104-10310-10250 6 ay | ene fi NLA | * : AFER 1967 u FOR: Deputy Director for Plans MASFERRER Prosecution, Miami, Florida Office ef General Counsel Hemorendam 67<-0181 _- dated 2 February 1067 Re This nenovandam ig for your information. Be In reaponge to paragraph 2 of reference, WH Divigion hag unde a review of our Miami Station and Headquarters files to determine those pergeus listed in paragraph 4 and ell permons listed in the FAI report attached to reference with whea there hag been any Agency agecciation. 3. Gf the persons listed in paregraph 4 of reference the following have had an association with the Agency: &. David Cabeza &. Father Biage Madrigal Ge Sulie Ceasr Eorailla Listed below are the persons cited in the PRI . report “attached te reference who hare been sascciated with the fgency. Gf these, only two, Jesus Rodriguez and Mayang-Alvarez are currently employed. Hone of the remainder have any current relationship. Mexbers ef the 2506 Brigade are ghowm es such in parantheses after their nanes: &. Relands Masferrer Rojas (Iaformant ¢. Jose Hanuel Bacies, dr. (menber of 2506 Brigade) Ramire Gonzales Infante (menber of 2806 Brigade) @. A@olfo Bartolome Jimenez Aquilea 2. Eric Aries (member ef 2506 Brigade) eg. Alfredo Buiz bh. Rafael Torres (mewber of 2506 Brigade) |
13-00000 ry ee Pablo Morejon-Figueroa (member of 2806 Brigade) j9. #A&rturc Meyans-Alvarec k. Manuel Jose Leon-Fernandez (meaber ‘ef 2506 Brigade) . 1. Yrancigce Varona Yarona-~Soto me éeguma Redriguez - Laie Alberte Olivere (member of sos Brigade) | @..- Carles Lais Scte Borges (meaber ef 250¢- Brigade) 5. It ig believed that the trial of Magferrer or any of his colleagues could demage Ageacy interests in ene of all of the following sectors: a. Unfavorable publicity concerning Agency operations against the Cuban target, ugtably maritime infiltration operations based in southers Florida. &. The exposure ef current Agency (primerily JMWAVE) agents, eperaticnal facilities, covers and operations, notabiy these in the maritine infiltration field. c. The areation eof a elimate which im the 1 rum could lead te cont: damage te Agensy interests and which would render the execution of operations against - Cuba end certeia other targets, especially the Caribbean countries, more difficalt and more caostly (by virtue of the necessity of ereating new or more couplex cever sechaniexs). @. The appearance of certain individuals at the trial could lead to the revelation of information concerning a wide wariety of operational mattersa—using the term “operational” im ite broadest cenge. Of the personnel listed in the 06C neuorandus of 2 February 1987 (aac 67-0161) David Cabeza was emleyed by the y im agent status. Cabeza wag s . key figure in the AMF eperation, at one time an ingortant SHUAVE operation. Cabeza's brother is currently enployed by JHYAVE; for qome time it bas been plamned to terminate hin- “et an appropriate time. Cabeze ig in e position ef being able te reveal considerable information concerning certain
13-00000 operational techniques and facilities employed by SMUAVE in the past, #e well as the identity of a aumber of former agents of the JHWAVE Station, Although, by extrapolation and by exbroidering on information and rumors circulating in the Cuban exile counmunity Cabeza probably could present @ picture of JMEAVE activity which might appear exciting to the layman, it seems unlikely that h¢ has access to any significant amount of inforwation concerning sensitive current ectivities. While to the knowledgeable person, withia the Agency ar within the federal comnmity in Miami, ‘Cabeze‘s information is Likely te be uwnispressive, there seome to be little deubt that he could--as he hes done on  @ mumber of ecossdons during the past two years—-present a picture of JHWAVE aetivity which might intrigue. the general public. It is impossible te predict uhether Cabeza would present the Agency in a unfavorable light or whether he would choose te concestrate hie criticism against other federal agencies. ve A number of the other persons liated in the reference algo are in & position to make allegations eoucerning varieus Agency activities, including JHWAVE operations in the maritize infiltration and propaganda fields, and Agency eperations against the Haitian target. the inferustios available to the Staticn, none of thege individasie pesseases a _bignificant anount of sensitive inferuation ecencerning curreat er iaportant past ety these’ the general public, especially if eniced’ with tidbits of accurate information. S Attachment details the past relaticaship of certain individsusie in the PGI repert te the Agency, iy. SAVE. Two of these individuals are currently cuployed by JMBAVE. dhould certain of the ether individuals be auamoned te testify, they could present a certain eucunt of information concerniag past practices, personnel and facilities used by SMEAVE. Probably the greatest danger to the Agency lies in the poanibi lite that the cirele ef tostimony sight be expanded by the defeuse through the subpeensing of personae whe are not en the liat or mentioned in the FBI report but whe are known te the liated personsel es being currently employed by JMWAVE er a¢ having been enployed im the recent past. Given the legai precedents established im other casee, it appears
13-00000 likely that these current eapleyees (agents) of JHWAVE would have to provide true and detailed azswers in respouse te questioning in court. Such testimony could cause wajer danage to the current operations, personnel and facilities ef the JNBAVE Station. Although it appears that a number of f fectlities which have not been exoased to agente (e.¢., principal caver unit, JHOCEAH) would ust be couprosised throng the tastinaay of carrent naente, there im ne doubt _ that the danger to JHWAVE activities, notably but net exelusively te maritime infiltratien egerntions, would be severe. Possibly more damaging in the long run would be the qurfacing of questions concerning the “right" of the official U.E. Government agency, the Department ef Justice, prosecuting haglesa Cuban and Haitian exiles (Negroes) for conducting activity of “the same type" as that conducted by the Agency with the bleasing of the 0.8. Government. 4n imaginative defenee counsel might even go ac far ag to . accuse the U.S. Customs Service and the Agency of conspiring to “step the competition” by the exiles with the activities eonducted by the Agency. 16. JMWAVE believes that there ig mo question thet the | trial of the Nasferrer group would bring to the surface-—~in southern Flerida and elaewhere in the 0.8. ~~the Jatent tions agginmet Cuba from bases isn the U.é. le the public im general ig highly sympathetic towards the Ageacy with reapect te ite activities the Castro regine, there are a suall number of wecal persons who ‘the “invisible goveranent” operating in Florida. that on area aduiniatereé by the University of Miami eculd lead te charges of Ageucy “corsustion of acadoenic inatitutions.“ be forced to re-examine its relationship to the U.8. Governsest eoucerning the South Campus ares, or ita relatienship to SECRET
13-00000 -5- SMAAVE/IJHOCEAN. In summary it is most unlikely that any future good would result from a trial of Masferrer and/or any of his associates, and it ia highly prebable that there would be created a climate which would meke JHUAVE : operations--of all typea~-more difficult to carry cut in &® secure and economical manner. This is not to sry that JMWAVE would have to go out ef business. This was not the ease in the "Zenith" flap, mor is it likely to be the cage with Masferrer. Hawever, there appears te be little doubt that the threshold of sensitivity to Agency activities on the part of the gemeral public end ef these persona whe, fron whatever motives, question the advisability of the Agency. “operating within the U.S. would be raiged. 11. The question of using Cesar Diosdado as a prosecution wituese presents additional preblems. Bicesdado has beea retained as the Customs officer at Key Weat at the request of the Agency. The Agency reimburses Custons fer Diosdado's salary. Because of hie encyclopedic knowledge ef Cuba and the Florida Keys area and because of his leng involvement in “operational activities” by the Agency, and by ACSI on oceagion, Bicsdado is considered by many exiles- -and gome officialg--ag being “a Company (Agency) wan.” If questioned under oath Dicedade presumably id have te reveal detailg of his agscciation with the. "Agency, actions taxen on behalf of the Agency, and conceivably detaila of JG94VE operations. Im certain instances, sotably regarding current operations aad several highly sensitive past operations, the revelation of detailed information, especially agent identities and operational techniques, could be quite damaging. Possibly Diesdade could be carefully briefed concerning the nature of his testimony se as te avoid perjury while sot giving sensitive data. Rowever, hig nature hin, the U.8. Customs and the Agency in an unfavorable ight. The fact that Blosdado hac been repeatedly commended ef refugees and eseapees would count for Little in a court- room where the emotions of the Masferrer fiasco would be rumiing high. 12. A furthex problen could arise frou the fact that Diosdadse played a leading role in the investigation of the Hasferrer affair, including previeus abortive attempte by the Masferrer ang Haitian exiles to launch operations from Florida, and the fact that Dicedado personally (acting in his official capacity as Customs Agent resident at Key West) led the raid aegainat the house at which the exiles were SECREI
13-00000 SEQRET n arrested and the arma confiscated. The defense aight well accuse Diesdade of having acted met only for the U.8. Customa but alge on behalf of the Agency. . 13. In addition to the foregoing points it should be noted that bhisterically the eimilarity of this operation and the “Bay ef Pigs" could reopen the whole question and progecution. A large percentage of the soople undoubtedly view Hasferrer's activities aa efforts to rid the Western Bemiesphere of an abominable black dictator with the further intention of using Baitian territery as a base to romeve another dictator neither of whom are friendly to. the 0.8. {Signed) Jacob p, Esteziing Jacob B.. Baterline ating Chief Weatern Heulephere Division Attachment e181) | po en7668 = 3 February 1967 Distribution Orig & 1 - Addressee pod put fast fad fot fd pd fod f COG /ESEC ~ Wesferrer 201 SECRET