AIR POUCH SECURITY INFORMATION: ESCAPE OF SEVEN BULGARIAN REFUGEES.
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
To: C, FDP
Document date: 11/26/1951
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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104-10071-10354

VIA:

SECURITY INFORMATION

Air touch

CIFY AIR OR SEA P-UCH

DISPATCH NO. PEA-A- 5418

SACRESTIoN

DATE

26 November 1951 €

•TO

Chief, FDP

16-16

FROM

Chief of Station, Athens

SUBJECT GENERAL Operational

SPECifIC- Escape of Seven Bulgarian Refugees

20-763

Reference - PCA-A-4934, 5310, 5311, 5309, 6065, 6066, (the 7629

Attached herewith is the combined explanation of subjects, activities

prior to their escape to Creece. The men were individually interrogated

by CASP and GASP/3 in order to get an organised report on their activities

and to check their individual statements against each other in an effort

to find out if any of the individuals may be a Balgarian agent. They

be pouched shortly:

It, should be noticed that there appear to be several illegal groups in

the montains around the Ploydiv area, including a so-called Gorjant

Groups however, none of this inforation has been confirmed thus far.

3:

While several arrests have resilted from subjects'

men are also Bulgarian I.S. agents:

4..

The three Peltekov bodies and the tro Nikolov bodies have expressed a

willingness to undertake missions into Bulgaria. Their PRQ's have been

forwarded to headquarters for that reason..

In order to properly evaluate

their operational potentials and to formulate operational plans, plus.

preventing them from getting contaminated in the Lavrion Camp, it is

requested that they be put in safehouses where they can be properly

handled; bearing in mind the views presented in the preceding paragraphs.

In the meantime the bodies will be individually evaluated and every

effort will be made to pick up ary additional information bearing on

the security factor.

26 Nor. 51

4 діли под

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SECRET

5. It is presently visualized to place the Peltekoys and the Nikolors in

separate safehouses..

If & sound operational plan is formulated for

each group, a project outline will be forwarded

soonest, bearing in

mind that we can hold one member of each group here as a hostage in

order to be reasonably sure that the men who

go on

double cross us

a mission will not

6.

It permission to move the men to safehouses is granted, It is requested

that the necessary expenditures be charged to THOlE until a project

outline, budget and PRQ's Part Il are forwarded.

7-

Reguest operation's cryptonym.

Li Des

Desmon

RPBijt

Attchmt

- Escape of Seven

Bulgarian Refugees

to traine de.

Wash-2

File-1

EX A-1

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SEGSET

NOSLA0TT INFORUATOM

SUBJECT:

Escape of Seven Bulgarian Refugees

REPERENCE: PGA-A-5310; 5311; 5309; 4934

1..

The following seven Bulgarian refugees arrived in Greece 21 June I951:

*Petur NIKOLOV EL

*stevan PELTEKOVEL

Ivan NIKOLOV GL

*Peter PELTEKOV EL

*Zaravko DAMJANOV GL

X Boris PELTEKOVE

• E.

*Spas RATKINGA

20

After studying the Creek report and the report of our Kavalla sub station

(PGK-A-478), it was decided to interrogate all seven of the refugees

again individually with the help of GASP and GASP/8 to check their stories,

analyze their accusations, and to determine their operational possibilities.

3. To make the Story easier to understand, the seven persons may be divided

Ento three groups:

a. Three Trudovaks who wanted to escape to Greece: Stefan PELTEKOVS

Zoravko DANJANO, and. Spas RAIKIN:

Ivan NIKOLOV and Petur NiKOLOV, members of an alleged anti-Communist

group in the Plovdiv area which helped the Trudovaks to escape

Petur PELTEKOV and Boris PELICKOV, the father and uncle respectivelys

of Stevan PeLlENOV, who served as intermediaries between the Trudovaks

-and the anti-Communist organization in order to arrange the escape oi

the Trudovaks. They became so involved arranging the flight that they

had to flee themselves in order to avoid arrest.

RATKIN and DAMJANOV, two close friends from the Plovdiv area serving in

the same Trudovax unit in Bezmer, decided to desert and escape to Turkey,

the nearest non-Comminist country.

In March 1951 the two Trudovaks were

transferred to a Trudovak unit in Balcik, where they became friendly with

another Trudovak,

Stevan PELTEKOV. PELTEKOV wanted to escape to Greece.

Since RAIKIN and DAIJANOV were unable to organize a safe escape to Turkey,

they decided to join PELTINOV in his flight to Greece.

Since the minter of 1950 Stevan PELTEKOV had been urging his father to

help him to escape to Greece. Petur raurpkowthen approached vasal Izarov,

a non-comassioned oriccr whose vife iskaria PaLTOROW

Stevan

hunker agroed to hele aud made contact math stevan in order to.

FLE(

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Goryani

organize his escase to greece. Fron that time all correspondence with

Stevan concerning the escage was caried by vasil LAZaROV and his rife,

Maria.

"aria sent her brother a cirilian suit, and the father sent him

5,000 leva. Su the end of horil 1251 IZARON infored Stevan that he

had found a guide who would tare him to greece if Stevan could come to

Plovdiy before 7 lay 1951.

6The The three Trudkoraks decided to leare, and on ollar they deserted their

unit. They traveled on foot to

Jama, ald fron Vara to Plovdiv by train.

they arrived in Plorair on? lay mithout incident.

They were met by

-IZAROV and his wile, and they were then taken to a hiding place outside:

the city where they could be contacted at nignt by one of lAzARovis men

who would provide food and reasons. Because of confusion in recognition

signals, no contact was made during the night of 7=o lay 1951.

fore, on 8 Way the Tradovaks went to ?lordly to see LAZAPOV. On this

trip the Trudovaks net Foris FELTEROY, Stevan PELTEKOVis uncle. The :

Trudovaks, accomanied by, LhAPov, his rife, iaria, and Soris FELTaKOV,

left Plovdiv imediately and went tomery a safer hiding place near the

village of larkovo This sane day they cane in contact mith the alleged

anti Coumnist organization, and fros the contect many ntounderstandings

arose which led to hunerous arrests, and to many changes in the escare

plan."

According to statenents of retur and ivan NIECIOV, there is at least a

rudimentary anti-Corminist organization in existence in the Plovdiv area

The NIKOLOV brothers were initiated into the organization in March 1951

aby one/ingel pIstole farmer, who is allegedly the head of the

organization in the rallaze ofularrovo, Florair district.

simlar groups in other villages.

There were

orders fron the district headquarters in Plordiv.

the rage groups ceceived their

apparently plays an important role in the florair organization because

his authority extended over the arcovo village group. Contact between

the lowday headquarters and larsovo mas raintained by Ancel OKaEOV and (cHAkAno)

Angel HRISTOZO?.

Vastl LADiRON mas aiso a member of the Ploydiv group in

spite of his ure-Cominist nast. LAZACY was probably the leader of the

anti-Cormnist organization in the 9 Infantry leginent, if that unit had

an organization. The organization is allegedly in contact with some

Turkish service.

8.

In the mountains in the Plowdly area tuare mere several grops of rebels

called corjani.

There are supposed to a 50 to 300 sorjani in the

Lestensko bountains:

during the night of 19-20 2 2 2951.

They allegear had a chast irth regime forces

Another group of four rehels had

acclash with police in the Fero nandove village ares.

In both cases

there here casualties on both sides.

These "jorjani" groups allegedly

are under the anti-commist orgenication (mich mer be called lova

repaolina). fontact mith

Fredera in the mountains is maintained

ordi: distric

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- 3-

9.

Although LAZAROV stated that he had a guide available, he actually did

not have a guide at his disposal, nor did he have any personal contact

with the "Gorjani". He may have reported to the underground group that

the Trudovak deserters were to arrive- in Plovdiv. The underground organ-

ization may have decided that the three young men would be a valuable

adaition to their strength, especially since they had been comelled to

Live

illegally

and

would fight for their lives.

The underground organi-

Lation may not have been sure that the Trudovaks would be willing to join

the Gorjani instead of going to Greece, and they may have decided not to

say anything to

the Trudovaks or to Petur and Boris PELTEKOV, the father

dot eatenat there ous no to pro the mati de, taca suit

could be found to take them to the Gorjani.

-Golyard

10.1

place near the village of Markovo. He gave them rifles, ammunition

kove van lodorgy Storayoys visited them and showed them how to overate

the weapons they had received. The same day the Trudovaks were taken by

Petar NIKOLOV to a place called Gole Mogila which is in the mountains about

twenty kilometers south of Markovo. Waiting for them there were Vasil

LAZAROV and his miter baria. Cola logila was supposed to be the final

hiding place until their departure to Greece.

Until his arrest, Ivan

NIKOLOV was providing the group with food.

Äfter NIKOLOV's arrest, the

group was given food; very irregularly, by Boris PELTEKOV.

Vasi LAZAROV and his wife tried all day 10 Nay to persuade the Trudovaks

to join the Gorjani becäuse there as no guide available to take them to

Greece.

The Irudovaks refused the susgestion emphatically and insisted

that they wanted to flee to greece only LAZARoV leit them with the

promise that he would find a way to organize the escape and that he and

his wife would join then.

12. For several days the Trudovaks were left at Gola logila without any

contact and without food.

They lost confidence in LAZAROV and decided

to go to larkovo and Plovdiv to find Stevan PELTlOVis father and uncle.

On Li May they met Boris PRuT tO! in flovaiv.

PELTEKOV told them to

return immediately to cola agila and he would bring them some food the

next day. The followins

dey Boris brought them food:

13°

On 16 May Ivan NIKOLOY brought a cuide Ilier jirorto cola Morila

who was supposed to take the Trudovars the following night to the

corjani.

The Trudovaks, not having a guide to tane then to greece and

being unable to remain alone in coin ogila, agreed to join the corjani.

next night no cuide cond, ind tir Tridoaks later learned that he

had been arrested.

Mars percion desperute, and they wandered

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14:

between sola rerala, flovaiv, and markovo looking for help. on

19 May they were persuaded by Vasil LAZAROV to return to Gola Mogila to

The same day. LAZAROV was arrested, and on 22 Way his

The Trudovaks were told about the arrests by Peter

PELTEKOV who visited

them at Gola Mogila on 22 end 26 May. Peter POLISKOV

then assumed the task of finding a guide to take the Trudovaks either to

Greece or to the forjani.

The Trudovaks remained at Cola Mogila until 7 June.

On 7 June Boris

PELTEKOV came and told them that they could hide in NIKOLOV's home for

a while. They then rent to Ivan NIKOLOVis home In Markovo and learned

there that Petur MIKCLov had been arrested on 5 June, and that vasil

LAZAROV had betrayed al1 of them. Stevan PELTEKOV and Spas RAIKIN

returned immediately to cola logila, while Zdrarko DAlJANOV went to

Branipole to alert Petur and Boris PELTEKOV.

As a result of their aimless wandering about, carelessly explosing them-

selves, to the sight a many persons: even mithout a betrayal the police

In Plovdiv would have become suspicious

The Plordiv police had also.

probably received a request from the Prudovak unit to locate the deserters.

Therefore the arrest. of Vasil LAZAPOV was very natural, and the arrest of

Ser shelli

liev GIUROV and PeturNikoLoV was a natural consequence of the interroga-

Mages 2t3!

tion of LAZAROV Ch 22 Way Ivan NIKOLOV was arrested because of the

Trudovaks but he was able to free himself the same day. After tro days

in Jail, Petup IKOLOV admitted his connection with the Trudovaks and he

agreed to tur the trudovaks over to the police. It is surprising that

the police gave him the time and expertunity to warn thei other members

of the plot

16

17.

*On' 8 June Ivan and

Petur NIKOLOV joined the Trudovaks at Gola Mogila and

decided to flee to Greece themselves, since there ras no guide to take

them to corjant They told the Trudovaks that they had warned Angel:

HRISTOLOV and other members of the organization, but that they had

refused to flee, hoping that they could out the blame for

everything

on the NIKCLOV brothers. The BIKCLOV brothers felt that it was now time

to persuade Fetur and Doris PaLTukCi, mio were also under suspicion, to

join the escape.

on 9 June Foris

caurunch trought cocd to solarogila and staied that Petur

PSITANOV did not consider the

matton too serious.

PALTrOV decided so 10:00 13

rather the same, cave

Therefore: Stevan

but he was unable

The next day,

10 June, Boris vent

has brother back to Goia logila.

18:

on 1l June the hole croads consisting di the three tradovals, the tio

LOKOLOV bröthers,

tie lace crothers; started: coard Greece.

They passed thre:

eatens

and Snozon.

meter they talle

Liste:

they, Lost:

do not lar the barrack won well, sha

nochset

To 10 More then trussca

torter

into

Breace, and

win they 50200.0006.10 20c 1100116455e

-==.

=..

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-÷-

19. 2unsi in Which Vasi? sciot hardled the escape glan and arieá to lead

tir trodoves do the Jorjans instead on to breece causes mior bad fseling

tine mrudoveirs and the Falloner brothers against liciati and elso

againt the INcLoY brothers tho has the same pier.

The Tridorals manted

onl: to come to Greece. Because

of = misunderstanding or de-iberate

decrit, LAZARCY was arrested and the NIKOLCV brothers were forced to flee

toürrace. In addition; during his interrogation, lazurer betrayed not

1 only the Tradovaks, but nembers of the underground organization as tell.

Hey persens have been of vili be imprisoned for this.

20: Duir: the first days of their flight all ci them vere unanimous in

blaalng Vasi? LAZARCV for everything. Later Steven and the FaITEKC!

brothers changed their mind because they could not believe that irror,

their relative by narriage, would betray them intentionally. This caused

near liatred betireen the PELtelors and the torolous, mnile the Imidovals

remained neutral.

21 •

LAzen ov's record is not very favorable. In 19, he mas a legionnaire

against the Comminists.

"Later he joined a communist youth cramization,

and finally becene secretary for culture and propaganda. de is now

serving in the Army as a sergeant.

He arlegealy was pronises a prerotion

to orvicer grade if he would accomplisi sonething usefui der the Communist

22.

IS ¡JAROV mas supposed to deliver ine tridovaks to the police, he certeinly

mle opportunity to do so because of the way in mich are

Tridovaks

wandred abcut..

The manner in nrich the Plovdar police bandied the NixCLoT

brotists is questionable, since the golice nad not only suspicions but

eviluice against them.

Honever,

they sid not. help the police catch the

deserters even though they could here done so easily.

The Im-dovaks and

zic brothers coud hardly be suspected cê any coz play.

coulusion!!

certaily does't look very

promising -

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