Originator: HSCA
From: CIA
Document date: 01/10/1978
Document type: NOTES

## Page 1

180.10141.10406/30 2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

Hem!ia:

CIA HAS NO OBJEETION TO

DECLASSIFICATION APÍDIOR,

OUTSIDE CONTACT REPORT

FELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT

DATE Jan1O, 1978 TIME_ 2:30

I .

Identifying Information:

Name

Central Intelligence Agency

Address

Langley, VA

Type of Contact:

Telephone

Telephone

X Person

II.

Summary of Contact:

Reviewed the 1967 IG Report. See attached memorandum. It should be

noted that I reviewed the Report on Jan 5 but I did not receive

ny notes until Jan 10.

THIS COPY IS NOT

FOR RELEASE.

III.

Recommended Follow-up (if any) :

Obtain and Review an undeleted version of the report and, if possib

obtain and review the memoranda referred to in the report which are underlined in the

attached memorandum.

Signature:

Keele Wizelian

Form #5

RETURN TO CIA

Background Usa Only

i Do Not Reproduce

141-10406

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## Page 2

To: G.B. Blakey

From: Leslie Wizelman

Date: 1/10/78

Re: Notes from the 1967 IG Report

121. 12

The 1967 Inspector General's Report begins with the statement

This Reconstruction of Agency involvement in plans to

assassinate Fidel Castio is at best an imperfect history.

Because of the extreme sensitivity of the operations being

discussed or attempted, as

a matter of principle no

official records were kept of planning, of approvals, or

of implementation. The few written records that do exist

are either largely tangential to the main events or were

put on paper from memory years afterward...

The Report states that "We can identify five separate phases in Agency assass-

planning.. "(p2) and "Each phase is a reflection of the then prevailing

Government attitude toward the Cuban regime." (p3) .

The Five phases are:

1- Prior to

August 1960 during which all "identifiable schemes" with the

possible exception of onere, were aimed at discrediting Castro

personally by influencing his behavior or altering his appearance.

2-August 1960 to April 1961-plots were "aggressively pursued."

3-April 1961 to late 1961- a major scheme begun in August 1960 was

called off after the Bay of Pigs and remained dormant for several

months, "as did most other Agency operational activity related

to Cuba."

4-Late 1961 to Late 1962- The August 1960 scheme was reactivated

5-"Late 1962 until well into 1963"- Aug 1960 scheme

was terminated

Two other plots originated but impractical and "nothing ever

came of them."

On page 4 the Report makes 3 points:

1- The elimination of a dominant figure may not change the government.

This

point was stressed by an internal CIA draft paper of October

1961•

2- The bringing about the downfall of a government always risks the

the resort to assassination.

3- Synecdoche- the mention of a part when the whole is to be

understood, or vice versa, meaning when"the getting rid of Castro"

statement is made, the speaker may not mean the assassination

of Castro, but may mean a change in the government of Cuba. Semantics.

The report implies this has led to some misunderstandings.

Page 6 discusses

the delivery of the pen to Cubela.

Page 7 discusess a meeting of the Special Group (augmented) in Secretary

Rusk's office on August 10, 1962 when McNamera brought up the "liquidation

of Cuban leaders. Followed by the preparation of the Project Mongoose

Action memo prepared by Lansdale.

THIS COPY IS NOT

FOR RELEASE.

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## Page 3

page 2

Another meeting was held on July 31, 1964 to duscuss a Cuban exile plot. The

Report states that the CIA refused funds and had no involvement.

On page 7 the report states that the CIA twice (early 1961, early 1962) supplied

lethal pills to U.S. ganbling syndicate members. When the plot was aborted

in 1961 the pills

recovered. In 1962 the pills were passed by a gambling

syndicate representative to a Cuban exile leader in Florida, who had been

them sent to Cuba in May 1962.

In June 1962 the exile leader (Verona??) reported that a team of three men

had been dispatched to Cuba to recruit for the operation.

Miscellaneous Schemes Prior to August 1960

A. March to August 1960- During this period there were three or four schemes. The

Report states that "None of those we interviewed who was first assigned

ot the Cuban task force after the Bay of Pigs knows of any of these schemes."

The Report does not specifically state who was interviewed. :J. D. (Jake)

Esterline was the head of the Cuban task force prior to the Bay of Pigs.

One project discussed was an aerosol attack on a radio station, but

nothing came of it. Consideration was also given to"psychic energizers."

The contaminated cigars project was never carried out, according to

Esterline, because of the "danger of blowback on the Agency."

The use of a dipilatory was also considered.

B. Gambling Syndicate operations- The Report states that "The first seriously

pursued CIA plan to assassinate Castro had its inception in August 1960" and

involved the gambling syndicate.

There were two phases: August 1960 to

late April or early May 1961 and April 1962 to February 1963.

Phase I

In August 1960 Richard Bissell- DDP- asked Edwards, Director of

Security if he could "establish contact with the U.S. gambling syndicate

that was active in Cuba. " The objective was stated as "clearly

the assassination of Castro."

b- the idea originated with J.C. King

c- Maheu, Robert- contacted by Edwards. Maheu was described as a

"private investigator wha-had done sensitive work for the Agency."

He opened a private office in D.C. in 1956 after being a special

agent for the FBI.

arranaged to subsidize Mahue to the

extent of $500/month. The report states that "Over the years he has

been intimately involved in providing support for some of the Agency's

more sensitive operations."

At this point the report notes that they are "struck" by the fact

that many of the names appearing in this report once worked for the

FBI and lists

, Maheu, Harvey, O'Connell, and E. Morgan.

. ""

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## Page 4

Page three

The Report states that "Maheu was authorized to tell Roselli that his

"clients'

were willing to pay $150,000 for Castro's removal." (pl6)

d- September 1960- O'Connell was Roselli's case officer and met with Roselli

and Maheu in New York City on September 14. Roselli agree to introduce Maheu

to "Sam Gold." At this point the Report refers to a memorandum prepared

by Edwards, dated 14 May 1962, re money not paid to Giancana or Roselli.

As of late September, 1960, Edwards, O'Connell, and Bissell were the only

ones in the Agency who knew of plan against Castro involving the Mafia.

Edwards briefed Allen Dulles and General Cabell. Bissell committed

$150,000 for the support of the operation. On September 25, 1960,

O'Connell and Maheu went to Miami where Roselli introduced Maheu to

Giancana at the Fountainbleau. O'Connell never met Joe (Trafficante)

or Sam. The Report referes

to an Office of Security Memorandum to the

DDCI, dated 24 June 1966 which contains a summary of the operation.

This memo is also referred to on pages 28 and 29.

e- Key dates- Jan. 7 1959- Casinos closed

Jan. 13 1959- Casinos opened for tourists

Feb.17 1959- Cabinet (Cuban) authorized reopening

casinos were closed.

f- Fall and Early Winter 1960- On August 16, 1960 the Chief of OD- Office

of Medical Services received box of Cuban cigars to treat.

reported the cigars were ready for delivery on October 7, 1960.

His notes show delivery on Feb. 13, 1961 (p22)

g-January-February 1961- Pills were chosen to kill

Castro. The Report states

that "Trafficante was in touch with a disaffected Cuban official with access

to Castro and presumably of a sort that would enable him to

surreptitiously poison Castro. The gangsters named their man inside

who was then

of the prime

minister (Castro). The gangsters said that (Orta) had once been in

poettist to esolve of back rom the ganbing interests, had

Page 27 is missing

On page 28 the report states

(Comment:

_ lost his position in the Prime Minister's

office on

_, while planning for the operation was

still going on in Miami and in Washington. He took refuge in

the

and became the responsibility of

the

Embassy on broke relations with Cuba in

Embassy when

Castro refused to give him a safe conduct pass until

when he was allowed to leave for Mexico City. He

arrived in Miami in early _

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## Page 5

Page four

"It appears that Edwards and O'Connell did not know at the

time of

_'s fall from favor..... It seems, though, that

the gangsters did know that _

had already lost his access

to Castro."

The June 24, 1966 summary memorandum, referred to on page three of this

memorandum, states that "when _

asked out of the assignment he

suggested another candidate who made several attempts without success." Edwards

and O'Connell do not know the replacement.

h- March-April 1961

The Report states

"Following the collapse of the -

channel, Roselli

told O'Connell that Trafficante knew of a man higher up

in the Cuban exile movement who might do the job. He

identified him as

was

of the Democratic Revolutionary Front, a

group supported by the Agency as part of the larger Cuban

operation. O'Connell understood that

was disatisfied

with the nature and the extent of this support and that

JM/WAVE suspected that

was not keeping his

bargain with the Agency." ( p29)

This statement is followed by a lengthy comment.

"(Comment: Reports from the FBI suggest how Trafficante

may have known of

_ On 21 December 1960 the Bureau

forwarded to the Agency a memorandum reporting that efforts

were being made by U.S. racketeers to finance anti-Castro

activities in hopes of securing the gambling, prostitution, and

dope monopolies in Cuba in the event Castro was overthrown. A

later report of

_associates

_with those

had hired Edward K. Moss, a Washington

public relations counselor, as a fund raiser and public

relations adviser. Bureau

Report alleged that Moss 'Mistress

wasJUlia Cellini, whose brothers represented two of the

largest gambling casinos in Cuba. The Cellini brothers were

through Moss and were

believed to be in touch with large suns of money for

reported to have offered -

his operations against Castro, with the understanding they

would receive privileged treatment "in the Cuba of the Future."

(p30)

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## Page 6

...

Page five

Moss was granted covert security Clearance in March 1959 for use by NE Division

In his role as consultant to Indiar

'Embassy and In November 1962 for use by CA

staff under Project ZR/MAJOR program for explitation of political consultants.

The report states that Trafficante approached

and told them that he had

clients who wanted to do away with Castro and they would pay big money.-

was

very receptive.

Roselli was to deliver money to=

for expenses According

to O'Connell it was $50,000. (p31)

The Report adds a Comment.

(Comment: As a sidelight, Esterline says that, when he

learned of the intended use of

to cancel the plan.

was one of the steps were taken

key figures in the

Revolutionary Front and was heavily involved in support of the

approaching Bay of Pigs operation. If steps were in fact

taken to endparticipation in the syndicate plan, they were

ineffective. It is clear that he continued as an

integral part of

t

the syndicate scheme.) (p32)

The Report states that "Little is known of the delivery channels beyond

believed to have an asset inside Cuba....."(p32)

I- April-May 196l- The operation was called off after the Bay of Pigs, and

remained dormant until April 1962.

Page 34 of the Report refers to a memorandum of 14 May 1962 in which Edwards

states that knowledge of the operation was limited to six people.

Dulles, Cabell, Bissell, Edwards, O'Connell, Esterline,

Chief TSD,

-, Chemical Division, TSD,

Chief, Operations Division,

Medical Services, William Harvey, Chief, FI/D, and

Special

Assistant to the DDP.(

name was encounted repeatedly in this inquiry,

but he denies knowing of the Operation in 1960-61.), Bannerman, DDS, J.C. King,

Robert Maheu, Roselli, Giancana, Trafficante.,

the man originally

selected to poison Castro, -

Cuban exile leader, the

who is known to have been involved with him closely during this time. (p35)

In May 1962 R. Kennedy and Lawrence Huston learned of the operation.

Those now knowledgeable- Edward P. Morgan, Drew Pearson, Jack Anderson,

C.J. WArren, Rowley, Pat Coyne, executive secretary of PFIAB, Ramsey

Clark and various members of the FBI .

PHASEII

a- Harvey was briefed in Feb. 1961 and placed in charge of developing an Executive

Action capability- ZR/RIFLE. The asset was QJ/WIN who had been recruited

earlier by

for use in a pecial operation in the Congo (the assassination

of Patrice Lumumba.)

b- On November 15, 1961, Harvey has a note that on that date he discussed with

Bissell the application of ZR/RIFLE to Cuba. Harvey took over Cuba task force. (p

3/РУ

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## Page 7

Page six

c- February-March 1962- Harvey recalls first meeting with Edwards on subject

of Castro operation. (After Harvey left Task Force W and was winding up he

wrote a memo to Chief, FI staff, dated June 27, 1963 stating that the original

justification for employing QJ/WIN no longer existed and raising the question

of QJ/Win's termination. QJ/WIN was terminated 21 April 1964) (p40, 41)

d-April 1962

Harvey briefed Helms on meetings with Roselli. (p41) "Edward's records show

that on 14 May 1962 Harvey called Edwards 'and indicated that he was dropping

any plans for the use of Roselli for the future." (p42) Harvey believes he

took over "a going operation." O'Connell now believes there must have been

"something going on between april 1961 and April 1962." (p43). On April 8 and

9, 1962 O'Connell and Harvey met Roselli at the Savoy Plaza Hotel in NYC.

O'Connell says Maheu was present but Harvey disagrees. (p44) There is a large

deletion on page 45 following the statement mentioning Phyllis McGuire,

Dorothy Kilgallen, and Liberace at the Copacabana.

Harvey recalls another meeting of O'Connell and Roselli in D. C. in April 14.

O'Connell was in Miami with Roselli and Harvey as late maybe as April 27.

O'Connell was assigned on June 1962

PCS to Oknawa. 13~1/

Harvey says he arrived in Miami on 21 April 1962 and found Roselli already in

touch with

-, the Cuban exile leader who had participated in phase one.

(p47). Santos and Giancana were no longer involved.

"Roselli now had a

man known to Harvey as Maceo, who also used the names Garcia-Gomez and Godoy."

He was a Cuban who spoke Italian. (p48)

When the pills were given to

through Roselli, .

and equipment needed ive support. Harvey rough Ros lip of requested

arms

_, the chief

of the IM/WAVE station, procured explosives, detonators, 20.30 caliber rifles,

20 .45 caliber hand guns, 2 radios, and one boat radar. (p49) Harvey and

rented a U-Haul truck under an assumed name, loaded it with arms and equipment,

and parked it in the parking lot of a drive-in restaurant. Keys given to Roselli

for delievery to Maceo, to

"Evidently Harvey and

Roselli had not yet come to trust each other. Perhaps fearing a double-cross,

set about independently to assure himself that the equipment reached the

proper hands. After parking the truck, Harvey and

kept the parking lot under

surveillance until the pass

was completed. Roselli, accompanied by O'Connell,

did the same.

Neither pair knew that the other was watching. Eventually the

truck was picked up and driven away. (Does not say by whom). It was returned

later, empty, and with the keys under the seat as prearranged. Harvey returned

it to

the rental agency. Harvey says that

never knew to whome delivery was

made nor for what purpose.

merely called upon to furnish support for

a headquarters operation

from which he was otherwise excluded." (p 50)

e- May 1962- Roselli reports pills were in place.

f- June 1962- Roselli reports to Harvey on 21 June that

of three men to Cuba.

had dispatched a team

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## Page 8

Page seven

g-September 1962- Harvey says Roselli was in Miami on September 7th and 1lth.

ready to send in another three man team to penetrate Castro's

bodyguard.

h- Sept. 1962- Jan 1963- Harvey was in Miami between 22 Dec and 6 Jan.Says

Roselli and Maceo met with him many times. Harvey and Roselli had telephone

discussions of operations between January I1 and 16th. The Report states that

"AS far as Harvey knows, three Militia men never did leave for Cuba. He

knows nothing of what may have happened to the three reported to have been

sent to Cuba." (p52)

i-February 1963- Harvey in Miami Feb 11-14. Left word for Maceo that there

was nothing new and it looked like it was all over. Feb 15 Harvey left

Miami to meet Roselli in L.A.

Roselli agreed that he would continue to

see

, gradually reducing the frequency of contact until there was none.

j-June 1963- Roselli met with Harvey in D.C.-Dulles Airport. Stayed with

Harvey.

k- People knowledgeable of Phase : II;

Helms, Harvey, O'Connell, Edwards, King, Harvey's deputy in 1962, Chief

of JM/WAVE,

_TSD, _

-, Maceo.

1- Operation linked perhaps through:

Roselli to Maheu; Maheu to Morgan; Morgan to Pearson; Pearson to

Warren to President; Warren to Rowley; Rowley to Pat Coyne; FBI to

Ramsey Clark (p56)

m- Late 1961- Early 1962- Wiretapping incident.

n- May- June 1966- Long Committee

Page 72 is missing or deleted-can't tell.

Page 71- Maheu's backgound- he was hired in 1954 and 55 by Greek shipping

magnate, Niarchos to help in a "financial tussle"with Onassis.

Page 72-"O'Connell stated

that at'one point in the negotiations with the Long

Committee Maheu indicated

that he might brief his attorney, Edward P. Morgan,

fully about his post activities so that Morgan would be able to decide how

best to represent him."

Schemes in Early 1963- Fitsgerald took over Cuban Task Force- Jan 1963

skin-diving suit

booby trapped sea

shell

Amlash ~ March 9, 1961 and March 28, 1961

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## Page 9

Page eight

The Report states

An asset of the Miami Station reported that

a and

a wanted to defect and needed help

in escaping.

_was the gangster's'man inside Cuba' with access

to Castro in lethal pill operation- Phase One.) Headquarters

expressed interest in exfiltrating

off because of report that Cuban police knew. ( This is one

of three name-links found in AMLASH file between

persons involved in gambling syndicate episodes......If

was in fact one of the gangsters' assets inside Cuba, that

fact was unknown to either the CIA officers running the gangster

episodes or to hose handling _

(p80)

On Page 91 of the Report in states that under the date Nov 20, 1963

Thus far, this account of the

project has been based

almost wholly on documents found in the project file. Beginning

here is an account of an episode in the .

operation on

which there is no documentary evidence.

has a record

of nine contacts and their dates; otherwise, this summary is

drawn from the recollections ofthose involved.

Amlashes case officer, Sanchez, distinctly recalls that

much of the device. (p93a)

_didn't think

On December 27, 1964 (ARtime) and Noel) or (Cubela) met for the first

time in Madridine Mata Stateion]cabled that one

30, 1964 they met again. On March 15, 1965

had arrived in Madrid from Cuba on March 15 and had been

introduced to a station officer.

claimed to be

in

in contact with a group of Cuban military leaders who were

planning to eliminate Castro and take over the government.

It quickly became clear that he was referring to

said that he had always been publicly

identified as a close friend of

_, whome he last

saw in Havana on March 9.

said that he had been the

lawyer for the Capri Hotel in Havana. He was jailed for 75

days in July 1962 for defending

, a U.S. citizen and

ex-manager of the

gambling casion who was kicked out of

Cuba.

(Comment: This is another name-link between Cubela and the

gambling syndicate plots reported upon earlier in

this report.

was one of the principals in Shef Edwards' phase

one of the Operation. He presumably was not involved in Phase

Two under Harvey, but we cannot be sure of that. After all,

was the man who brought

into the operation

late in Phase 1, and _ was one of the main players in Phase 2.)

2/pV

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## Page 10

GHAS OSLECTIONTO

DECLASSIFICATION ANGOB

RECEASEOF THIS DOCUMENT

Page nine

People involved in plot to kill Castro as reported from first

day trial proceedings and dispositions;

Ramon Guin Diaz-25 years

Rolando Cubela Secades-25 years

Jose Luis Gonzalez Gallarreta- 20 years

Alberto Blanco Romariz- 20 years

Juan Alsina Navarro- 10 years

Guillermo Cunill Alvarez- free

Angel Herrero Veliz- free

Page 111-entitled "Discussion of Assassination at High-level meetings"

DELETED

P120- O'Connell briefed CIA on source of Pearson's story.

1- Maheu briefed Edward p. Morgan on Maheu's participation

in phase one

2- Maheu knew nothing of Phase 2

3- Morgan and Roselli were acquainted. Roselli was steered to

Morgan by H.M Green spun, editor and publisher of Sun

4- Garrison, Morgan and Roselli were all in Las Vegas at the

same time March 1967. O'Connell stated "It is our impression

that Greenspun was also involved in the conversations."

The Report blames Roselli for the leak.

The Report concludes with a discussion of what should be done.

One question is asked- "Should we try to silence those who are talking

or might later talk?"

The answer begins "It appears to us that this tactic offers little chance

of success. For one thing, the story is already out and probably in about

as full detail

as it

ever

will be." (128)

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