4 Date:06/27/94 Page:1 JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY INFORMATION AGENCY : SSCIA Peleased under the John RECORD NUMBER : 157-10004-10123 . Kennedy WKSsassination Records RECORDS SERIES : ollection Act of 1992 REPORT (44 USC 2107 Note). asex#: NW 54653 Date: AGENCY FILE NUMBER : HO-235-2017 DOCUMENT INFORMATION ORIGINATOR : FBI FROM : TO : TITLE : MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO DATE : 10/30/64 PAGES : 8 > SUBJECTS : PMOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT INTERNAL SECURITY - CUBA NEUTRALITY MATTERS - CUBA DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION : U RESTRICTIONS : 2, 4, DONOR REST., REFERRED CURRENT STATUS : X DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 06/27/94 OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : box 377 [R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED AW 54653) DoclId:32202012 Page 1
: UNIT. STATES DEPARTMENT or STICE rEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION "n Reply, Please Refer to File No. SSC , 1M 97-328 Miami, Flerida | BOX # 37 | i> “3 QRIEY, NO ent a | sera | - MOVIMIENTO DEMCCRATA CRISTIANO (oc - Christian Democratic Movement) i INTERNAL SECURITY ~ CUBA NEUTRALITY MATTERS oy furnl — — Be need aad ng informaticn: ¢ LAUREANO BATISTA FALLA continues tO be military leader of the MDC. This anti-CASTRO organiz2eticn continues to maintain headquarters at 1732 N.W. 7th Scerect, and has its military headquarters located at 837 S.W. 28th Avenue, Miami, Florida. wMésieicr cy ice Cus foe ae Cae TATION On August 9, 1964, BATISTA atated he wanted to leave the following day to visit his military training camp cutside the nited States. BATISTA stated he planned to meet an unid ified persen in the parking 4ot of an unidentified sup emarket in Miami during the to receive some ome-made bcmb3, which previwily belcnged to FRANK ANTHO TURCIS, also known 2s ‘ American mercenary and adventurer living in cae eee Miami, Florica. ae ee oe ercynity mean TION NATIONAL - : | aoa Subject te Criminal Sanctions ENCL Gp 4]/ 0 Wek HW 54653 Bocld: 32202012 Page 2?
HW 54653. ' §Sc} BOX # 377- ~ ’ MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC) As of August 13, 1964, BATISTA did not leave the United States for his military training camp, or the Dominican Republic. He planned to leave cn August 13th but canceled his pians for seme unknown reason. The MDC previously maintained a clandestine radio at its military headquarters, 837 S.W. 28th Avenue, Miami. This clandestine radio was recently re- moved and reportedly returned to its cwner. On August 17, 1964, ANGEL VEGA and CESAR GARCIA, two members of the military section of the MDC, went to Key West, Florida. The purpose of the trip was to try to locate a commercial shrimp boat to buy for the MDC. BATISTA feels that if the organization had a commercial fishing boat, money could be earned to support the or- ganization's revolutionary activities. At the MDC military headquarters, self-study courses in military training and theory are being given. These courses do not deal with the actual firing of © weapons or the use of detonators or explosives. During the middle of August, 1964, BATISTA was studying a number of detail maps of Cuba. Some of these maps bear the stamp "For official U.S. Government use only." These waps were obtained by BATISTA from ROBERT — Ko BROWN, an American adventurer, part time writer, former University of Colorado student and U.S. Army Reserve Captain. BATISTA set up a copying camera on a tripod, photographed these maps and is in the process of making a number of copies. The maps do not appear to DoclId:3227027012 Page 3
HW 54653 ra \ MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC) be classified and are regular military type maps used by the United States Army. On August 24, 1964, BATISTA stated he would "now concentrate on raising funds for the MDC. He planned to meet a number of leading Americans for the purpose of soliciting contributions, He also planned to contact Dr. _ FREDCROCKETT, a Miami Dentist, and an active member in the JOHN BIRCH Society. BATISTA felt that through CROCKETT he could solicit funds from the JOHN BIRCH Society. BATISTA was working on a 12 page memorandum designed to show the organizations needs, what could be accomplished with sufficient money and material, and re- quested individuals to contribute ts the MBC. This memsr- andum was written in English and was planned by BATISTA .Co serve as a stimulus for money contributions from Americans. On September 9, 1964, classes were given in the theory of demolition at the MDC military headquarters. BATISTA stated he planned to leave Miami about four days previously but he has had prcblems with the U.S. Immigra- ‘tion and Naturalization Service (INS), and consequently he had postponed his trip. On September 15, 1964, BATISTA's followers at the MDC military headquarters were getting ready to ship military equipment out of the United States, They were packaging and crating miscellaneous military equipment and planned to make the shipment on September 16, 1964, DoclId: 3227027012 Page 4 SSCi BOX # 372- 1 Fes eee
\ SSCI BOX # 5 715, MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC) This military equipment did not include any automatic or semieautcmatic weapons. BATISTA stated a number of different types of guns were stored at ane other locaticn, not identified, but they were in the process of being made ready fer shipment and these guns would meet the MDC boat. BATISTA did not identify the name of the boat or its location. The previous day, BATISTA was in possessicn of 85 dynamite caps and about 50 nen-electrical dynamite fuses. He had two new rifles, some grenades, parachute flares, an M-14 magazine, 20 rounds of M14 ammuniticn, M-14 tools and other miscellaneous military equipment. It was believed that this equipment had been pilfered by three Cubans at Fort Jackson, North Carolina, a U.S. Army Base. - ce ee ie — pe ert BATISTA's assistant, ANGEL VEGA, was taking a car to Fort Jackson, North Carolina at sometime in the future to bring back another shipment of stolen U.S. Army material; however, VEGA had not set a date. eee On September 18, 1964, BATISTA stated that he had not yet sent the shipment of military equipment out ‘of the United States. He said that in view of the recent sinking of the Spanish freighter STERRA ARANZAZU by Cuban exile raiders, there was considerable pressure on Cuban exiles in Florida frem federal law enforcement officers. BATISTA said he had postponed the shipment and it would be made at scme time in the future. On September 18, 1964, BATISTA left the United HW 54653 DBoclId:32202012 Page 5
HW 54653 ff ‘ . \ “eo SSCI Boy 4 ; 7 MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC) States for his training camp located either in the Deminican Republic or the Bahamas. It was unknewn how he left the. United States, who might have gone with him, or what he took. His followers figured that he teck his military equipment with him when he left and this equipment would be shipped to his military training camp. PATRIA is a Spanish language paper published weekly in Miami, Florida. On September 11, 1964, PATRIA contained an article stating that the MDC issued a lengthy decument accusing . American agencies of being led by exile movements that are split up and divided. The MDC claimed the United States ' government artificially creates leaders for the Cuban . exile movements, persecutes independent Cuban exile organ- izations, and interferes in Cuban exile affairs. The MDC uses the term "'check-eaters" to refer to those persons or organizations which have received financial aid or backing from the United States government. MM T-2, another government agency which conducts intelligence investigations , on September 30, 1964 advised as follows: : -A Cuban exile with excellent contacts in the Antillean Marine Shipping Corporation, on September 15, 1964, reported that BATISTA spcke with officials of the Antillean Marine Corporaticn about the unloading from the M.V. TITAN in the Deminican Republic of. one 23! Viking class boat, equipped with twin Mercruiser engines, and a radio telephone. DoclId:322027012 Page 6
SSC] BOX # 377- MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC) The bill of lading, dated September 15, 1964, reflected that a recreational . boat was consigned to Colonel MILTON ZUBERBI, Santo Demingo, Dominican Republic from JOSE-GONZALEZ, 8255 S.W. 42nd Street, Miami... ;-, On September 30, 1964, MM T-1 advised BATISTA recentl; returned to Miami from a trip outside of the United States. On October 12, 1964, MM Tel advised that ANCEL | VEGA returned frem Fort Jackson, Nerth Carclina con October | 10, 1964 stating he had been unable to obtain any ammuni- tion or military equipment pilfered from Fort Jackson, North Carolina. VEGA stated the people whom he had con- tacted were unable to obtain the material, but he, VEGA, plans to visit Fort Jackson again at seme time in the future. On October 26, 1964, Mr. M. H. REDMON, Investi- gator, INS, Miami, Florida , advised that records of his office reflected BATISTA FALLA returned to the United States on September 29, 1964 aboard a Dominican CDA (Compania Dominicana Aviacicn Airline). . BATISTA subse- quently applied for a reentry permit, stating he wanted ‘to visit Chile, Latin America and Western Europe. He stated his reason for traveling was for “family and study." ENTER REAN E/E: -6- HW 54653 DBocld:32202012 Page fT
SSCI BOX # 377~ -- MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC) This document contains neither recommendations nor con= clusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and .is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. HW 54653 DBoclId:32202012 Page 6
71 } UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU oF INVESTIGATION In Reply, Please Refer to Miami, Florida File No, ‘ y OCT 30 1964 SSC! Box 4 377. TMtle MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC - Christian Democratic Movement) Character INTERNAL SECURITY - CUBA NEUTRALITY MATTERS Reference . memorancum datzd and eapticned as above. To ~ low) whose identities ave furnished reliable All sources (except any listed be are concealed in refere need communication h information in the past. This document co of the FBI ang is your agency, ntatne neithe rt recommendation loaned to y ® nor conclusions ofthe Far, 1 {a the Property Our agency; it and {ts contents ate not to be distributed Cutside - Flee in : es HW 54653 DBoclId:32202012 Page 9