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13 14 15 from TAB B 77 IGR. | LOZI?S The Passenger on the 27 November 1963 Flight At pages 61-63 and 104, the SSC Final Report describes in considerable detail information concerning a Cuban-American who came to the attention of the CIA and the FBI in the period following the assassination of President Kennedy. The introductory comments of the SSC Final Report state that: "... one source alleged that the Cuban-American was ‘involved! in the assassination!" The SSC Report states that the CIA reported the case to the FBI "almost immediately," but that the Bureau did not conduct a follow-up investigation ‘as part of (its) work for the Warren Commission." Further down the same page the SSC Report states that "(t)he FBI did investigate this individual after receiving the CIA report of his unusual travel." At page 63 the SSC . Report observes that "...the suspicious travel of this individual coupled with the possibility that Oswald had contacted the Tampa chapter (of the Fair Play for Cuba Committtee--FPCC) certainly should have prompted a far more thourough and timely investigation than the FBI conducted...” We do not know just what the Bureau did in thsi respect, nor have we tried to resolve the apparent inconsistencies in the SSC Report noted above, but the SSC Final Report contains considerable detail about the man, presumably re- flecting the results of FBI inquiries. While this section of the SSC Report is directed primarily at the FBI, we reviewed the reporting because of CIA's initial role in reporting about the man. There is also one implicit criticism of CIA, which will be noted. Book V of the SSC Final Report has the following summary statement at page 104, in the chronology section: : “December 5- Mexico Station cables that someone who saw the Cuban- American board the aircraft to Havana on November 27 reported that he ‘looked suspicious'..." At page 61 it states that there "is no indication that CIA followed-up on this report (that the man was “involved in the assassination"), except to ask a Cuban defector about his knowledge of the Cuban-American's activities." (sic.) The presentation of this matter in the SSC Report contains some inaccuracies. First, the Mexico City Station did not cable Washington that the man "looked suspicious." There was a cable, (Mexi-7253, IN74227, 12/5/63) dated 5 December 1963, but it reported that the man had "crossed at Laredo, Texas on 23 November," that he registered at a certain hotel in Mexico City at a certain time and departed for Havana “as only passenger on Cubana Flight on night 27 November," and that there was a good photograph of him taken at the airport. This was followed by a dispaten[fHM-225/99] 12/5/63) the same date, repeating the basic information in the cable, enclosing the photograph, and containing the following cryptic statement: "Source states the timing and circumstances surrounding Subject's travel through Mexico and departure for Havana are suspicious." This comment is cryptic, at least, and--given that dramatic moment in history --doubless reflects a preliminary comment of a person who was on the alert at that time for anything that might be construed as possibly unusual. The above quotation was the Station's actual report of the observaiton by the source, and is what was reported to the FBI; it differs from the quotation in the SSC Report. There was an internal memo (See Memorandum for the Record, 3 December 1963) in the Station that was even more cryptic, but
16 17 SOZIIZ which was in the nature of an informal reminder, which stated that the man was reported/ to have "looked suspicious"; but this formulation never found its way into the more careful statements that usually characterize official re-j porting. The point is that the observaiton was cryptic and impresionistic, rather than constituting a tangible basis for dramatic activity or, final conclusions. There is one piece of reporting that could confuse those reviewing the record, but which is essentially resolved when considered in the context of known facts. On 19 March 1964,1(MNTY-0829, YIN 43193, 3/19/64) Monterrey Base cabled that a source of a localj (Monterrey) Nagent of the federal judicial police" had information on a man; the description seems to have the same Cuban-American in mind. The following should be noted about the report: it misspelled the man's name; it offered a bare statement that he "was involved in Kennedy assassination"; it states that he entered Mexico “on foot" from Laredo, Texas (according to the SSC Final Report, the FBI con- cluded that he entered by automobile); it asserts that he stayed at the ' Cuban Embassy in Mexico City (while the dates and times of his registra- tion and check-out at a specific hotel in Mexico City, where he stayed, were known); it gave an incorrect number for his passport; and, it stated that his Mexican tourist card was issued in Nuevo Laredo (when it was known to have been issued in Tampa, Florida). The report, on its face, was factually _ incorrect on a number of known points. The source patently was extensively misinformed, the hard facts of his report being in error. The Chief of Base 1 at the time, when queried about the report in the course of the present review, could not recall it. There is one additional aspect of the matter, in which the record is confused. If we are to comment negatively on the presentation by the SSC in its emphasis on report, we must point out that the Mexico City Station's response to the Monterrrey. report contributes to such confusion as may exist on the matter. When Mexico City received the Monterrey cable the Deputy © Chief of Station replied (MEXI-8740, IN 43940, 3/20/64)that the information in ‘the report "jibes fully with that provided Station by (Mexico City source) 4 December 63." It did not jibe in most respects, other than the date and place of entry into Mexico. The mistake of that cable cannot be explained _. today, but wrong it obviously was. It does, however, serve to highlight the basic unreliability of the report and indicate how it shouls be cons id- ered responsibly. Implicit criticism of CIA's not collecting more information on the man is not well founded. It had no real sources with access to information concerning him; when a defector from Cuba became available with such in- formation he was queried and the results were provided the authorities.
we ae QUBAM AMERIcaN FOOTNOTES I, The Investigation of the Aggassinetion & Pregiaeat John F Kenaneay. Performance of the lets ence Acanuids | Book Vv, Select Camm. te Study Government Operations 4/23/76, p. bl. Sencke Report No. IW-155 | . | 2. la, CHA Teeument Mex INT2615 3 Dee 1963 3. Cass fren SSE Sune ICDS UL Boca ents, 7 lot. . Cheeky at DS. CiA Document Mex In 71g 2% 3 Decl 1843 © Clee Sicen CAA, Docurknt 4 pecl43 Fle. Cheer Sa ene CtA Boaowment - Megs T2553, IN 74227, 1YS/63 lo. tds ys OR, La-22579, 1] li.  Chaosr feet CiA Dee urnmurdt Meaty , ASOT EZ "1245/63.
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