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2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

S-E-C-R-E-T

20 September 1960

MEMORANDUM FOR: DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

SUBJECT

• Summary of STESCALADE - Audio Operation

Against the New China News Agency in Havara

1. In May 1959, the New China News Agency (NCNA) opened

an office in Hayana in the El Medico Building which is occupied

partly by business concerns and partly used fos residential apart-

ments.

Shortly thereafter, the Havana Station obtained the con-

currence of Ambassador Bonsal and Miss Carolyn O, Stacey, an

Imbassy employee, to mount an audio operation agaiast NGNA through

the wall of the adjacent apartment in which Mies Stacey lived. In

November 1959, the FE Division seat one case officer and one ISD

tecanician to Harana, and the installation of a microphone and tape

Iecorder was completed in Miss Stacey's apartment on 29 November

1959.

2. By June 1960, it had become evident that two other rooms

occupied by NONA possibly housed communication equipment aid

were used for conierences," At that time Bryan Mills, FE Division

case officar, weat to Haraza and explored the possibilty di improving

the operation, He mazaged to lease an apariment directly over the

NONA office, and arranged for a stay-behiad agent to occupy this space.

3.

In August 1950, a team of three TSD technicians who were

in Havana on a separate SR Division operation agreed to install the :

additional eguipment required for the NGNA opazation. A second FE

Division case officer, Robert Neet, came down to Havana; and he,

together with the technicians, installed a probe microphone and tape

recorder in the apartment obtained by Milla over the NONA office.

About this time the equipment was removed from Miss Stacey'a

apartment, with the exception of the plastic probe which was laft

in the wall and plastared over.

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4. As as additional security precaution to provida a safe

baven, and after consultation with the Acting Chief of Station, a ley..

to an apartment in the same building leased by Mrs. Marjorie

Lannox, an Embassy secietary, was cotained.

Mas, Lannox was

told that access to her apartment was nesded for photographic

suzveillace purposes.

5. The Station was then faced with the probability that time

and security would work against holding indefinitely the lease to

the apartment over NCNA since the owners of the building were

cascelling sub-lessors' contracts and recalling leases. It was,

therefore, decided to install transmitters and switches in order to

permit continued monitoring of the target from a distant listening

post. Another three-man team of TSD technicians consisting of

David I. Christ (alias Carswell), Walter E, Szuminski (alias

Taransky) and Thorntoz J. Anderson jalias Danbrunt) documented

as tourists had been sent to Havana to install audio squipmest in the

Chinese Nationalist Embassy bejore is was due to be turned over to

the Chinese Coramunits..'

This operation aoorted. This team was

then sent to work on the installation of the transmitters in the apart-

nent over the NCNA oilice.

6. At 2400 hours on 14 September, Christ, who with the

other technicians was working in the target apartment, sailed to keep

a scheduled aprointment with Neet.

At 0100 hours on the 15th of

September, the apartment of Mrs. Leanor was entered into and

searched by Cuban authorities, and she was taken into custody, At

1540 hours on 15 Septemoes, Neet, the stay-beird agent and his wife.

were picked up by the Cuban authorities and detained.

7o.

As of today the agent remains in the custody of the Cuban

authorities.

His wife bas been released and is still in Havana. Neet

was released. 1715 hours l6 September and has suosequently returred.

to Washington where he is being debriefed. Mrs. Lannox was

subsequertly released and has also returred to Washington where she

is being debriefed, The three TSD techricians remain in confinement

Taey have been saen in confinement but not cortacted by an Embassy

officer when ba first attempted to secuse the releasa of Mrs. Lennox.

Christ was last sean by Nest whez thay were jointly interrogated

the morning of 16 September. At that time Christ did not appeas

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to have been maltreated.

8.

iccording to articles in the Cuban papers the three

technicians were arrested while in the apartment over the NGNA

office and completing the installation of the eguipment. The

press article adds that the key to Mrs, Lennoss's apartment was

found on one of the technicians who identified the azartment to

which it belonged. All Cuban press releasas have referred to tee

men by alias and have not identified them as Government or Agency

employees. It is unclear at present what story had been agreed

upon by the technicizas and station personnel to be used in the event

they were caught.

(While being interrogated with Neet, Christ

indicated that Neet was his boss, and Neet consistently denied any=

inowledge as to way he was being held,). The sub-lease for the a

apartment in which the men were caught is in the name of the stay

behind agent with the original lease being in the name of wills, the

FI Division Case Officer.

9. Initial information indicated that the three technicians would

be charged with espionage "'againsi the people of China"... Subsaquent

press releases bave been unclear on this point. An atterapt by Consul

Hugh Kessler to contect the three men at 1730 hours on 17 Septembes

was unsuccessful.. He was not permitted to sea them but was told

they were in custody.

10. The three technicians travelled to Cuba as tourists under

vary light commercial cover, two of them working fe= a compazy in

Naw York and the third, one in Baltimore.

In each case the cover

company consists of a telephone answering service and a name on the

door. Telephone messages and mail zre picked ap periodically by an

Agency contract employee. The men were provided with this cover

as well as unbackstopped home addresses for use when entering or..

leaving Cuba as tourists since the filling out of the landing card

requires tais infcrmation, Subsequent io their detention the home

addresses have been partially backstopped so that inquiries will

indicate that someone with this alias name had lived in the apartment

house in question. Insofar as the cover compazies are concerned,

eiforts are being made to provide a backstop to withstand inquiries

from the press should the Cubans reveal this incormation. In view

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of the thinness of the cover, it is uncertain whether this will succeed.

11. A cleared and litting law firma in Naw Jock has been briefed

by Mr. L. Houston on the situation with the thought tha: inguiries

received by the cover company could be reierred to the tirm of

lawyers from whom so comment would be obtained by the press or.

other inquirers.. The law firm has been briefed on the entire situa-

tion so that they may be in a position to act if any action by them

appears desirable or feasible. It would nos appear that much support

oi any kiad can be obtained from the law firm or the law firms in

Cuba which are associated with them.

12. Insoíar as the families are corcerned, one of the techniciaas

is a bachelor presently on home leave batreen to tours in Japan.

His father, a cool in a diner in the Boston area, kas been contacted

by the Cifice of Security, and he will get in touch with Security if

he receives any inquiries on this matter, Security, by the sazze

token, will keep in touch with bim as the Cubans reveal their inten-

¿ions and course of action.

13. The wives of the other two technicians have been toid what

has happazed and ara being contacted at least once daily by ISD

stafers and their wives who have been briefed on the situation. A

conference with the two wives was held in ISD on 19 September te go

over the #hole situation and determina il there era any personal

problems on which the Agency could be of bale.

:For the time being

the wives aze telling their zeighbors that their husbazas are on à

Zip.

This story will be adjusted depending on vica: course of action

the Cuban Government tales, whether the aliases remain unbroken

and whether recognizable protograjas of the individuals are released

to the press. The two wives so far have taken taa bad nevis exceedizgiy

Fell.

RUDOLPH E. GOMEZ

Acting Chies, WH

Distribution:

DC1 - 2

DOCI - !

DD/P- 1

COPS - 1

777 - 3

55-1

05 - 3

*I-i

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i dC

suit, boy?

Att

RELEASE CONTZICENCY OPINE: 62-2

CHART OR MAY RETIRENCE:

TASK ONGENIE STICH:

Deù. 1, 1095tb Ogeraclo1al Eul dation ana Trining Carla. Major

B1lly Bu Cargbel, Son rnter.

1. SITUATICA:

Dan101 I. Ormall (12116), Buta0s A. Ebrust (Ales) end Pond

R. Tarandiy (Allus) s29 T3) Gial 1 pluyees sto Jere erpretarded by

Cuban autisorities la September Is: and too ars sin suring ten year souter-

seB.

Siporte am: being nate da soure tuel= pereasa.

Ision their release

nay conur sithout admnus neuice b: un a varloty co glasing it. hausce,

Minal, Morico City, Suitzelud, Sal, des, a 13 certa7e Ease 8.

contingeny plan be forminted to rigur too suzure serutcet o cogs

enleyses.

The controlllng Euetor an ali phate or the selecte preredure is

that these euployees tere in daos 1der alias an? cast dirtsy the entle

have cana asiataiael,

Thereore li is escratin! shad inous milanse br

matatalnad until suth sius as the a pints tore intoned te Facuuy Cert

015y at "ucher arcan".

Lat:

1, ICteta Doeran onel Exisition ard Tessaiza Grity provlda

blade eir trungestation ten po. if mery CORe to the destiganied sel:

3. BESUIN

ogres: strun, Busuart Buriefec/15/305

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-₴ =

•3.

Request for black transgort ahaula incürda:

I. Raqueut that RELZASE COITINGENCY QULAN 62-2 de implementod.

2o Port of entry.

3. Dats, local tins, arà astelela dasireil 50z s1eis uy.

io Dasired destination.

5. Other requirements, 1e,, otretehuri o: Bullta in the eveut

mubjerts aro hasgital cases.

6. Name, organization ena selephone uurber of Isqueating party.

To Nane erd telephozn rucbur s" KUBIRK faatuats et loading

axa aff-jseling posato.

Tas Polloting personuel sra inezledguahle mul charsed with the

responssbullty of betiretins tiin ptue:

I. Major RicharE. I, StdARes, MC/ASD,DD/P

arganization:

Ai? SuEpOsE DIV18500, ED/P

Hone PhOLD:

JE: 3-07:09

Oftice Faors:

Sterfla Fnsars NB 8-5245, EX 3-8515

ExieNsiJias

6862,-654, 7367

Ral Ifae 1958

2.

Mx. Robezt Merr'aro

Orgenization:

Alr suggori MArisios, 3/E

Rore Proze: JA 1-3595

Offfce Faene:

Same Ss 13.

30

Major Billy B. Canphell, Cormerêer, Jat. 1.

Organization:

Dat. 1, 1045th Ogeratloual Bralueiion aed

Traidng CroD, EplIN ALI FOrze Ease, Flomidi

Hons Thene: 662737

Ourlce Phone: Eglan Ri= Fsreo Besa, Moriãa 631590

Mejor Kensetk R. Burtea, Cas Disfcer, Deta Jo.

Organlestien: Dat, 1, 1645na Operacional Eraluation ent

Treluing Caruy, Eglia lir Joner Basa, Flerida,

Hene Frons: 66246%

Off1eo Faute: Ezits: Alo Borze Iune, Murlia 631213

SFoi- F-2-1

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- 3-

Do Det, 1. Turnish 1 6-54 and aren la stewrby espacity uniti

further notice, Stanisy capecity is herain defined as espability to

punition the circrait at any port of uniry in east, south or grathsest

U. S. from Faston to los ingeles within 15 euro.

herring the subjeuts y1?1 ba reluased in Havana vo Merico

C143, Det, I 7111 prepere mission foliery ser alliata fron most

probabla peite di chury to Ibalation end Audreys AlI Icora lose.

RICHARD I. SINNER

DistrIbution:

1=

CI Start

-

-

CP

C/FE

C/TSD

COG

TIN

- FED/DER

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