DISPATCH-PROJECT LIONION.
Originator: CIA
From: COS MEXICO CITY
To: CHIEF, WH DIVISION
Document date: 1965-01-06 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

# DOCID-32422681

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104-10188-10446

Released under the John F. Kennedy

Assassination Records Collection Act ol

992 (44 USC 2107 Note]. Case#:NW

65987 Date: 10.29-2021

DISPATCH

CLASSIRICATION

SECRETT

PROCISSING ACTISIN

10

Chief, Wit Division

INFO

FROM

onies or statione Mexco as lee

SUBJECT

Project LIONION

ACTION REQUIREO-REFERENCES

Referenco: HIH-13207, 14 December 1964

MARKED POR INDEXINO

xX

NO INDEXINO REQUIREO

OMIY QUALITIÇO DESA

CAN JUDGE INDEXINO

DESENSITIZED

per DOZ 20-12

1o Attached by spilt transmission 15 an outlina for Project LIONION

coverine tho cervicos ci tie tho agents heretofore inöw: as LIDD 22

• (201-288243) and LIFDUD-23 (201-305604).

This project was antlcipated in

paragraph 4, page 9 of the LIRANCH project outline transmitted by Reference.

lease advise if this is correct

hairin F. Bacter/fir

Willard C. CURTIS

Attachment:

Project Outline, left side h/v

Project Outline, right side use

Distribution:

3 - C/WHD w/att

.

ci..

Tageri?"

OSS REFERENCE TO

35.677

DISPATCH SYMBOL AND NUMBER

IMIA-25110

CLASSIFICATION

SECRET AN

54-6-12211

DATE

6 January 19E5

MOS FILE NUMBER

150-6-122/1

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104-10188-10446

SECRET SPOK

PROJECT CUILINE

CRYPTONYM

LIONION

STATION

Nexico City

FIELD CASE OFFICER_

Laureuce F. Barter

Lawrence F. BARKER

CHIEF OF STATION,

Deland Curtis

Hillard C. CUNTIS

The attached Project Outline is presented for approval.

HEGNETIKES OK

GASP

aleu too silenc

Harang e:.

WEDEATN/

STARRA 25100 RESIDE DE MAMMIN

555514-122/1

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104-10188-10446

A.

B.

C.

PROJECT LIONION

Identification. This is a technical (primarily photographic) surveillance

operation against the PBRUMEN Embassy in Mexico City.

Objectives. Tue operation 1a designed to (1) furnish photographic coverase

during daylight hours of the entrances of the target installation, (2)

dispatch physical surveillance teams against persons associated with the

tarset, and (3) keep in readiness a listening post for the monitoring and

• recording of eventual technical penetration

The target Installation is the PBRUMEN Embassy compound (Including

Consulate) In Mexico City. The above-listed objectives are accomplished by

two trained, full-time surveillance agents who live across the street fron

the target.

The project 1s 1r. consonance with Pilority A, Objective i, of the

current Related Mission Directive for Mexico.

Background. This project, herewith presented for approval for the first time,

does not represent a new operation.

LIONION activity has been going on since

1962 and costs have heretofore been charged to PBRUMEN FI funds.

The

operation produces photographs of persons associated with the PBRUMAN babassy,

both

staff and visitors.

These photographs are normaily reviewed for identi-

fications by the PBRUMEN section at the Station, then shown separately to

LITAMIL-9 and LITANIL-? wio are penetration agents working Inside the tarset.

They are subsequently forwaried to the CI section of in/SA where they are shown

• to PBRUMEN intelligence detectors AMNIP-1 and ANMUG-1.

Of those assets to whon

they are routinely shown, LITAMIL-9 has to date made the largest number of

identifications.

The photos have proven of great value. Within hours of the

arrival of a new Imbassy staff member his photograph is in the hands oi the

Station,

In addition to the identification of staff and visitors, the photos

(accompanied by a los kept by the LIONION agents) reveal patterns of action

(arrivals and depertures) and details of personal associations (who associates

with

whom) which are of great value to the Station in mounting operations against

the target.

In addition to photography, LIONION-1 and LIONIOH-2 are often called upon

to do visual surveillance of the target installation and LIOIION-1 is essentiel

to the dispatching of the LIMBRACe surveillance team against individuals

associated with the target.

Because of the presence of police patrol cars in

he vicinity, the Station's mobile surveillance assets cannot come close to th

arget, hence the need for LIONION-1's dispatching services.

The presence of LIONION-1 and LIONION-2 also Insures continued occupancy of

a valued piece of real estate which will be used as a listening post when the

Station succeeds in installing additional technical surveillance devices in the

of concealed radio transmitters.

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104-10188-10446

SEBASTIRE:

Do Operatioiral Auseta (Personrei).

LIONION-1 16 a young PRAUMEN laujer a exile. • He left PBRUMEN in 1960,

planning to continue on via Mexico to the Jited Statos where he residel in

his carly jcars.

.His two brockers are Ansrican citizens, one a desk officer

In the Department of Comerce. In lisshingt. the other a police official in

Tampa, Florida:

"While In Mexico LIONIONI was recrulted, an LILILY-1, to

perfora PBruMiN operational suppert serrigas for the station and, once laving

a taste of clandestine activity,, decides i remain in Mexico. LIONION-2, his

mother, was recruited in 1961, as LILlY-z, as a basehouse occupant and

operator in the LIFEAT/LIbFUDE technical peration aimed at the PBRUMEN

Embassy. At this same time LIOOt-I aiso cased into LIFEAT/LIBRODE work and

the two worked together as a tes.

In losE LIONION-1 and LIUNION-2 worked

together in processing the take of the LISE/LILODE/MKTRAP Installation, now

known as LIOMEN.. At this tise their cripwooms wera changed from LILILY-l and

•2 to LIFBUD-22 and 23, respectively.

In ise latter part of 1962 the tro agents

began the present photographic surveillanse operation.

LIONIOWN-1 was granted an DA on 18 MaT ISU2 by IMVii-10664. He was

ICFLUTTERED on 8 October 1903, HMATY-1200÷.

LIONION-2 was granted en dA on 16 Mar Ip62 by IMMN-IOG60.

LIONION-1 1s the mainstay of the operssion. LIONION-2 acts as his assistant

and fill-in at such times as he is absent izum the observation post.

principally as observers anà photographers. LIONIOIl-l also acts as a dispatcher

for the LIFMBRACE surveillance tean from wich he is compartmented. Dispatching

1s done by radio using pre-manged innocuts code terminolory; the tear does not

know LIONIoti-i or ils precise lvation. 2=2101-1 also proccoses on the prenises

all photographic coverago of the main imhessy sate through final printing, cropping

and mounting.

Photographic coveraje of the consulate gate is processed through the

negative development stage.

Control is primarily firancial buttressed by the knowledge, on the part of

the agento, that es PERIMEN refugees thay on milnerable to pressure which night

be brought upon them by KUBARK through the dexican goverment should they get out

of line.

Motivation is a conbination of Marcial necessity and violent aversion

to, and determination to bring about the anufall of, the AMPHUG regime.

additional motivating factor is that both agents actually enjoy what for many would

be monotonous work.

Psychologically, they are ideally suited to this sort of work.

Both agents realize that they ere workerg for PBRIME intelligence; LTONION-1

appears to be avare that he is vorking for INAPK. The cover utilized by LIONION-2

Is thut of dependent mother.

LIONION-1 pesses as a would-be writer who can afford

to dabble without notable publishins success cecause of family landholdings in

Tampa, Florida (Inherited fros his decease: sather), which enable hin to live as

a "rentiste," one who lives an incode fras sources other than saintul employment.

His rentista status is registered with the lexican government.

In October 1964

this cover successfully withstool intensire investigation by Mexican euthorities

checking on persons of questiorable status is tax collection purposes. The

Station plans to bolster the writing cover ith supporting documents from a

literary agent in New York City, these wii: se requested in separate corespondence.

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104-10188-10446

Communication 1o primarily with LIONION-1; with LIOHION-2 only in his

absence.

Meetings, pre-arranged or signalled by innocuous phone calls (calls

(on LIONION-1. E0 through a telephone cut-out), are unally held at the

LIONION-1 safe apartmont. This apartent, which would appear to be a LIONION-1

lovo nest, is in anothor area of town.

Hugh T. FRANCONTE, neeLs WIth LIONION-1 at least once a week. The Case Officor,

Lavrence F. BARKER, meeta with him less frequently.

tlie true name of the Case Officer, he does not know FRACOITE's true Identity.

.

Security kualuation. If either of the LIONION agénts ars uncovered by Mexican

authorities no engased in operations against the target, they have been briefed

to indicate that they are working for an exile orranization based in the MAvE

ares on a voluntary, non-pald, patriotic basis and to stick to the story covering

their income.

This would probably hold up unless they were causht in flarmnte

with the KURIM automatic pulse camera on the premises. This camera is of such

refinement and complexity as to be difficult to ascribe to an exile organization.

In any event, LIONION-1 has a close relationship with an official of the Mexican

president's office.

Tils connection, developed by LICHIOll-1 for his own prutection,

enabled him to weathe; the tax investisation and can be used by him to ovarcome any

future difficulties with Mexican authorities.

Under Mexican law, the principal (photographic) actlulty of the project 10

not illegal, therefore uncovering of the photographic operation would not of

It is ugually possible to stave off

investigation or house scarch for à perlod of time sufficient to remove compromis-

ing mntertal from the premises.

The LIONION base house was once cleaned completoly

In one evening and could again be cleaned, probably in lezs time, if circumstancus

should warrant.

The target installation 16 aware that photo curvelllance is a probability.

On one occasion AMKNOB-1, & JHAVE asset, was shown a noarby building (not the

LIONICN base) by a PBRUMEN Enbassy officer and told that it was a KUBARK photo

base.

LIONTON-1 is known hy right to gone PERiNa! Bicaosy üteff püibünci wiu lave

observed him in the neighborhood. Presumbly they belleve he is a Mezican.

avoid operational compromiso, he carnot renew his expired passport at the

PBRUMEN Consulate. For this reason the Station will requeat KUNIOr in separte :

correspondence to prepare new passports for both LICitON agents so that they may

travel outside Mexico.

ecurity measures employed in this overation are desientu to make it virtuall

possible for any opposition service to link LIGION persorrel with the Station

F.

Coordination. Coordination with other PRPRIE elements or the Mexican governen

is not necessary at this time and none is envisaged.

?..;

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104-10188-10446

-i-

L? mouthe $ 4320

IMIN-2 salary

13 noncho 8 0150

Rual estate rentula:

LIONICA Bacohouse

LICHICh Mrcaoure

Utilitles en boih houses

(rintegrupite "Ime Sager,

chorteals, ani recollereoud,

Totals

Ama dead

1:150

1950

600

26l

150

1170

1200

26'r

15?

IIT!

309

2310

He iS are

salarzee dow LiCer-l and ee Lapline the custainey jour ca

conus or one vesta's calert.

jan meataly in 106t in camasante du 3ast for lo comanstation of a

sales postbirn in order that ho might deunte dis 2ill Mine to the LICKICi:

operation, LInor d's colose bo: Perdred at glad for conth tfree ha

cocrutiment in 100l, lio malary charges are conterglatod duing the

project jear.

-.

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