MEMO:CLAIMED AGENCY AFFILIATION BY CONSPIRACY CASE FIGURES.
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
From: OSBORN, HOWARD J.
To: DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR SUPPORT
Document date: 5/1/67
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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104-10106-10466

MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Support

SUBJECT

: Claimed Agency Affiliation by

Conspiracy Case Figures

1 MAY 1967

this Candien

catas

1. Thia memorandam is for your information oxly.

2. On the afternoon of 24 April 1967, the Federal Bureau of

Inventigation advined this Office of claimed Agency afiliation by a

fugitive witness in the New Orleans investigation into a conspiracy to

assassinate the late President. According to the FBI information,

received from a newa media source; Gordos Dwane Novel, the

fugitive witness, had indicated he is currently employed by the CIA

and the alleged burglary of a munitions bunker at Houma, Loulsiana.

in 1961, involved CIA and was not a burglary. According to Novel,

the Schlumberger Well Service had as arrangement with CIA wherein

it leased a bunker in which ammunition, bomb casings and other

material would be stored for CiA. According to Novel, it was

intended to ship the material out of the U.S. in Schlumberger boxes

labeled "machinery". Again according to Novel, following the Bay

of Pigs invasion, the Schlumberger interests became upset and

wanted out of their contract with CIA. Three months aiter the

invasion, states Novel, arrangements were made for the material

stored in the bunker to be removed by Novel and his group. At the

time the material was removed, he states, an individual involved

also took some of Schlumberger's low grade powder and fuses and

other material. Novel has reportedly supplied someone with the

names of the others involved with the burglary. He specificially

told the media source that he and one Arcacha Smith are still

employed by CIA and that should he be returned to New Orleans

to face charges of burglary of the bunker, he would offer this as his

defense.

3. The following day, 25 April, a story in the New Orleans

States Item chargod there is mounting evidence of Central Intelli-

gence Agency links in District Attorney Garrison' a presidential

assassination conspiracy probe, noting that at least one figure in

ment Number

1332-502/1045

JIA Reyiew on.

MAR IS7

SECRET

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the case intends to use his CIA connections as part of his defense

and that "still others linked to the Garrison Investigation have been

named as acting for the super-secret espionage organization an

informers, as couriers and musitions carriers". It named Novel as

having the strongest ties to CIA, and quotes him as calling the alleged

bunker burglary an "the most patriotic burglary in history". He

reportodly has told associates, states the news iter, that the aleged

theft was a war materials piclp made at the difection of his CIA see fret

contact. According to Novel, the late David Willlam Ferris, and Plus Hro/n

others were involved in the bunker incidest.

explosives were picked up and consolidated soon after the busker

incident and eventually taken by boat to Cuba for use in a diversionary

operation is consection with the Bay of Pigs invasion. (This statement

conflicts with Novel'e reported statement to the FBI's media source,

paragraph one above, which dates the bunker theft an three months

after the Bay of Pigs. District Attorney Garrison also haa charged

the banker incident took place three months after the Cuban invasion. )

The newspaper also quotes Novel as contending that he operated the

Evergreen Advertising Agency in New Orleans as a front for CIA

communications in an elaborate use of commercials to alert agents

to the date of the Bay of Pigs lavasion.

4. Novel, according to the presa report, has said "I think

Garrison will expose some CIA operations in Louisiana", but did not

elaborate. His attorney, however, would appear to place little faith

in Novel's claims. In a Columbus, Ohio, interriew, Jerry Weiner,

attorney for Novel, when told of the press reports of Novel'a state-

wents, said: "It'a uiterly ridiculous.. Novel is not now and has rever

been a CIA agent. "

5. There io no record of auy utilization a Gordon Dwane Novel,

Sergio V: Arcacha Smith, or the Evergreen Advertising Agency. (In

addition to Office of Security record, WillCula RID, and Ci Staff

were checked for possible indication of operational involvemest.)

6. Inquirles with WH/Cuba, the Office of Logistics, and

several Agency officers involved with munitions storage in the New

Orleans area at the time of the Bay of Pigs fail to develop any

indication of past operational activity of the nature deseribed by Novel.

Officers who handled project munitions storage in the area have iadi-

cated that all the munitions were stored at a reactivated Naval depot

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and completely under Agency control.

Munitions in transit were

guarded, and there is no knowledge of utilization of commercial

storage facilities of the Schlumberger intereste of any other

commercial firm. (The Office of Logistles has had dealings in the

past with Schlumberger-related firmas, but has avoided activities

with the Schlumberger firm because of its foreign owership and

questionablo personalities in the firm. DCS has bad an interest in

the pant in some personalities affiliated with Schlumberger, but

reportedly unrelated to any mattera as allegod by Novel.)

% As noted above, Novel has claimed to the press that the

munitions from the buaker wexo to be usedfor a diversionary

operation at the time of the Bay of Figs, Agency officers familiar

with the operation al the reactivated Naval depot, the Belle Chasse

Ammunition Depot, have indicated that such a diversionary opera-

tion was based at Belle Chasse, but. that the operation was cancelled

before a landing was made. Any namber of participating Cubana

would be aware such a diversionary operation was planned.

3. Tho CI Staff,, in a detailed staff stady of the Garrison

Investigation, has noter part ala contact with only two ligures named

in the inquiry, Clay Ly

Sassand Carlor/Bringuier, in both cases tbe

contact was limited to Domestic Contac fesvice activities. The

study specifically notes there have been no documented Agency

utilimation of Novel, Ferrie or Arcacha Smith, those named by Novel

in his statementa to the press about the bunke= incident.

9. During the course of our inquiries into Novel's charges,

one tenous lint was developed which conceivably could be exploited

and distorted in atterapts to link this Agency with Novel and others.

An interlinking with a personality reportedly from Ramparts Magazise

might also indicate a connection between Novel'a charges and the con-

certed efforts of some to smear the Agency. This situation is

described in an attachment to this memorandum.

Marlen a 20astell

Howard J. Osborn

Director of Security

1 Att

c/s1=3

DEGRET

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A. NOVEL Is Polygraphed by Lloyd FURR on Garrison's Charged.

B:

Gordon Dwase NOVEL, already a fugitive witneas in the

Garrison inguiry, is reported in the Washington press of 27

Narch 1967 as having been polygraphed the previous day on the

case under investigation by Garrison. According to the press

reporta, NOVEL submitted to a polygraph examination

conducted at McLean, Virginia by Lloyd FURR. In statements

to the press. FURR indicated there was no indication of

deception to NOVEL's charges that Garrison's case is a

"fraud

Lloyd FURl'e Rolationship to BIchard L. BAST'and REpEX.

Lloyd FURR, a former District of Golunbis policeman and now

a private detective, is a sell-proclamed polygraph "expert"

and sound device specialist. He has received pablicity in the

past for planting sound devices for the late Fulton Lewis, Jr.

la the St. Mary's County vice case in 1953 and in 1958 when he

discovered Ilstening devices being used against Bernard Goldfise.

In 1964, Information was received that a Washingtos, D. C.

firm, REDEX, operated by FURR and Richard I.. BASI, was

attempting to sell electronic equipment to Communist China viz

an agent in Hong Kong. (ISD had unclassified contact with

FURR in 1962 to see equipment offered for sale by FURR.)

C. Richard L. BAST and REDEX.

Richard I BAST, a Washington, D.C. private detective, gained

noteriety in 1965 by turning up a missing witness, previously

unlocated by the Department of Justice, in connection with the

Sobby Baker case.. He is known to operate at least four

enterprises: 1) CAPITAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, a

private detective agency; 2) REDEX VISTNAM. JING., a firm

which imports a variety of commodities ranging from liquor to

antomobiles into South Vietnam, iscluding, of late, U.S.-recruited

"go-go" girls for a Saigon nightelub he Is planning: 3) REDEX

COR?., a firm which sells almost anything to anybody abroad,.

other than South Vietaam; and 4) CONSCLATED ARMAVENTS,

INC., 2 frn which sells small arme to foreign governments-and

private individuals abroad. BASI also produces and distributea

both positive audio and counteraudio devices in the U.S. aad

6 5167

EGRET

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overseas. BAST, described as "unscrupulous and untrust-

worthy" is known to have attempted to contract with another

private detective for plasting a rercote-controlled bomb in the

beadguarters of the Flaiti Secret Police, and has been reportod

to have undertaken similar extreme assigamenta for exile

groups from Haiti and the Dominican Republic. (Based on

derogatory information on file, DCS, in March 1967, decided

against previoualy contemplated contact with BAST as a

source of Information on Asia.)

D. BAST, REDEX, and WIlIam V. /TURNER O RAMPARIS

CA Staff has provided intormatton that during January 1967,

Williams W. TURNER, who Identified himself as a free-lance

writes, visited the offlces of the Aola Foundation, requesting

Information for a magazine article.

is stated that he had

been asked by Sol Stern of New York to gather information for

as article in the New York Times. During bla visit, homates,

it became obvious that TURNER was primed to ask questions

about the financiag of the foundation, rather than its actual

purpose of activities. Then TURNER concluded the interview

he left a calling card with the firm name "REDEX-PACIFIC".

He explained he had to have new cards printed. TURNER,

reportedly dismissed from the FBI in 1961, la notedtol tave

authored as article in the November 1966 Issue of RAXPARTS

Magazine in which he describes alleged wiretapping

reptitious entry, ete, pertormed by him while with the FBI.

Sol Stern. whom he clalmed to represent, is assistant

masazing editor of RAMPARTS Magazine.

Role of FUR and BAST is CIA Meeting of Exile

(The foregoing has attempted to detail the contact of NOVEL

with FURR, FURR's connection with BAST, and a possible

connection between BASI's organization and RAMPANTS.

The following indicates the only CIA involvement In the chain

which might be exploited la subsequent attenipts to lint CLA

to the entire affair in guestion

In 29 April 1963, Robert I. Owen, then Chier, 1213 ano

now 01 Paria Station, directod a memorandum to the Chieft 5/6

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EGRET

11/6 = which he documented a tomersation he had on

27 A= = 1963, with Raymond CASSAGNOL, an anti-Duvalier

exile Zom Haiti. In tha memo andum he relates that the

conversation took place la the home of Richara I.. BAST

whon Twen had met through a neighbor, Lloyd FURR.

The =enorandura relates CASSAGNOL's background, fazily,

political stance, etc. Reported an sigalficant by Owea la a

stater eat by BAST that the following wex BAST would be

sendig a shipload of arms to a CASSAGNOL-affillated group

in the Dominican Republic. Owen noted: "Raymond

CASSAGNOI gives appearance of thinking well of Richard

BASI. According to CASSAGNOL, his brother, Jacques,

also 200ws BAST and respects him. Thus BAST, in spite of

certaia personal shortcomings from the intelligence standpoit,

does reprosent an established channel to at least one segment

of the Haitian opposition to Duvalier. Since according to bis

oma statement, BAST is supplying arms to CASSAGNOL'&

grosps, further transactions of this type via BAST presumably

would not be difficult to arrange." He also provided a detailed

infor-cation on what he learned of BAST, noting that BAST had

mestioned Dominican distrast of State and AID and the fact that

"CIA double-crossed them" (the Dominicana).

An EDI report on BAST dated 19 June 1963 reports that Owen,

"Foreign Service Reserve Officer, USDS" (his cover) bad

reported 16 May 1953 his attendance at dinner at BAST'a bome

on 27 April 1963. Owen told of his meeting with CASSAGNOL,

BAST's Intention to sell arma to the Dominican Republic and

Haltian exiles, ete. lie also reposts that on 7 May 1963, BAST

asked him to performs some translation work. The translation,

he stated, related to BAST giving a power of attorney to one

LUiS MORENO Martinez of the Dominican Republie to prepare

documentation for legal establishment of REDEX CORPORATION,

C POR A, a DR bernch of BAST's firm. According to Owes,

105 of the stock was to be held by the head of the DR National

Security Agency, the head of toe DR secret police, and an

Individual well-comected with Dominican Republic police and

intelligence groupe. BAST is also noted to have told Owen

of an offer FAST had made to 'bug" the office of the Dominican

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SCRET

Secretary of State for the Armed Forces on behalf of Juan

Sosch. BAST did not indicate to Owen if had performed

the job.

There is no record of a Clearance having been issued 10

tilization of richard L, BASI oF REDEK,

SEBRET

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