SUBJECT: STATUS OF AMCALL-1 RANSOM NEGOTIATION.
Originator: CIA
From: ACTING CHIEF, WH/COG
To: CHIEF, WHD
Document date: 03/15/1971
Document type: UNKNOWN DOCUMENT TYPE

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104-10217-10117

2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

RETURN TO CIA

Background Use Only

Do Not Reprocuce

IN/COG 71-93

15 MAR 1971

KXHORANDUX SOR: Ch101, Vesters Bealsphero Division

SUBJECT

: Statos of AlCAlll Ranaon Mogotiation

1. On 26 August 1970, $120, 000 ranson tas

paid for the release of AlcAle!.

$70,000 of t418

azount ga8 pald by the Agency and AlCAlL-l's s1se

arranged to obtaln the renainlag $50, 000 ITOs

August Vanistendaol, a prominent Belgian vita high

level Vatican connections interested In AlCALIl

uho presusably provided the additional money.

al-

though there ras no fixa coumitrent as to the exact

tiRe AlCAllrl's release would be effected, ALECRU-I.

anticipated hia release vithin 60-90 days after

payment of the ransou.

Although 6 noaths have son glapsed since

AnBCHUl delivored the soney to the Cuban negottator

In PArlE, there tas Do may to dateruine the reason

for the do lay In ANCALL-l'& releRSE UntIL AHECHU-l

gas ablo to return to paris to discuss the utter

vith the COC representative authorized to negotiato

thO TARBON CABES.

SIBCO AMECRU-1 dog regides in

Maal ho la no longer ablo to asintaln as clone

contact with the Paris official an vas the case when

fou

Sternfices

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2

ґортевертавте.

unile the talke vere atill la

prOgress, the MadrId CaSo OffICer 1n contaCt with

AMBCRU-I set With hiN In Paris On 28 January.

81000

the HadrId Station has consistently been advised to

avold any IndIcatIon of CIA Interest In aDY TANBOS

oaвo,

other than ALSOUR-1, little concrete Inforuation

WAB ObTAINEd TEZRIJING ANCALI-L'& SIALUS OF tLe GOC

ties table lor bia release.

AITOI ALECRU-1 concluded

h1s Paria talke the carly part of february he left

for Caracas *bere he la expected to remain until the

latter past of larch before returnlag to blast.

Although a full report on the results of his paris

negotiations can not be obtained until be returns

to tians, BAzORU- has been 1n touch with AlCAll's

ulte and QuILll the Hadrid asset handling the

ANSSOUR-1 CABO.

ACCOrdIng tO ALCALL-l'S MiSe, AXBCRU-1

sovised her the GoC representative in Paris indicated

the delay la roleasing AlChull vas partially bised

on the fear expressod by certain COC officials o1

ANCALL-l's potential leadership in exile noveneate

18 he 18 freed. As a rebuttal to this COC argument

AX¿CRU-I TrOte a letter to Manuel Pinelro, the Dol

Director 1n Cuba, stating that AlCALI-I had no destre

ar Intention of

engaging In political activities

after hla release and vished to seek employaent vita

Bose duropeas social research organization.

A letter

fros sugust vanistendaol verifying AlCAld-li& Intentions,

with assurance from Vanistendrel that he rould assist

1n resettling AlCAUrI in Surope, Man attached to

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3.

AMACEU-I ALBO TOLd ANCALL L' WISE tHRE

the COC ParIa representatiVoR offered to return

the ranson noney 11 the interested parties meri

sot satisfied with the current progreas of toe

Case.

the ranificatlons Involulnz any dewars for

SOtUrA 01 ANCALL-l'S JARSOS And teTAlABILOR oR aLy

urther oriOrts tO obtaln hla rolense arE cousiderably

Treater than vas the case with AlPAlIa? muare entire

rAnBON vAS provIded by the Agency. IN EDa CEsa aL

AlicAlil, there would be no vay to desaid ratara os

our sharo of the rassos ulthout exposing Agency

Intorest unt1l such time as the Catholle cont-ibatore

Indicato a desire to recover thair $50, 000 Investsent.

Hot only did Vanistendaol's letter 1a1l to Indicato

any concern in this respoct, but clearly espasslaad

ala continuing deep interest in abtaining Ascill'a

treadon.

ANCAL-I'S UIIO 18 alEO INTIStENt tant his

chance of being reloased not be endangered dilag

thla precarious stago of the negotiation and that

any docision concerning return of the ranson ir

deterained by Alichu-l's evalustion of Got latent.

Although AsCAl l's uIte has aluaja beca discoet

and her relationship ulth the Agency cooperative end

above repropch, ber understandable dixiety out ber

husband could lead to extrene regantsent shonid say

attempt be made to recover the Agency's share of

the Lenson ai tils juictio.

"ans fogid be partionlerly

truo 11 the Cathollo contributory Bbou no alm over

their investent of the present lact of progress nade

II Offocting AlCAlll's releaso.

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Sail.

Fosloy le Laybourne

Hoslay L. Laybourse

Acting Chlor, NH/000

DDP/IH/OOG/EA: I. GratZ: n11

15 March 1971

DistrIbution:

Orig & 1 - Istressee

1 - TE/00G/Chrono

- 15/00G/SA

35-201-275949

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L

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