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JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

6/8/2015

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER :

124-10222-10171

RECORD SERIES:

HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

97-4133-8TH NR 118

Document Information

ORIGINATOR :

FROM:

FBI

WANNALL, W. R.

TO: SULLIVAN, W. C.

TITLE:

Heleased under the John F. Kennedy

Rosassination Records Collection Act of

1992 (44 USC 2107 Note]. Case#:NW

Q8CO8 Date: 03-18-2025

DATE: 09/25/1964

'PAGES:

- 3

SUBJECTS:

SPANISH VESSEL, SIERRA ARANZAZU, SUSP, SECRET

ORGANIZATION OF CONTINENTAL ACTION, MRR, LIAISON

WITH DOS

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Secret

RESTRICTIONS: 1B

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 06/22/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: APPROVAL OF NSA

COMMENTS :

v9.1

NW 88608 Docld:32298395 Page 1

17

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## Page 2

CHAL FORM NO. 10

3010-100

1902 EDITION

Toison

Belmont

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

CONTAIMED

UNCLASSIFIED EXCEP

SECRETI

Mohr

OTHERWISE.

SOAP

Casper

CalLahan

Contad

VELOPE

Elian

W. C. Sullivan!

_Copies madenTl:

september. 25, 1ou p

LLINFORGATION

SHOWN

for review at FBIHQ by,

1

W. R. Wannall

ASCA 3.14:78-

Miss Holmes

Evans

NO OBJECT

Ttotti

• Hr o Belmont

HEREIN

WHERE

ATTACK ON SPANISH VESSEL "SIERRA,

• Mir. Sullivan

DOC

ARANZAZU, 4. 9/13/64-

Liaison

HAS

Wannall

NEUTRALITY

MATTERS

Mr. Nasca

=

fir

-Movimients

RecuperacioN

Revoluciona

2/1/5

CLASSI

REASON-FCIM IT

DATE DE REVIEN

Source six

(Communications Intelligence,

Classified "Top

Secret'') has revealed that Spanish Ambassador to U.S: Merry del Val on

9/23/64 reported to his Foreign Ministry that he had visited General

Marshall Carter, Deputy Director of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA!' CIA

the previous day and next intended to visit the Director of the FBI.

has provided us a memorandum showing that on 9/22/64 the Ambassador met

with General Carter who referred to assurances given by Secretary of State

Dean russ that the ls. was not involved in the sinking of captioned

vessel.

Ter NS A letter 227/28, mac

Source Six revealed that the Ambassador had a conference with

State Department officials, including Mr. John Crimins, who is the

Coordinator of Cuban Affairs, on 9/20/64•

Following the conference the

Ambassador advised the Spanish Foreign Ministry that he was told by a

State Department official that theinvestigation of the sinking of captioned

Spanish vessel was being carried out principally by the FBI in Miami and

Puerto Rico and that in this connection the State Department official had

an interview with Director of the FBI. In this connection, it may be

noted that Bureau representatives met with Crimmins in his

State Department regarding this matter on the morning of 9/20/64 (memo-

randun dated 9/20/64 submitted) and the Ambassador was probably told that

State Department official had met with one of the Director's representa-

tives and not the Director himself. We have no information indicating

the Director has met with State Department official regarding this matter.

Our memoranda in captioned matter dated 9/20 and 22/64 show

at request of Assistant Attorney General Yeagley we are investigating

activities of an anti-Castro organization known as Secret Organization of

Continental Action (OSAC). This investigation was started last July®

Following the sinking of captioned vessel on 9/13/64, the OSAC claimed it

was responsible for the sinking and,

thus,

, we have been investigating

this incident since that time. "Crimmins on 9/20/64 advised us the

Spanish Government was most upset over the attack on its vessel and that

the U.S. Government agreed to cooperate in an investigation the Spaniards

are conducting. He asked if Bureau would object to his making available

(l interposed no, objection

1 to

1io 4/22 2 10nt so at 1t5 isroan

alicials and we told him that we

NOT EROOEDUD

71 0CT 14100

"DECAPES

WRW : ams OCT

15 1964

CONTINUED -

9-1964

(3)

NW 88608 Docld:32298395 Page 2

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## Page 3

TOP SECRET

Menorandum for Mr. Sullivan

Re: ATTACK ON SPANISH VESSEL "SIERRA

ARANZAZU," 9/13/64

2-1877

We were subsequently advised by CIA on a very highly confidential

basis (as set out in our 9/22/64 memorandum) that that Agency possessed

information which very definitely indicated that an exile group which is

receiving U.S. backing,

known as Movimiento de Recuperacion Revolucionaria

(MRR), was responsible for this attack.

An error was made in that the

persons carrying out the attack thought they were firing upon a Cuban

vessel.

Three Spaniards aboard the Spanish ship were killed as result of

the attack. CIA deals with MRR based upon policy established by a Special

Group, including representatives from CIA, State Department, Defense,

and the White House.

Former Attorney General Kennedy also served as a

member of the group. CIA claimed it did not direct any of the MRR opera-

tions and the planned attack which resulted in sinking of the Spanish

vessel was solely an operation engineered by hiki.

Details regarding CIA's

support of this group, of course, are unknown to spanish authorities,

although State Department is fully aware of conplete details regarding this

(incident.

K(U)

investigation in this matter is being pursued on an expedite

and special basis and should be completed within about one week's time

barring unforseen developments.

Results are being made available as

received to Crimmins at State Department as well as to Internal Security

Division of Department. In the latter connection, it should be noted 1f

persons involved in the sinking of captioned vessel undertook any acts

in U.S. in support thereof, they might be in violation of the neutrality

statutes or the conspiracy

provisions relating to neutrality violations.

We will request an opinion from Internal Security Division in this regard

when our investigation is completed.

ACTION:

For the Director's information in the event he receives a

request from Spanish Ambassador Merry del Val for an appointment.

Director may wish to consider taking the position that it would not be

proper for him to see and talk to the Spanish Ambassador because

¡subject matter falls in the province of the state Department. (%) U)

TP. 3 15: NOw

DEChASSIFIED

TOP SECRET

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