Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: DONAHOE, S. B.
To: BELMONT, A. H.
Document date: 7/9/59
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

5/11/201

AGENCY :

RECORD NUMBER :

FBI

124-10221-10256

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 105-72630-2ND NR 16

Released under the John

F. Kennedy

assassination Records

Collection Act of 1992

144 USC 2107 Notel.

Case#:NIl 54460 Date:

10-04-2017

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FBI

FROM: DONAHOE, S. B

TO: BELMONT, A. H.

TITLE:

DATE:

07/09/1959

'PAGES:

3

SUBJECTS:

[Restricted]

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS :

4

CURRENT STATUS :

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 05/29/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS:

v9.1

HH 54460

DocId: 32340863

Page 1

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## Page 2

Office Memorandu

• UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

do to Belmon!

DATE:

7/9/59

Board ma

3e Imon

.FROM

S. B. Donahoe

CONE. AFte

171 0P6

(JUAN" ERNANDEZ DE CASTRO RODRICUS?)

Mohr -

-

-

Noose.

Pars one

Rogen

Tamm

Morpion

Trotter.

w.C.Sullivan -

Tole. Room -

Holloman

Gandy

Above informant (no relation to Fidel Castro Jamily)

is kiant informant on Cuban matters.

He is cuban citizen ana

1s paid up to $200 monthly for services rendered.

He

is 32

years of age, former hiami resident and more recently ras.

resided in Havana with his mother.

Fernandez offered his services to Miami Office on 2/1/5

He had previously been implicated in gun smuggling activities on

behalf of carlos Prio group in Miami and is former member of Cuban

National Police.

data on luban @fairs and was active in reporting on July 26 Move-

vento he nas proved to be stable and reliable. de went to cubi

in March, 1y959, at invitation of Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz,

then Chief

of cubani adr force, and on 4/7/59 came to Miami änd advised he

had been made second Lieutenant in Cuban Air Force and was serving

as assistant to Marcos Diaz, Cuban Air Force Inspector and brother

of Pedro Diaze

He was accompanied by Diaz brothers on trip to

Miami and he advised of concern of Fedro Diaz over communist trend

in Cuba and efforts of Raul Castro to oust Pedro Diaz.

personally recognized his oun position was extremely precarious

and dangerous should castro learn of his cooperation with Bureau

but indioated he intended to travel to miami to report and has

done so.

He actually accompanied Fidel Castro on his visit to

U.S., which indicates excellent position he was in to furnish data.

ORIGINAL FILED

He has furnished excellent datà and has been repeatedly briejed on

necessity not to disclose his cooperation with Bureau.

Recently Castro deposed Pedro Diaz Lanz as Chief of

Gruban Air Foroe.

Diaz escaped to U.S. and was

interviewed by

Miami Office 7/2/59.

He expressed fear his brother and others

on his staff,

including

informant (informant status not nown to

him) had been arrested by Castro. Miami indicated no word had

been received from informant.

134-5991

Enclosure deet 7-8-59

14

1 - Belmont

NOT RECORDED

1 - Deloach

176 JUL 15 1959

DO JUL

1 4 1959

1 - Roach

1 = Donahoe

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED

-Nasca

HEREIN IS UNCLASSINED

92161 00

2950

DATE 10-16-44 BYSPSMACIA

NW 54460 DooId: 32340863 Page 2

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## Page 3

Memorandun for A. H. Belmont

Re: sad 635-5

(Juan Fernandez de Castro Rodriguez)

134-5991

By cable 7/3/59 Legal Attache, Havana, was

alerted to

possibility informant may have been arrested and was told to

furnish any data received but to make no open inquiry which might

jeopardize informant or compromise Legal Attache himself. Legal

Attache cable 7/6/59 advised no data received.

• Miami teletype 7/8/59 advises of call from "McFarlane"

(whose identity is unknown but who is apparently acquainted with

informant) who said he had message from uncle of informant to

effect "Joe is still behind bars."

"Joe" is code name of informant

and it would appear informant is definitely under arrest by castro

Goverment.

Although informant is probably under arrest, it seems

Iclear he has not revealed his relationship with FBI as we would

probably have heard a loud blast from Castro by now. Informant

recognized his precarious position in acting as informant and

presumably he will not reveal his cooperation with FBI although

there is no guarantee what any man will do under pressure of

interrogation or in fear of his life. Presumably, he would not

do so except under most extreme circumstances for it would only

aggravate his predicament. Obviously, his present arrest stems

from his alignment with Cuban Air Force rather than his informant

statuso

He entered Cuban Air Force on his sun initiative ano

recognized dangers of alignment with Diaz brothers.

Fact that he

was in cuba and working with us was risk he assuned and ue, in

turn, had to assume risk of exposure or loss in return for valuat!!

data on a critical situation.

It is not believed we can or should do anything it this

time to intercede for him.

such intercession would only

compromise him and aggravate situation for him. If we are later

faced with charges by Castro or inquiries from press that he

admies working with t'BI, we are simply going to have to withhoi:

comment as to confirm it would not help him or us.

At same

tilled

he has been trustworthy informant and we should assist if

opportunity presents itself and if it can be done without

jeopardizing Legal Attache operation.

For example,

if Fernande:.

should get free on bond,

escapes, or charges are dismissed and it

seets assistance of Legal attache in coming to U.So, it is believed

we should examine circumstances at that time and decide what, if

anything, can reasonably be done.

HH

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## Page 4

Memorandur for do H. Belmont

Re8

HOM 635-5

(Juan Fernandez de Castro Rodriguez)

139-5991

ISCONMENDATION:

Attached is cable to Legal Attache, Havana, advising

him that informant appears to have been arrested, reiterating

no open inquiries to be made and instructing Legat that if

informant should be released and seek assistance or if others

o he cheng

seet assistance on his

behalf, immediately submit recommendations

as to unat can reasonably be done without compromising Legat

operation.

or.

-3-

HH 54460

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