DISPATCH: LIFEAT PROGRESS REPORT/APRIL, MAY, JUNE 1963
Originator: CIA
From: CHIEF OF STATION, MEXICO CITY
To: CHIEF, WH DIVISION
Document date: 07/19/1963
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

+- 00000-57

104.10188-10040

2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

DISPATCH

CLASSIFICATION

SECRET

POSED

10

Chief, WHi Division

пета

TROM

Chief of Station, Mexico City

PROCESSING

ACTION

MANNED POR INTA VINAS

NO INDEXINE REQUIRED

CARLY QUALIHIRD

CAN ROCA INDURITE

ABSTRACT

MICACHIN

Aw.

SUBJECT

LIFEAT Progress Heport/April, May, June 1963

ACTION REQUIRLO. RLFLRENCES

Reference,

INNA 21434

b.

HMMA 21080

d.

Sinoe the LIPEAl Profuot Renewal Request fortrarded by referaioo (a)

contalied a thorough revlow of the LIFEAT projeat for the entire project year

through May 1963, most of the items of interest to the projeat were Inoluded in

the revier through that dato.

The following report contains those items not

fully reported or

not Inaluded in that revlew plus 1tems of interest ocouring

during June 1903.

Exoept for the above notedl period, LIFLAT progross reports

•generally will be forwarded on a monthly rather than a quarterly basis.

The following report 19 submitted in accordance with CSFibF 52-6-1,

section V, paragraph 2 (a) (1).

A. EXPLOITATION OF LEADS

(1) LIFEAT/Soviet -

During the reporting periud LIFEAT has

continued Its dally coverage of the home phones of two known

Soviet. Intelligence officers. Information and leads fron this

coverage provide the interested Station Officet with a valuable

check on the Soviet contaots of several KUBARK controllad

double agents.

There 18 also provided the type of information

on dally activities of sovlet personnel without which the plan-

ning for and suocessful completion of the technioal surveillance

operation against one of these Soviets would have been impossible.

Station belleves that LIFEAT contribution to the success of this

operation deserves particular mention.

Distrlbutions

2 - WHD

2 - Files

sret."!

CONTINUED

IS COPY

"CANSS REFERENCE TO

CLASSIFICATION

SECRET

50-6-53/3

DATE TYPED

DATE DISPATCHED

16 July 1963

19 JUly 1963

DISPATCH STRABOL AND NUMBER

• FaRiN 21755

HEADQUARTERS FLE NUMBER

50-6-32/3

---

## Page 2

CONTINUATION OF

DISPATCH

SECRET

Н-ЗА - 21755

(2) LIFEAT/Polish - LIFEAT support to the BEKlAVE/BECHICK operation

In recent morths has been particularly noteworthy in providing

travel piansa BEKNAVE. During the intensified efforts against

BERNAVE in the coming month plans for periodie live-monitoring.

by LIFEAT have been rómpletod and should provide a valuable support

t0 this operation..

(3)

LIFEAT/Yugoslav - Of continued Interest to the Station has been

the Information conoerning the locations: being considered by the

Station planning for a technical

operation in this area has depended heavily on LIFEAT leads.

(4)

LIPEAT /Cuban - LIFEAT coverage in the AMSTRUT case provides a

window to the operation which 18 of Interest to WAVE and Headquarters..

(Transcripts from these tro lines are forwarded semi-weekly. to the in-

terested Headquarturs component and WAVE.)

LIFEAT coverage of the

home of a Cuban Comercial Attache provides Information of Interest.

concerning. Cuban cormerofal cantacts and purchases.

(5) LIFEAT/ELle - LUFEAT Coverage of ESLARD-1 has been must rewarding in

¡terms. of his contacts, travel, and future plans. This Information

Frie

has been of interest to Headquarters.

LIFEAT has exerted every effort

to provide continuing coverage of this target even when ESLARD-1

resided in a hotel under 'an allas and following his move to new

quarters.

Coverage by LIFEAT was especially difficult during E-l'e

stay at the hotel stnoe the technical problems were considerable and

the

processing of all calls to and from the hotel in order to extract

E-I's calls was a heavy burden on the LIFEAT processor/translator

staff:

It is noted that in Station's opinion the LIFEAT complex

showed up particularly well in this assignment.

LIFEAT coverage of Judith FerRaTO Segura nas been especially

fruitful concerning the travel and contacts of Costa Rican Cormunists,

Including their travel to Cuba. It has also provided some leads

(6) LIFEAT/American Communist Group In Mexico (ACGM) - During the reporting

period local ODENVY requested that LIFEAT coverage be initlated on

David DRUCKER, prominert member of the ACGM. Product from this

coverage, in conjunction with that coverage

already being provided

on Charles SMALL (aka SMOLIKOFF), is valuable to ODENVY in providing

data on U.S. Communists who travel to Mexico and contact the nembers

of the ACCM.

Information 1s also provided on the dally activities i

and contacts of members of the ACCH.

(7) LIFEAT/Miscellaneous - Coverage of a lormer SNOTH agent at the

request of Headquarters resulted in the knowledge that this former

agent was in contact "ith a number of Soviet Satellite personalitles

and was exercing a strong influence on a friend of his, a PAPRIME

cittzen employed as the local representative of a well known PBPRIME

news media.

It became apparent that the PBPRIME citizen, through

his connection with the news modia, was being encouraged by the forger

SwolH agent in an attempt to

"destroy" the senior ODACID official

1n Mexico.

Early warning to this official resulted In action which

greatly diminished the effect of this effort.

Coverage of both the

former SMOlll agent and the PBPRIME citizen 1s being continued.

• LIFEAT coverage was also placed on the private office of a

Mexican army General based' on a lead that he has the contact of

former Nexican President Lazaro CARDENAS del Rio who was guiding

a number of Mexican aruy officers of troop command rank who would sup-

LIFEAT coverage, however, pro-

vided no information of value and wes discontinued:

1*530

1л:;

Use pi: a Jus 851.09

S 9A 402 51 09

15507 EATON

SECRET

PAGE NO

2

---

## Page 3

CONTINUATION Of

DISPATCH

SECREI

FANA 21755

B. PROCESSED OF TALE

Due to the heavy workload shaned bi the present LIFEAr processor/

transiate=

staff. It was

that an additionalagent was needed

for these duties. station

revier of a numier oi ageit candidates to

f1ll sis position was uniertairen and one individual was' selected.

See paragraph 2 C belon.

C.

PERSOIRST.

Provisionsl operational approval was requested on IFEJD-28 on 29 May

"1963 to fill'the need noted in paragraph 2 8 above.

Recruitment will

be underteen when such approval is received.

:A: the end of May 1963, IFSUD-l nas called into the óffices of

the president of the teleptione company and told that since he has

passed the retirement age (LIFEUD-1 is 63 years old) "roon must be

made for younger men".

A retirement payment was agreed upon which, when

all bererits are Included, equals to approximately 70 to 80 percent of

LIFEND-I's base salary.

After the retirement plan wes agreed upon,

"the President of the company, in a private conversation, asked LIFEUD-1

to accept a special commission as part-time investigator conserned

with ad-inistrative personnel at 1,000 pesos per month. LIFBUD-1

accepted this commission.

The above action will reduce LIFEUD-l's access to the operating

centrals where most LIFEAT tap "crosses" were made.

The extent of this

reduction can only be determined after LIFEUD-l works his special

commissian sor a period of time.

As & prelininary opinion, end not

a finai decision, 1t. 1s belleved that LIFEUD-l's knotludge of and contacts

1n the telephore company, coupled with his new position as personnel

Investigator, will continue to make lis contribution to tne LFEAT

projeci valuable and possibly unique.

(See paragraph 2 E belon re

security aspects of LIFDUD-1's retiremeat).

D. LIAISOI

In late Mar 19E3 loCal ODENVY requested coverage be instituted on

David DRIChER. CENVY 1s to process the take as on otlier ACCi coverages.

This coverage mas installed 2 June 1963. No other shange from that

noted in reference (b).

E. SECURITY

(1) In tie security area the ret trement of LIFEUD-l and the events

surrourding it have produced two dangers to the operation whiah

aifect boir. security and efficiency.

The first of these Involves

tre reduction of LIFEAT access to the telephone centrals. Formerly

LLaiD-1 could, by calling the supervisor of any cestral, arrange

for LInsiD-16 to enter e central, and while engaged in nornal work

there establish a tap "cross" on a LuFFAT targe: lire. Tappirs

througi a central is not 'ilways possible, but has become the stendard

metrod used in LIFFAT operations.

considered less time con-

suming and sorewhat more secure than tapping throust distribution

Secondly, LIFEUD-1, prior to retirement, could backstop the

preseace of the LIFEAT Iinemen (LIFEUD-2 and LIFSUD-}) in areas of the

city outside their normal wors areas while these agents horsed on the

rouitag of the LIFEAT taps lines. LIFEUD-l's retirement dininistes

'LIFE: eccess to the centrals and removes the "proteciion" LINEUD-1

provided to tre lineren and centralman.

:: *530

In 3 related incident during a discussion of his retirement

mili inferti, it vecane apparent that he belleviù tiai intuict vas

providin backup protection to the entire LIFEAT coupleX. LIFEUDI

based this assumption on the fact that at one time he had discussed

providing Lu AY with high level protection witl: a farmer LIFEAT Case

Officer zod later learned that this Case Officer had visIted LICOSCH

on a maber of occasions.

From this HlEaiD-1 deduced that LICOACH

was in contact with the forner LISAT Case Officer in order to

provide protection for LIFEAT aculvities. LIbEUD-1 hirself never

}...6..?7

SEERE,T.

ETRINUED

---

## Page 4

CONTINUATION OF

DISPATCH

SECRET

FATA €1755

had any dealings with LICOACH other than during sume investigations

which LIFEUD-l conducted for the telephone company apprarinately

nine years ago: At no time has LISOUD-l mentioned LIFEAT operatious

• to LICOACH.

Since LCOACH returned to his native Western European

country 1 june 1963, LIFEUD-1 will not be told that LICOACH was not

In LIFEAT employ.

However,

LIFEUD-1 has been reminded never to

speak with anyone about LIFEAT without firs' discussing 1t with

WIISTED.

(2)

Another, difficulty facing LIFEAT 1s the continuing luprovement

in the telophone company's control of personnel novenents (noted

In refs a and b)..

..The latest development in this area requires

thät an authörized. "work oruer" be presented by ant telephone

company. employço nho enters a central rud 1s not a full timo

employee of that central; Any work being performed must be

witnessed by the supervisor of the centr.l and his written report

of the work and Its satisfactory completion must be entered on the

"work order". This "work order" is then filed in the company records.

This will greatly reduce INFEAT access to the centrals. at least

from the thue the "work order" system i8 fully implemanted.

Personal

friendships nf ÜÜPEUD-1 and assignments of LIFEUD/2,3 and 16 t

periodic regular tours in the varlous centrals will. give IFEAT

some access, but Dost LIFEAT tap CrOSSes Will o! nocessity be

made in the street distribution boxes.

This until such time as a r

method to get around the "work order" system 1s developed or this

system falls of Its own weight due to the Nexican "manala" attitude.

Making crosses in distribution boxes is somewhat more risky ard

more expensive,. but will be an operational necessity for somo timo.

F.

TECHNICAL

The change to making crosses in distribution, boxes, which was the

original LIFEAT tap method, 1s the most obvious change on the operational

horizon. Technically there is no difficulty to be overcome and in some

lays this system of tapping 1s a simpler method of doing the job. The

Increase In securily riak was noted In pajagraph 2 E abovo.

3.

The combined coverage for the three months of this report totaled 25 lines:

Coverago by targot was as follows.

1. Aleksandr G. SIDORO!

2.

Svyatoslav F. KUZNETSOV

3. Suspected Soviet Support Agent

4.

and 5. Polish Embassy

f., T. 8, and 9. Yugoslav Embassy

10. and 11'ANSTRUI operation '

12. and 13. Homes of two Czech Intelligence Officers

14. Cherles SMALL aka SMOLIKOFF

15. David DRUCKER

16. Judith FERRETO Segura

17., 18., 19., 20. and 21 ESIAPD-1 and related lines

22, and 23. Former SMOIH agent of interest to Headquarters and a related

11ne.

24. AMSTET -1

25. Private office of a Mexican Army General

A. During the reporting perlod a number of memorenda were prepared by the

Station for passing to local ODACID and ODENY based in whole or in part

on LIFEAT provided material.

The following His were provided as a by

product of the ILFEAT operation.

HMMM 7145

HAM 716O

INM 7214

HM T31O

HAM 7330

HM 7379

heard ares

soir

2 530

CHINA AAS SINO

CHANG FATION

SECRET

---