“-Lo- O: tfeould have been, I couldn't be sure. It could have been later than that. B: Okay. Now, I've asked you whether or not you know of any CIA files on this matter and I wish you would respond to that for the record. ; 0: Well, as I mentioned to you it was a very closely held project. There was nothing as far as formal files were concerned. I did periodically write memoranda . for the record. I don't know where they are now. They were at one time kept in Howard Osborn's office. I assume thev're still there or mavhe they've been destroyed. I don't know, I have no oe access to them. B: _ Any other facts that you might want to add that you think might in any way be relevant to our inquiries here? 0: I don't have any. B: Any other facts which relate in any manner whatsoever to any alleged assassination plots against Castro? 0: No, this is the only - as I say, I was assigned as case officer to Bob Maheu. I got my instruc- tions and I contacted Bob and my involvement was as I stated right now, that's about it. “ad GQTwWadS AHL WOW AdODOLOHG © B: Mr. O'Connell, John McCone took over the position as Director of Central Intelligence in late 1961, do you. have any knowledge as to whether or not he was ever briefed about this project? AUVdGIT Quod O: I don't - his name never came up. All I know is that Mr. Dulles was aware of it. Mr. McCone's name never came up. B: You went over to the Far East in June of 1962, when ‘did yu come back to the country then? 0: ‘I came back in July of 1965. B: Do you hear any information as to what took place with the project after you: turned Roselli over to Harvey? HW 53244 Docld:322047386 Page 19
-19- 0: I never have, I don't think I ever met Harvey or saw Harvey from the time I turned Roselli over. I did see Roselli once. We had a social luncheon but nothing was ever discussed. I have no idea what transpired after I left. B;: When was that social Luncheon, approximately, if you remember? 0: Probably sometime in 1966. B: Anything else you can think of that might in any way be relevent to the inquiries of this Commission? 0: I don't have anything. B: Now, I have one more question, Mr. O'Connell. You indicated that you knew the people that you might be dealing with, at least Roselli and subsequently Sam Gold, might be what you called in an interview "tough guys" or "Mobsters" but when you first met them did you know that they were involved with the Mafia. 0: No, we had no idea. Maybe we should have but we, neither Bob Maheu or myself were aware that they were in the Mafia and that came out eventually by seeing their pictures in the Parade'supplement in \ a Miami newspaper and that's the first time we knew ‘we were dealing with Sam Giancanno and a fellow, I forget his first name, Trafficante who we knew under a different name. AUVddIT Gaod “a GIwuaD AHL WOUA AdODOLONa- B: And, after yu knew that these people were Mafia people, did that change your plans at all? 0: Well, at that point it was sort of beyond doing , anything we could change. We were into this thing so deeply we figured we may as well go along but we were both a little bit, quite a bit, surprised that who we were dealing with. B: Anything else that you wish to add? 0: No. B: Thank you very much for coming sir. es | aa ben COR HW 53244 DoclId:32204786 Page 20