Cuban Intel. Matters
Originator: FBI
Document date: 12/13/1963
Document type: Paper

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Released under the John F. Kennedy

Assassination Records Collection act of

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

64954 Diate: 11-14-2022

Date :

Page :

11/05/98

1

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY

: INSCOM/CSF

RECORD NUMBER

: 194-10013-10453

RECORDS SERIES

: DOD-AFFILIATED PERSONNEL INCIDENT AND INVESTIGATIONS

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

: ZF400026W - PAGES 274-292

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM

TO

TITLE : CUBAN INTELLIGENCE MATTERS INTERNAL SECURITY - CUBA

DATE: 12/13/63

PAGES

SUBJECTS CUBAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

FIREARMS

EXPLOSIVES

SURVEILLANCES AND COUNTER-SURVEILLANCES

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION : SECRET

RESTRICTIONS : 1B

CURRENT STATUS

RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW

: 03/20/95

OPENING CRITERIA: COMPLETION OF REVIEW FOR RELEASABILITY

COMMENTS : COORDINATION WITH THE FBI FOR RELEASABILITY

DETRMINATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

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In Reply, Please Refer to

File No.

65

2739001

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

New York, New York

DEC 13 1963

0109.91

Re: Cuban Intelligence Matters

Internal Security - Cuba

The following information pertains to and was

furnished by a self-admitted Cuban intelligence agent

who is presently In tine United States. This man, herearter

referred to as the source, was recruited in Cuba

the Cuban Intelligence Service (CIS), and after receiving

extensive training by CIS, was dispatched to the United

States,

entering at Miami, Florida, as a refugee.

reliability of the source

has not as yet been definitely

established.

The source advised that he had not been a

member of any organization in Cuba devoted to the over-

throw of the government of then-President Fulgencio

Batista prior to the fall of Batista and the subsequent

taking over of the government by Fidel Castro on January

1, 1959. He had no connections with the Castro regime

during the period, between January 1, 1959 and approximately

November, 1901, when, through the assistance of Roberto

Roque, source obtained a position with the Municipal

Government of the City of Havana, Cuba.

Source advised that Roque is an official in the

Ministry of Interior and works with Ramiro Valdez, the

head of that agency.

Approximately 44 years ago

when source first met Roque the latter was a Captain in

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This docont contains neither

recorandatiose nor conclusions

of the T2I. It is the propelty

of the PeT and is loaned to your EXCLUDED FROM CENERAE

agency it aad its contents are

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Cuban Intelligence Natter's

the Cuban Army, and served as an Aide and Secretary to

Antonio Santiago in the Army.

Source said he understood

Roberto Roque had been in the United States before Batista

fell and returned to Cuba when Castro took over.

He said

Roque informed him he had been in Canada for approximately

20 days during May or June, 1963. Source described

Roque as follows:

Name

Age

Sex

Race

Height

Weight

Build

Hair

Eyes

Marital Status

Roberto Roque

28 to 30

Male

White

5'8"

140 pounds

Slender

- Black

Black

Married

Characteristics

Spealts English well

Source described Roque's wife, whom he identified

black hair and eyes.

Magaly Gonzales Was

expecting a child.

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

Subsequent to receipt of above information,

source was shown a photograph of Roberto Agustin Roque

Perez, United States Immigration and Naturalization

Service (INS) file number All 078 159.

Source Immediately,

on the basis of this photograph, identifiea Roberto

Agustin Roque Perez as the individual known to him in

Cuba as Roberto Roque..

November 15, 1935, in Havana, Cuba, and further reflect

that he resided In the United States for a period of time

prior to january, 1959, when it was determined he had

returned to Cuba.

In approximately February, 1962, and again

through the assistance of

roberto roque, source was

enrolled in a school operated by the Cuban Government

located in the palatino, just outside the city limits

of Havana, which school

is known as the Escuela Basica

de Instruccion Revolucionaria (Basic School of Revolutionary

Instruction).

Students at this school were taught

philosophy of Marxism-Leninism, together with political

economics and general Communist

and anti-United States

propaganda.

The school was a pölitical and propaganda

indoctrination school and students were tota

"they might

become propaganda instructors in Cuba or other Latin

American countries.

No mention was made of the possibillty

they might be called upon to teach progaganda in the

United States.

Some of the individuals attending this

school were there because they desired better jobs while

others were afraid of losing their jobs with the Cuban

Government.

There were approximately 50 students in the

class and sessions were held from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

with supper being served at the school.

an individual named xiques, who was about 20 to 22 years

sid, s' 2" tall, small build, black hair and eyes.

He was

always dressed in a uniform with a' green boina.

Source does not believe Xiques had been In the United

States.!

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In April, 1962, source enrolled in another

school maintained

by the

Cuban Government known as

(Provincial Center of Revolutionary Instruction Marianao,

the Centro Provincial de Instruccion Revolucionario

school was then located in Reparto La Coronela,

Havana, Cuba.

This institution provided approximately

the same studies as the Basic School mentioned above,

but of

& more intense nature. Courses included study

of the works of MAO Tse-tung..

The school during the

spring of 1962, had approximately 275 to 300 students

and was divided into five classes. Students resided at

the school including both men and women and were together

during the day in the classrooms and dining rooms, but

were separated by sex in sleeping quarters.

the men

wore blue pants and white tee-shirts during the day and

a gray shirt with blue pants in the evening.

The uniform

for the women during the entire day consisted of blue

pants and gray shirt.

Classes began at 7:15 a.m. and

proceeded throughout the day with recesses. Classes

ended at 4:30 p.m. but resumed after dinner and continued

until 10:50 p.m.

Discipline was very strict. / Source

believed

that

the instructors who were young had received

training from Blas Roca, a functionary of the Cuban

Communist Party.

A man named Carlos Walfrido who was

about 25 years old was in charge of the teachers. His

place was subsequently taken by a woman named Esperanza:

Franca.

During the time source attended these schools,

he never heard any remarks about training students for

possible Intelligence work and he does not know whether

any of the students, in addition to himself, were chosen

by CIS for intelligence training.

Intelligence study in

Cuba is

very secretive and it was never mentioned in

either school.

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

Source stated that Roberto Roque on one

occasion had discussed with the source the possibility

of the latter making a career in the Cuban Government,

and mentioned several agencies including the Cuban

DiplomatiC servIce.

Services mentioned by Roque Included

working for the Cuban Government abroad.

Source indicated

that he was interested in such work and his enrollment

in the two indoctrination schools, mentioned aboves

through the help of Roque followed.

After being "sounded out" by Roque the

latter obtained considerable background and biographical

data concerning the source in interviews with the source.

Some time later while set attending the provincial Center

school, source received a telephone call from a man

who Identified himself only as

and who stated

that he worked In "foreign affairs for the ORI."

(ORI-

the Integrated Revolutionary Organizations, which at

that time was the sole political party in Cuba). "Sanchez"

made arrangements to meet the source personally and

thereafter talked with the source three or four times.

The conversation concerned source's background and how

It was necessary to fight Capitalism.

One day.

"Sanchez"

telephoned source and told him another comrade would now

work with him.

Later that day "Sanchez" introduced him

to "Mano1o"

who thereafter served as source's principal.

Source never saw "Sanchez" personally after this but

several months later saw a picture in a newspaper of

an Individual who had been arrested in New York City

on charges of attempted sabotage.

This newspaper picture

vas a photocraph of Roberto Santiesteban whom source

stated was the individual previously known to him as

"Sanchez"

It is noted that Roberto Santiesteban

Casanova who was then serving as an

Attache at the Cuban Mission to the

United Nations in New York City, was

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arrested on November 16, 1902,

In New York City, by agents of

the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Santiesteban with violation oi

Section 951, Title 18, United States

State by agents of loreign govern-

ments,

and conspiracy to violate

the sabotage statutes.

He was

Indicted on November 21, 1962, by c

Federal Grand Jury in New York City;

however, on April 22, 1963, Indict-

ment against him was

dismissed and

he was returned to Cuba as part of

an exchange for the release of a

number of Americans held by Cuba.

Source stated that some time in October or

November, 1962, he began to receive training in subjects

relating

to espionage and intelligence.

His training

continued until July, 1963, when the source left cuba

for the united states. He did not go to any school lor

this training but instead was taught by individual

Instructors in various locations in the Havana area.

The overall direction of his training was handled by

his principal, Manolo, who introduced him to the

individual instructors as he progressed in his training.

Source described Manolo as follows:

Age

Sex

35 to 40

• Male

Race

Height

White

6'1"

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

Weight

Build

Hair

Eyes

Occupation

160 pounds

Thin

Brown

Marital Status

Characteristics

Brown

Formerly worked for Cuban

G-2 and now with Special

Service (Intelligence) of

Cuba

Married, has one child

Wore dark glasses; was

always well dressed; wore

civilian clothing

Residence

Near the Quincalla near

Suarez Street, Havana; Cuba

Manolo never instructed the source in any

particular subject but from time to time gave him

specific instructions concerning his forthcoming mission

On one of these occasions Manolo

Instructed source to find three dead drops in New York

possible a picture of the drops.

or disapprove these drops:

Tro of the drops would be

for actual use and a third was a reserve drop. On

another occasion Manolo told source that 11 he ever

changed his mind that he would come to the United States

and kill him.

Manolo also indicated a definite desire

to come to the United States at some future date and

mentioned the possibillty of entering the United States

by means of a false passport through Mexico.

280

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

Source advised that his intelligence training

proceeded as follows:

Firearms

Sex

Race

Age

Height

Hair

Male

Mulatto

20°

5'6 " to 5'7'

Black

Eyes

Build

Background

Brown

Heavy, strong, not fat

MilItary; had been a soldier

with Fidel Castro in the

-Sierra Maestre

Explosives

This training In the use of explosives was

given by an individual known to the source as

"Pollya"

who demonstrated on a blackboard how to destroy bridges,

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

roads, communications and oil towers and 011 fields.

The use of dynamite was covered and "poliya" also

lemonstrated how to dismantle an anti-tank bomb. Or

one occasion "Poliya

was working with dynamite which

when it did not explode caused "Poliya" to examine 1t

but when he went to look at it it exploded and cut him

in the face.

Source described "poliya" as follows:

Age

25

Sex

Male

Appearance

Oriental; described as

a "Mestizo"

Height

Weight

Hair

Eyes

Occupation

Characteristics

5'8"

150 pounds

Brown

Brown

Soldier

Wore a uniform at all

times

Source stated he did not know the militar

ank of "poliya" because officers in the Cuban Arm

who work on explosives do not wear insignia.

Dead Drops

Source advised that the terms in Spanish

referson dead drops as used by cis are "contacto

• to look for suitable places to set up dead drops and

his instructor recommended places where few people

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

congregate. Parks, cemeteries, and highways were also

recommended to him as good locations.

Dead drops

last name is unknown, and this instruction lasted one

week. Source described Victor as follows:

Sex

Male

Race

White

Age

19 to 21

Height

5' 6"

Weight

160 pounds

Hair

Light brown

Eyes

Color not recalled;

very clear

Victor was an employee of the Ministry of

Interior and may have been in the military as he

appeared in a uniform on the first day of this

instruction.

General Photography

Source was instructed in the use of the

35 mm Pentacon and the Pentax, another 35 mm camera

and was also shown how to develop film and protect

• undeveloped film. He was not given a camera but instead

was instructed to purchase a 35 mm camera on his arrival

In the United States. Instruction in general photography

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

was given by an individual known only as Roberto and

the course was taught in an apartment located on 13th

Street,

between Avenida Presidente and F, Vedado,

Havana •

The apartment was on the oth floor and the

last two numbers of the building address were either

16 or 61.

Roberto is described as follows:

Sex

Race

Age

Height

Weight

Hair

Teeth

Male

Mulatto, light

20-21 years old

5' 6"

130-135 pounds

Black

Bridge work on upper

front teeth

Telegraphy and Morse Code

Source was afforded training in Morse Code

by an individual named

by in and steal most mont," and a he ua no the

same apartment where he had received general photography

training. Source was taught only the numbers and a

few letters of the Morse Code, and his training was

limited to receiving of messages, which consist of

groups of five numbers each.. He was not taught how to

transmit code, nor was he given instruction in radio

repair or mechanies.

He was told to purchase a Zenith

transoceanic radio (Onda Corta) (short-wave or

arrival in the United States, since CIS felt this to

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

be the best radio for contact with Cuba. Source was

not given any short-wave band or wave length on which

to receive messages from Cuba; he was told this data

would be supplied him once he had a radio.

His instructor, Julio, is described as follows:

Sex

Male

Nationality

Height

Weight

Cuban

5'9" - 5' 10"

170-180 pounds

Hair

Black

Scars or Marks

None

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

Source said Julio

may possibly have been a

member of the military, but

wore

a uniform on

only

one

occasion during the training period.

Cipher System and Secret Writing

Source was instructed in the use of a cipher

system utilizing a sentence in Spanish as the "pensamiento"

on scheme, which in turn is broken down into a "consigna"

or watchword, and three "gamas"

utilizes exchange and substitution of numbers for letters,

and the numbers are placed in groups of five to form messages.

Source was instructed and given practice in both encipherment

and decipherment of messages.

Source was also provided with a secret writing

system (Tinta Invisible) which requires only bond paper,

a pen nib,

and saliva.

One sheet of paper is crushed into

a ball, and is used to rub another sheet of the paper.

Then,

with a pen nib, using saliva

as "ink"

, a message is written

on the side. or

the sheet previously

rubbed. The sheet then

is passed over steam, and placed under a heavy book for

several hours.

An inocuous latten is then written on the

reverse side of the sheet, using

Parker ink.

The mesaage

is then placed in

an envelode which is not moistened with

the tongue but which is sealed with glue.

On each side

of the flap, about one inch from the apex, the glue is not

used for about one-half inch.

This enables receiver of the

letter to determine whether letter has been opened or not.

To show the letter contains secret writing, the return address

is formed of any name having the initials

"TI", that is,

"tinta invisible".

Sacret writing to be received by source from

Cuba is developed by placing sheet of writing in tepid water

until message appears.

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The ciphen system and secret writing system

were taught source by an individual known

"Rafael".

One day "Rafael": told

source his name was

Raul Perez.

The courses were held in the same apartment mentioned

earlier, that is,

on 13th Street, Vedado, havana.

of opinion this apartment was actually "Rafael's"

residence.

Training in the two topics lasted two or three

weeks.

Prior to receiving this training, Manolo, the

principal of the source informed source he would be given

his code (cipher) training by a "Sovietica", that is, a

After "Rafael" had taught source, the latter asked

VanO1O iF "Rafael" was a Russian Rafaelanolo replied in

the negative.

Source described

as follows:

Name

"Rafael", or Raul Perez

Sex

Male

Race

White

Age

Height

Weight

Build

About 35 years old

5' 10" - 5' 11"

Eyebrows

Hair

Face

Nose

Lips

Eyes

160 pounds

Thin

Heavy, dark

Black, parted on the side,

heavy, greying at temples

Thin

Thin and fine

Thin

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

Source advised that while "Rafael" spoke perfect

Spanish, and said he was a cuban,

that he had a foreign

pronunciation for an individual of Cuban extraction, and

source feels he may have been from Argentina.

Surveillances and Counter-surveillances

Source was instructed in these two topics by a

man named Menendez.

Instruction took place in the apart-

ment of Menendez,

Apartnent 3D, in a building located at

12 y 3, Vedado, Havana, the only large building in the

source met Menendez three or four times, and

instructions were given orally by Menendez. He last saw

Menendez at the latter's apartment about July 1, 1963•

Menendez

is described as follows:

Race

White

Sex:

Age

Height

Weight

Hair

Male

30 to 35 years old

5' 7" - 5' 8"

130 pounds

Brown

Eyes

Marital Status

Travel

Gray-brown

Married

Build

Has been in the

United States

Thin

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Cuban Intelligence Matters

The wife of Menendez, whose name is unknown

to source, is

described thusly:

Sex

Female

Age

Height

20 to 22 years old

5 ' 2"

Weight

120 pounds

Hair

Light brown

Source said Menendez was possibly an official

in the Ministry of Interior.

Menendez is a superior of

Manolo, the principal of the source.

Microfilm

Sounce was instructed in the preparation of

microfilm utilizing scotch tape, and three solutions

.1.

identified as ten per cent silver nitrate and ninety per cent

water, ten percent "Bromuro"

and ninety per cent watene

and ten per cent ammonia and ninety per cent water.

process requires the use of a camera,

a level bench with

a one-inch hole, a lamp with a half

filament, a plumbline,

a magnifying glass, and several pieces of glass.

Instruction in preparing microfilm was afforded

source by an individual whose name is unknown to source.

This instructor is described as follows:

Male

Sex

Race

Áge

Height

weight

Mulatto

19 or 20 years old

5 ' 10"

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130 - 140 pounds

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Build

Thin

Hair

Thin, dark

Eyes

Dark

....ah i;

Complexion

Dark

Source said this Instructor was a Communist

youth who had traveled in the socialist countries. On

one occasion, this man appeared wearing soldier's

crousers, but source was uncertain as to whether instructa

was a member of the military.

Methods of Contact with CIS

"Legal", "Clear" or "Open" Letter. Sent by

infomant to a relative in Havana, warh "envelope

flagged under a girl's name.

, actually

source's principal, contacts the relative frequently for

these letters.

"Illegal" or "secret" letters. Utilizes the

saliva-for-ink system or microaots..

Source has three

addresses in Cuba, all serviaed by his principal, Manolo.

Dead drops or "contacto impersonal". New

York City area.

Live meetings or "contacto personal".

Established by source providing CIS with date and hour

of day he will be at a certain location; also New

York City area.

Cables. Used in emergency situations only;

sent to one of three addresses serviced by Manolo.

Utilizes a code which requires several proper names

and a street address; the initial letters of the proper

names determine meaning of message while the numbers

In street address flag the position in Cuba, by

longitudinal meridians, where action IS to BUDED FROCERAT

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Control of source by CIs

On one occasion,

Manolo implied harm would

come to source and a close relative should he not

carry out his mission in the United States. On

another occasion,

Manolo told source he would come

to the United States and kill source if latter failed

in his mission.

Operational Funds

Shortly prior to leaving Cuba, source, at

request of Manolo, gave Manolo a pair of source's

shoes. About ten days later, Manolo returned the

and informed source the heels contained $940

In United states currency, which he was to utilize

In becoming established in New York City.

source,

on arriving in Miami, Fiorida, recovered

the money

which he stated was

hidden in

hollowed-out portions

of the heels, in spaces about the size of a silver

dollar.

The

$940 consisted of $50 and $20 b1lls,

United

States currency.

During his training, source was informed

by manolo that CIs would consider giving himmoney

to enable him to set up cover employment, such as

a restaurant.

Mission in the United States

Source defined his mission in the United

States thusly:

To settle himself in New York City;

to furnish CIS names and information about present

employment of Cuban physicians now in the United

States; to collect information about Cuban refugee

centers.

Source was also informed, while in Cuba,

that he would eventually be assigned as a clandestine

contact to Cuban United Nations

Mission representatives

in New York City.

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Source has advised that no mention was ever

made by his CIS contacts of his collecting Information

about the armed forces of the United States, and that

no milltary

targets in the United States were ever

discussed. He was given the assignment, however, to

immediately notify CIS should it come to his attention

that United States armed forces intend to invade Cuba.

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