404-10177-1000 8 November 1961 SRR _ ; v4, Re oF aan wl IRR e MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, WH/d4/FI-CI SUBJECT - : Operational Security Threats Posed by . Arrest of AMCONCERT-1 wi . 1. Proebles ~ To attempt to determine extent and nature of possible compromise of the Staybehind Net resulting from the reported arrest of AMCONCERT-l by Cuban Ged, 2. Circumstances \5-=0p 18 October 1961 Oneadquarters received a message from the(Hadri Station that the (QUATUM representative at the Spanish Embassy in Cuba reported that AMCONCERT@-1 had been arrested by G2 during the week.of 9 October, when he tried to make a clandes= tine exit from Yaradero Beach. No further details were given ether than the fact that ANCONCERT=-] was being held at G2 Headquarters in Matanzas, The events which lead to AHCONCERT-1's subsequent appre- hengion by G2 appears to be as follows: a « ®. After taxing asylum at the Brazilian Oabassy sometime in July, it is apparent that AMOONCERT-1 had made up his mind to effect an escape to Miami via channela uged by otner members in the Staybehind Net previously. Accordingly, he met Jorge NOBREGAS {knewa as COCO) on the aftornoon of 4 August, who informed him that necessary arrangements for his . exfiltration had been completed, and that he would 7. leave that weekend by boat from the Varadero Beach area, It appears that NOBREGAS was serving in a cut-out capacity between ANCONCERT-1 and the Staybehind Net, and was reportedly given 2,600 pesos by AMSTO¥-1 to grease the skida for AMCONCERT-1‘'a escape. When ANCONCERT=1 reached the rendazw us site at the designated time where he was supposed to meet NOBREGAS, he learned from an individual known as CUCO that NOBREGAS and three Cubane had already taken off in « fishing boat, who. presumably tad no a aloe teiahe e/py fou
14-00000 ‘ i ‘errr! e / intention of taking AHCONCERT-1 with them. (NOTE: ROBREGAS and his threo coupanituns later reached Key fest, Florida, shere thoy were picked up by a U.S&. Coast Guard vessel), eee mene? b. Since AMCONCERT~1L apparently decided not to return to . ; ee, the Brazilian Embassy again, he recontacted the Stay-= ° behind Net and an oxfiltration plan was worked out with WAYS via tho OGAKIK channel for him to leave Cuba on 31 August. ANCONCERT~1 was staying at a beach motel cabin near Boca de la Camarioca since 28 August and was to be taken to the reception area in a fishing boat out of Carabinero Point, once he received the signal by phose to move out. This exfiltration plan failed, hovever, when the WAVE vessel found a hostile Cuban frigate sweeping the rendezvous area with searchlights, which forced it to abandon its mission. At this point, contact wags lost with AMCONCERT-1, who it is presumed returned to his hide-out in Havana. Froa 1 September to the tine he was picked up by G2, wo can only assume that he recontacted CUCG, who pre- sumably. wag responsible for laying on arrangements for the ili-fated venture at the same location near Yaradaro Boach. AXSTUFF-l's recent report indicates that AMCON= CeRT~i, in the company of five other Cubans, was actually picked up by GZ on 6 October, as they attempted to leave tie beach by boat. It appears that CUCO successfully evaded capture and returned to Havana, 3. Background AHCONCERT-1 (code name, "FOOOT) is a Cuban national, who . was born 11 Gctoher 1922 in Congolacion del Sur, Cuba, Se is married to Norma UGARRIZA Alonso, who is a Cuban national. They have two daughters - Normita, age six and Ana Luisa, age eight. Although his perents are believed to be dead, he has three brothers and two sisters presently living in Cuba. He received his educa~ tion at the ESCUBLA TECHICA MECANICO TORNERO, where he learned his trade as 2 printer. from 1952 to 1957, he was self-omployed operating a printer's buginess and an auto sales agensy,° In 1959, follewing the overthrow of the BATISTA Regime, he was employed at the Ministry of Justice in an administrative capacity. Subject was a member of the "AUPENTICO" Cuban revolutionary govement led by Carlos FRIO Socarras, former president of Cuba. In view of his counter-revolutionary activities against BATISTA, Subject was exiied from Cuba to Miami on 29 May 1957. He was later srrested and fined in Miami for gunrunning operations into Cuba. Hoe returned to Cuba during the latter part of 1958.