SECCET YS6—/ COMMISSION ON CIA ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES Washington, DC 20500 ; (ott a | May 21, 1975 | i , — Covilb -CIAHAS NO OBJECTION TO MEMORANDUM ‘DECLASSIFICATION ANDIOR MEMORANDUM RELEASE OF THIS DO IT. . AS sani Tee an SSCI BOX i 436-04 TO: File O%) NTE ROUSE Garis ' From: Mason Cargill Subject: DOCUMENTS FROM DPD FILES RELATED TO CUBAN OPERATIONS DURING THE PERIOD 1959 ~ 1961 Today, May 21, 1975, Joe Seltzer furnished me a group of documents, totaling about one-quarter inch in thick- ness, which were compiled by Of the DDO. These are the documents described In paradgraphtwo of the May 15, 1975, memorandum from the Agency entitled "AMB Research of DPD Files Related to Cuban Operations." Paragraph two of this memo reads: "A number of documents were found that referred to the a intent on the part of some Cuban teams operating inside Cuba to attempt to assassinate Castro. . .Also, there is mention of the ee air drop of Springfield rifles with telescopic sights." Items of interest in this group of documents are as follows: 1. Memorandum for the record, unsigned, undated, Subject: "First Meeting of Branch Four Task Force, 9 March 1960." This memo outlines the meeting of the Branch Four Group which apparently was to concern itself with covert . operations against Cuba. The memo relates that Colonel King gave a briefing at this meeting, one aspect of which was as follows: "He said that unless Fidel and Raul Castro and "Che" Guevara could be eliminated in one package--which is highly unlikely--this operation can be a long, drawn out affair and the present government will only be overthrown by the use of force." There are no other references in this memo to elimina- tion or assassination of Castro. It appears to be a general discussion of necessary support for. covert operations against Cuba. - ‘ . ’ RMC:clb SECRET . HW 50955 DBocld:322027411 Page ?
~2- mea? Cable, dated August 30, 1960, from Headquarters = This cable reads as follows: "1. Attempting obtain one helio. Expect this to fulfill all Operational and emer- gency requirements. 2. RE REF B PARA 2B Do not approve. Justification assignment this acft for strict operational and emergency." a » Cable, dated April 4, 1961, to BELL from@RaEmMe This cable, written in Spanish, appears to be a request from an agent within Cuba that certain equipment be air~dropped to him. Among the items requested in this cable, are one - 50~ caliber machine gun, two boxes of Springfields with telescopic sights, plus other weapons and rockets. 4. Cable, dated March 27, 1961, to BELL andg This appears to be another message from an agent within"@ Written in Spanish, it is translated as follows: “March 23 I told Luis Bueno to ask you Opinion regarding sabotage Cia. Electricidad (electric company) in order to leave Havana = ten days without power. We can coordinate . with attempt against Fidel in public appear- ance (at) Sports Palace. Suggest attempt ah against Fidel in accordance with general Plan. Light and Fidel possibly can be coordinated with Pinar del Rio. Reply urgent. Monty." 5+ Cable, March 29, 1961, from BELL to Rive. [Note that this cable and the preceeding one were also sent to the DDP as an info copy.-] This cable recounts another - message apparently received from an agent within Cuba. The agent who sent this message had the cryptonym "NOTLOX." ‘The English translation of this cable reads as follows: "Plan (4) 9 April. Fidel will talk at the palace. Assassination attempt at said place followed by a general shutting off of main electric plants in Havana Veladura. Occupy the public Square, telephone company, atares (arsenal) and MINFAR (Ministerio de Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionario -— Armed Forces Ministry). Action throughout the entire island combined (with) your debarkation at Salado and Santa . Maria (del) Mar. We need arms enter:’Havana. SeECLET — § O4835 WW 50955 Docld: 32202411 Page 3
We have sufficient men and courage. State of mind desperate impossible to endure this longer. Every day situation worse daily . ee arrest. We can blow up any electric company at anytime. Consider what this represents for us after the action. Answer before l April. Agent 2637." 6. Cable, dated April 5, 1961, to BELL from WREMMe This cable, an information copy of which was sent to thé DDP, transmitted a message received from an agent within Cuba, _whose cryptonym was NOTLOX. The English translation of this message is as follows: "Your message 15. Brand, Chacho, and Luis only have arms for 50 men. Blowing up (of) central electric plant and possibly attempt on Fidel will be decidedly carried out 9 April. Once this (is) achieved impossible to maintain clandestine organization in Cuha. Your military aid is decisive. If it does not come that date we are lost." 7. Cable, dated January 9, 1961, to JMBELL from Guatemala. This cable reads in part as follows: @SESor was advised below-listed names provided by Guat secret "ght ees with statement they all Cubans except as noted who are on way or in Guat with mission assassination, ESVEHLGLE oi =and ‘ESOLEO-1T': a [There follows a list of eight names.}*“this cable apparently reflects information received by the CIA that certain people in Guatemala were targets of Cuban assassination plots. I _ would speculate that the two acronyms , FESOLEO< 15 and} ESVEHIGLE St, refer to Cuban exile leaders who at that“time were in“training in Guatemala for the Bay of Pigs mission. 8. Cable, dated June 4, 1961, to BELL from REM, . info copy to DDP. This message transmits a message received from the agent NOTLOX from within Cuba. Its English trans-— lation reads as follows: oo ce peeeionary| _____| Embassy by the name of Says he works for one intelli- gence organization of yours, he says he is in contact with Martin Elena and others and that you have plans for invasion within 30 days after. killin Fidel, advise if we can confide ig ww OF SECRET — rere st of CE HW 50955 Docld: 32202411 Page 4
SECRET This message would seem to indicate that an assassination plan may have still been in existence in June of 1961, after the failure at the Bay of Pigs and of the assassination attempt - discussed above. Apparently the agent NOTLOX was not arrested in April, since he is still sending messages in June. 9. Cable, dated May 3, 1961, to BELL from (JMRIMM; - This message transmits another one received from an agent inside Cuba. The cryptonym of this agent was TEKLOK. The English translation of the message reads as follows: “We are contacting all groups (dos) to organize one united front with a coordina~ tor. You name him or we elect him. Tell us. Will try kill Fidel today. Andres OK but still hiding. His men gone to hill. Want know and what can be used. (as rcevd). Luis Jorge." Note that this is a second agent within Cuba to transmit a message dealing explicitly with the subject of ‘ assassination. ‘a It should be noted that I did not search the files a of the DDO to locate these documents. Rather they were searched by DDO employees and these documents were compiled by these employees and given to me through Joe, Seltzer. Nothing in this package of documents would allow me to deter- mine the true identities represented by the cryptonyms of the addressors and addressees of the above messages. Nor is it possible to identify the agents within Cuba identified by the above cryptonyms. When I returned these documents to Seltzer, I requested that he determine the true identities of the possessors of these cryptonyms and also seek to obtain copies of any replies the CIA may have sent in response to these messages coming out of Cuba relating to the assassination of Fidel. ic | 0008 sae Wh a ay SECRET @ : | gags? HW 50955 Docld:32202411 Page 5