59. He expressed fear his brother and others on his staff, including informant (informant status not knoun to him) had been.arrested by Castro. Miami indicated no word had been received from informart. Enclosure@eek’ 7 7-S¥ | flhgeor 6 “£2 -  : 1 - Belmont NOT | RFECOR a z 4 Bo JUL h4 f - Defoach ' | 176 JUL 15 1959 1959 : f= - Donahoe ALY INFORMATIOMCONTAMLED: 2 MO) OR OT) DATE wo 16-14 BY ses mac Lue HW 54460 Docld:32340863 Page 2? ‘ :
Memorandun for A. H. Belmont Res MM 635-S (Juan Fernandez de Castro Rodriguez) 134-5991 By cable 7/3/59 Legal Attache, Havana, was alerted to possibility informant may have been arrested and uas told to furnish any data received but to make no open inquiry which might jeopardize informant or compromise Legal Attache himself. Legal Attache cable 7/6/59 advised no data received. ’ Miami teletype 7/8/59 advises of call from "McFarlane" (whose identity is unknoun but who is apparently acquainted with | informant) who said he had message from uncle of informant to effect "Joe is still behind pars." "Joe" is code name of informant and it would appear informant is definitely under arrest by Castro Govermment. Although informant is probably under arrest, it seems clear he has not revealed his relationship with FBI as we would probably have heard a loud blast from Castro by now. Informant recognized his precarious position in acting as informant and presumably he will not reveal his cooperation with FBI although there is no guarantee what any man will do under pressure of interrogation or in fear of his life. Presumably, he would not do so except under most extreme circumstances for it would only aggravate his predicament. Obviously, his present arrest stems from his alignment with Cuban Air Force rather than his informant status. He entered Cuban Air Force on his oum initiative and recognized dangers of alignment with Diaz brothers. Fact that he was in Cuba and working with us was risk he assumed and we, In turn, had to assume risk of exposure or loss in return for valuat!+ data on a critical situation. It is not believed we -can or should do anything ut this Itime to intercede for him. Such intercession would only | ompromiec him and aggravate situation for him. If we are iater faced with charges by Castro or inquiries from press that he admits working with FBI, we are simply going to have to withhois comment as to confirm it would not help him or uso At same time he has been trustworthy informant and we should assist if opportunity presents itself and if it can be done without jeopardizing Legal Attache operation. For example, if Fernand’. should get free on bond, escapes, OT charges are dismissed and fe seeks assistance of Legal Attache in coming to U.Se,y tt is believed we should examine circumstances at that time and decide what, if anything, can reasonably be doneo ~ De HW 54460 Docld:32340863 Page 3 ‘
HW 54460 Menorendun for A. H. Belmont Ree Ml 635-S : (Juan Fernandez de Castro Rodriguez) 134= 5991 } Attached is cable to Legal Attache, Havana, advising him that informant appears to have been arrested, reiterating nO open inquirtes to be made and instructing Legat that if informant should be released and seek assistance or if others seek assistance on his behalf, immediately submit recommendations @s to what can reasonably be done without compromising Legat operation. : - DoclId: 327340863 Page 4