PLANNING OF COUP AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS
Originator: CIA
Document date: 09/11/1974
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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1104-10074-10167

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0970'

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Planning of Coup Against the Government of the Bahamas

DOMESTIC COLLECTION DIVISION

upport Branch/Operational Support Section

Cir. Shaun Ryan 9x2. 2265

Case 61401

11 September 1974

03

WH/// CAR

ATTN: (Al Ramos 03

3 B 0001 Hos:

Attached for your information

is a copy of MIM-00-A(S)-322/

26415-74.

7 3

E-2 IMPDET CL BY 007622

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CONFIDENTIAL

(when filled in)

PROCESS SHEET FOR DOMESTIC CONTACT SERVICE COLLECTIONS

NUMBER

16/12 18 10/20

22 23 21 25 20

276 29 30 91 32 3

164101

Planning of Coup Against the Government of the Bahamas

INDIVIDUAL NOI

RGANIZATION NO:

INDIVIQUAL NO

PHEMNLATION NO

INDIVIDUAL NOI

Joseph Merola

Gordon: Cooper and Assoclates

Opa-Locka, Florida

SOURCE (Nome, Title, Organization, Address)

Same as above

OURcE (nome, litie, Urganization, Address.

GOLLECTON

REQUESTED FROM

INTERVIEW

TRIP REPORT

OTHER DOCUMENT

OTHER (specify below)

SUP

50V

CASE OFFICER

DIRECTED TO

SPRyan

FIELD COMMENTS

A) Re Watts/Bem telecon, 10 September

1974.

B) The meeting took place the morning

of 7 September 1974 in Miami.

Joe Merola

telephoned Matt MacVane at his home on

7 September 1974 to pass on this informa-

tion. The telecon was unsolicited by

MacVane,

who no longer contacts Merola

per DCD Headquarters Instructions.

Com

Robinson

flew In from Nassau to meet with

Joe Merola and Mike Yamants (Yamants 1s

apparently from Ft. Lauderdale and like

Merola he has close ties to arns dealers

and mercenaries).

Robinson plans to meet

again with Merola and Yamants after com

plete financlal details have been worked

out in Massau.

Filed:

101900Z

03

CASE OFFICER

(SPRyan) "3

CONFIDENTIAL

PROCESSING

B.OTHERIMSC.

S. COMBINED WITH

INTEREST.,

Process sheet and report typed in

OSS.

(MIAMI TWX 12584)

Marios

Cl, AY 007622

EX-2 IMP. DET.

DIVISION/STAFF/DER

0979

3

200

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CLASSIFICATION

CONFIDENTIAL

DIRECTORATE OF

OrZkATIONs

COUNTRY

SUBJECT

Bahamas

Planning of Coup Against the

Government of the

Bahamas

REPORT NO.

00-A(S)•322/26415-74

DATE 11 September 1974

NO. PAGES

REFERENCES

Case 61401

DOMESTIC COLLECTION DIVISION

OPERATIONAL INFORMATION REPORT

This report is believed to contain intormation of operational interest and may not be disclosed to

the Directorate of Operations without the prior permission of the Domestic Collection Division.

SOURCE®

V.S. citizen,

convicted arms dealer who maintains close ties

to known underworld figures.

Com (Robinson), a black Bahamian who resides in Nassau, Bahamas,

recently has made foreign enquiries into the possibility of hiring

armed mercenaries

to be used in

an attempt to overthrow the

Government of Prime Minister Lyndon 0. (Pindling):

During

a meeting with non-Bahamians, who have close ties with foreign.

arms dealers, that took place outside of the Bahamas Robinson

stated that he represents elements of the Bay Street merchants

of, Nassau, and that funds are available for action against the

Bahamian

Government.

According

to Robinson, his group is looking

equipping, and execution of

or forefan st ise deem the Plae said eat ping, and executihamians

a coup against the Government.

who are in sympathy with his planned course of action, and that

after full details are worked out and the required funds are set

aside, he will

convene another meeting with the foreigners in order

to finalize

the appropriate arrangements.

09703

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SIDE DOO/MIAMI 12594

POTOR IT Y DOD /WASHINGTON

ATTHE SUPPORT BRANCH/OSS (UATTS/RYAN)

INTEL REPORT.

SOURCE: JOSEPH MEROLA, GORDON COOPER AND ASSOCIATES, OPA-LOCKA»

FLORIDA

FILED A

10.19002

SEP 10 4 22 71 74

REPOPT CLASS COHFIDENTIAL

COUNTRY

SAHAMAS

BAHAMAS

FIELD NO. XMIY DONGS 322126915574

PLANNINO OF COUP AGAINST THE COVERNMENT OF THE

1!.?.

CITIERY,

CONVICTES ARMS DEALER UHO MAINTAINS CLOSE TIES

TO

KVOUN ! DERVORLO FIGURES.

S0'

RECENTLY

HOTLY A MAT MERE MASHES ETO TOSSI

FOREIGH RI0479175

INTO THE POSSIBILITY

SF

ARMER FERCENABIES TO

IN AN

ATTEMPT TO OVERTHERW

TE TOUCHMEUT OF PRIME MINISTER LYMPON DO

"FETING

(PINDLING) ..

DIRTIG

"ITH NON-BAHAMING,

DEALFRE, THAT TOSY

PLAC5

WHO HAVE CLOSE

OUTSIDE

TIES WITH FOREIG'

OF THE

BAilAlAs ROBINSON

TATEN THAT

HE PEFRESEHTS FLEMCUTE ME THE BOY STRE ЕРСИДНТ?

CASSAN,

AND

THAT

FUNDS ARE

FAMAMIA! GOVERNMENT.

AVAILAPLE

FOR

ACTIO: AGAINST

ACCORDING TO DORINSON, MI" GO!P

1F LOOKING

FOR

EXECUTION OF

FOR CON ASSIST THE GONE PLATES

COLIP AGAINST THE GOVERNME"T.

SAID THAI

THEPF

AHE

MANY BAHAMIANS WHO

ARE IN ZYAPATHY WITH HIS PLANNED

NN19CF OF

THE

ACTION,

Aid

THAT

AFTER FILL DETAILS

ARE WORKED OUT

REQUIRED

FINDS ARE

SET

WILL

YITH

THE

FOREIJNERS

ARRANGEMENIS.

CODE TO TYIAL CO THE

CONVENE. ANOTHER

END OF REPORT

?.

1974.

FIELD COMMENTSE

(7)

T!!!"

"TOTES?

MEETING

10,71

'

(A)

RE WATTS/DEM TELECON, 1X SEPTEMUTR

TOOM. PLACE THE

MORNING

JOE

MEROLA TELEPHONED

MATT

SPOTI BEE 1970 TO PASE ON THIS

KOLICITED 9Y

A VALE,

NO LONER

CONTACTS

14M

MARY MOON

MEROLA

PER D

CO MENOQUATERS INTRUCTION:.

FLEN

IN

FROM MMA!! TÜ MEET FITH JO! MEROLA

CYATANIS

APPARITLY FROM FT, LAMERDaLE

114'

"TRILA

CLOSE

ED TO ARNE DEALLAS AND

51571

"HAT ABATH WITN MUROLA

DETAILS HAVE RSEN

0970гр

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lo

BAYAYAS, RECENILY

CONTA CAN CAN NIA CHO RESIDES

IN BA550';

FOREIGN ENMIIRIES

of

POSSIBILITY

KIRYNGZARMOD MEN SENARIES TA

BE WISE)

IN AN

THE GOVERNHENT OF PRIME MINISTER LYNDON

MEETING VITH NON-SAHAMIA:S,

.

ATTENT TO OVERTHROW

(PINDLING) •

DRING

VIiO HAVE CLOSE TIES

WITH FOREIGN

ARMS DEALERS, THAT TOOK PLACE

OUTSIDE OF THE

BAHAMAS

ROBINSON

STATED THAT HE REPRESEHTS ELEMENTS OF THE BAY STREET MERCHAITS

OF NASSAUS

AND

THAT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ACTION AGAINST

THE

BANANIAN OVERNMENT.

ACCORDING TO POBINSON, HIS

GRO!P

1S

LOOKING FOR FORE CAN ASSISTANCE IN TUE PLANNING BALD TNA

ANDY EXECUT TON OF. AN COUP AGAINST THE

GOVERNHENT

SALD TRAI

THERE ARE MANY RANAMTANS UNG ARE IN SYMPATHI WITH KIS PLANNE

COURSE OF ACTION, AND THAT AFTER FULL DETAILS ARE WORKED

OuT

MEETING

AND THE REQUIRED FUNDS ARE SET ASIDE TO FINALIZE THE

HE WILL. CONVENLZAROTHOR

WITH THE FOREIGNERS IN ORDER

ARPROFRIATE ARRANGEMENTS.

•END OF REPORT

212

FIELDA COMNENTS&

(A) RE WATTS/BEN TELECON, 19 SEPTEMBER

1974-

(B) THE MEETING TOOK PLACE THE MORNING

OF 7 SEPTEMBER 1974F IN MIAMI•

JOE MEROLA TELEPHONED MATT

MACVANE AT HIS HOME ON 7 SEPTEMBER 1974 TO PASS ON THIS

'INFORMATION.

THE TELECON WAS UNSOLICITED BY

4H0

NOW LONGER CONTACTS MEROLA PER DOD HEADOUARTERS INSTRUCTIONS.

COM ROBINSON TLEY IN FROM NASSA! TO MEET

WITH

A 10

MIKE

YAMANIS PYAMANIS IS APPARENTLY FROM

TO LAIDERD

• LAUDERDALE

AND LIKE KEROLA HE

HAS CLOSE TIES TO ARUS DEALERS AND

MERCENARIES).

• POBINSON PLANS TO MEET

AGAIN WITH YEROLA

AND

•YAMANIS AFTER COMPLETE FINANCIAL DETAILS HAVE BEEN

WORKED OUT IN NASSAU.

PLIANT

inCE s2

TYPLE COPY

CHEAT IN HAOQUARTERS.

COOKATICL

FO IMPDET

09704

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