Charles Siragusa

[Cliff Varnell]

 A.J. Weberman Nodule:

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CHARLES SIRAGUSA: THE CIA'S HITMAN

The CIA's initial efforts to form an assassination section involved Charles Siragusa. Siragusa (born October 28, 1913; died April 17, 1982, Office of Security # 41 82) was raised amid mob violence in New York City's Little Italy. He worked under ANGLETON in the OSS (March 1944 to December 1945), and then was an official of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. [Winks Cloak and Gown p363] He was sent to Italy in 1951 to neutralize "Lucky" Luciano, who was sending heroin shipments to New York. [sterling, C. Octopus p79] Charles Siragusa was attached to the U.S. Embassy, Rome, where he worked with the CIA Station. A CIA document revealed: "Siragusa was of liaison interest to various components of this Agency from 1961 to 1967, including the Behavioral Activities Branch of the Technical Services Division." [HSCA Gambino/Carpenter 2.28.78] In May 1967 Charles Siragusa supplied the CIA with biographic data that stated he had been employed by the Illinois Crime Commission since 1963. As head of the Commission, Siragusa was instrumental in solving the $4.3 million Purolator theft in 1974 by planting a snitch in the suspected burglary gang. In 1974 the name of Charles Siragusa was given to the Central Cover Staff in response to a request from an individual who might work for a pharmaceutical firm as an investigator.

In October 1977, Charles Siragusa told Senator Edward Kennedy "that he was approached by a CIA employee in 1960 or 1961 who he recalls was Mr. Vincent Thill, who sought Mr. Siragusa's assistance to recruit underworld figures for assassination purposes. Mr. Thill is alleged to have said that one million dollars would be paid for a successful assassination. Mr. Siragusa also stated that in addition to Mr. Thill, he had contact with the following former CIA employees: Sheffield Edwards, JAMES ANGLETON, John Mertz and Robert Bannerman. As related to the CIA, the context of their relationship with Mr. Siragusa was not given. The SSCIA was informed of Mr. Siragusa's allegation. Mr. William Miller, SSCIA, suggested to Commander Bernard McMahon, Executive Assistant to the Director of the CIA, and Mr. John Waller, Inspector General, that CIA investigate the allegation. The Agency has initiated an investigation; following are the results to date: (Deleted)."

CHARLES SIRAGUSA AND VINCENT THILL

Charles Siragusa told journalist Jack Anderson: "After a few minutes of chitchat, the CIA man [Vincent Thill] made this startling suggestion: that Siragusa, drawing on his underworld knowledge and contacts, recruit a crew of mafia torpedoes for standby assassination duty. They would be paid $1 million in fees and expenses for each kill. The CIA would assign the missions and underwrite the payoffs from secret funds." Siragusa, who had underworld and mafia connections because of his position with the Bureau of Narcotics, said that he refused to cooperate. Some evidence, however, indicated Charles Siragusa proposed that narcotics traffickers be utilized as assassins. On December 19, 1960, Harold Meltzer was considered as a possible CIA assassin. Meltzer was an associate of Meyer Lansky. The CIA: "Attached is a rather comprehensive six page biographical history which supplies not only all the information you requested, but many additional facts which will facilitate your evaluation of his potential. Meltzer owns and operates Fried Sportswear Company, Los Angeles, California. On August 3, 1959 he was convicted at Federal Court at Los Angeles for failure to register as a previously convicted narcotics law violator at the time of his travel abroad. He was fined $1,000 and placed on three years probation. Meltzer appeared before a Federal Grand Jury at Los Angeles on March 24, 1960, under subpoena, but invoked the Firth Amendment throughout questioning. Although he was threatened with contempt proceedings, this action never materialized. In the Spring of 1959 he furnished information to our California Office, but has not since cooperated with us. He has the background and talent for the matter we discussed but it is not known whether he would be receptive. Also attached is a copy of his FBI criminal record and an old Wanted Notice which bears a good likeness of him. I have never met Meltzer." [Los Angeles Times 5.3.78; CIA Enc. 12.1960

JAMES ANGLETON AND CHARLES SIRAGUSA

JAMES ANGLETON was interviewed on October 13, 1977, regarding his relationship with Charles Siragusa: "He knows Siragusa from World War II days. Following the war, during the 1950's, Mr. Siragusa was assigned to Rome as the U.S. representative on narcotics matters for Western Europe. ANGLETON had several official contacts with him but none since. Mr. ANGLETON states he was never associated with assassination plotting." 

CHARLES SIRAGUSA AND JOHN MERTZ

When CI Director JAMES ANGLETON wanted his own Counter-Intelligence shop in Vietnam he ordered former Pretoria Chief of Station, John Mertz, to set one up. John Mertz told this researcher: "During World War II when ANGLETON was in Italy working for Allen Dulles he made an arrangement where he ran a Counter-Intelligence Unit in Italy. These men were in uniform, and did not report to the military. That was a peculiar situation in Italy for a short period of time. In July 1965 ANGLETON got the idea that he could do the same in Vietnam. They knew at that time that the American forces were thoroughly penetrated by the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong. He sent me over to talk to General Joseph A. McChristian. He was top intelligence officer in Vietnam. [McChristian was General Westmoreland's intelligence chief from 1965 to 1967.] He later became DIA Chief, when he came back to the States. McChristian sent me over to confer with him to see if it would be possible for the Agency to set up a Counter-intelligence Unit in uniform, not reporting to the military. McChristian kicked me out the country. He said, 'No way, get the hell out of here. Tell ANGLETON, no.' Our Chief of Station was Gordon L. Jorgensen. I came back and made a report to ANGLETON. He sent a couple a guys over there and they got kicked out. [Gordon Jorgensen was succeeded as Chief of Station of Saigon by John Limond Hart.] That's as far as that went. I went to Africa a year and a half after that."

Mr. John Mertz was interviewed at his retirement home in Florida on October 6, 1977 in regard to Charles Siragusa's allegations. "Mr. Mertz related the following regarding his contacts with Mr. Siragusa. In 1960 or 1961, three CIA employees were arrested in Havana, Cuba, while engaged in an intelligence audio operation directed at a third country. They were tried, convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison. Their CIA affiliation was not revealed. Mr. Mertz was tasked with devising a means to free the prisoners. Mr. ANGLETON was Siragusa's OSS Supervisor in Italy during World War II, and suggested to Mr. Mertz that he contact Siragusa...Mr. Mertz states he was never associated with assassination plotting nor did he deal with Mr. Siragusa on any matters other than those discussed above...Mertz says he was never associated with assassination plotting." 

CHARLES SIRAGUSA AND ROBERT BANNERMAN

Robert Bannerman, who was Deputy Director, Office of Security, during the early 1960's, and later the Director of the Office of Security "remembers Siragusa as a Office of Security covert contact/informer. He says that when an Office of Security investigation turned up information related to narcotics, Siragusa might be contacted to see if he could provide assistance. Bannerman says he is not aware of any other contacts with Siragusa nor was he involved in any assassination plotting. He says he now knows that Sheffield Edwards was involved in Castro assassination plotting, but was not aware of it at the time." [CIA OGC 77-6457 10.11.77Robert S. Young]

The Office of the Inspector General of the CIA determined that there was no basis for Siragusa's allegations. William K. Harvey took over the assassination project from Charles Siragusa. Notes on ZR/RIFLE stated: "Maximum security. Kubark [CIA Station] only. e.g. What does Siragusa now know?"

[Cliff Varnell]

On 12/15/2023 at 1:20 PM, Cliff Varnell said:

Weberman:

A CIA document revealed: "Siragusa was of liaison interest to various components of this Agency from 1961 to 1967, including the Behavioral Activities Branch of the Technical Services Division."

From Hank Albarelli’s A Secret Order: 

<quote on, emphasis added>

[D]uring WWII George Hunter White and a number of other [Federal Bureau of Narcotics] agents assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), precursor to the CIA, worked very closely in New York City with Port Security and the Office of Naval Intelligence on what is now commonly called Operation Underworld. This was the top-secret project that involved freeing infamous gangster Charles "Lucky" Luciano from prison in return for his, and the Mafia's, assistance with security at America's ports and the Allied invasion of Italy. All the FBN agents assigned to work on Operation Underworld went on to become covert operatives of the CIA, and would become involved with Projects MK/ULTRA and MK/NAOMI.

<quote off>

From Douglas Valentine's The Strength of the Wolf:

<quote on>

[William] Harvey was so dependent on the FBN and its underworld contacts that he scribbled the words “the Magic Button” beside a reference to the Bureau in his notes.

<quote off>

 

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by Cliff Varnell

[Paul Brancato]

Cliff - what is your interpretation of ‘magic button’? 

[Cliff Varnell]

2 hours ago, Paul Brancato said:

Cliff - what is your interpretation of ‘magic button’? 

Same as Cicci.

 

[Ron Bulman]

"This pertains to former OSS officials and Federal Narcotics Bureau agent Charles Siragusa, who was approached by the CIA in 1960 about contracting American Mafia figures in Cuba, and elsewhere to help three CIA employees imprisoned with Martino.  It is thought that perhaps Siragusa contacted (George Hunter) White and Laffite for help with this request.

According to a January 1978 report by investigative journalist Jack Anderson, Siragusa said that he met with CIA-TSS officials about "three Spanish-speaking CIA operatives [who] had been arrested while pulling a Watergate-style break-in at the Chinese Communist News Agency in Havana."  The CIA authorized Siragusa "to spend up to $1 million to affect [sic] the rescue of the imprisoned agents."  Interesting to note is that the three CIA operatives were employees of the Agency's Technical Services Division, at the time under the direction of Dr. Sidney Gottlieb.  The three men . . . , according to CIA records, were audio and electronic specialists highly trained in bugging devices."         

 Coup In Dallas, Hank Albarelli, pg. 107.   Siragusa is mentioned on five other pages per the index.  He's also mentioned on eighteen pages in A Terrible Mistake, also by Hank, about the death of Frank Olson, but so much more.

Siragusa, White and yes Laffite all worked for Garland Williams at the FBN in the late 1930's / early 1940's who's boss Henry (?) Anslinger was involved in intelligence in WWI.  When WWII came about Anslinger sent Williams to Army intelligence where he oversaw the development of and became a director of (!) in the OSS, bringing along his protégé's with him and developing their skills further.

 

[Paul Brancato]

14 hours ago, Cliff Varnell said:

Same as Cicci.

 

Love this clip from my all time favorite movies. You think magic button might refer to a high tech weapon? 

[Cliff Varnell]

6 hours ago, Paul Brancato said:

Love this clip from my all time favorite movies. You think magic button might refer to a high tech weapon? 

No, the high tech weapons came from the CIA.  I think Harvey was referring to the efficacy of the assassins associated with the FBN.

[Cliff Varnell]

 

https://ratical.org/ratville/JFK/MKULTRA/19790410-IviewCharlesSiragusa.pdf

<quote on>

Siragusa knew George White well. Had visited the West Coast pad once or twice but remembered little of it. He stated that he had the reputation of a "straight guy" in the office; hence George and others would not have taken him into their confidence if any illicit activities had been going on. </q>

So Siragusa had a “straight guy” rep at the FBN.  As opposed to all the “crooked guys”?

How much illicit activity did Siragusa turn a blind eye to?

Siragusa resigned from the FBN in November ‘63.  I’d speculate he may have helped recruit the JFKA shooter team without knowing the target.

[Paul Brancato]

1 hour ago, Cliff Varnell said:

No, the high tech weapons came from the CIA.  I think Harvey was referring to the efficacy of the assassins associated with the FBN.

Harvey apparently scribbled a schematic of the magic button - I think it was a weapon 

[Cliff Varnell]

1 hour ago, Paul Brancato said:

Harvey apparently scribbled a schematic of the magic button - I think it was a weapon 

I did not know that!  Sounds like MKNAOMI.  I wonder how that tied to the FBN.

Does this appear in Strength of the Wolf?

Edited December 20, 2023 by Cliff Varnell

[Paul Brancato]

It was a snippet I read in A Woman I Know, Mary Haverstick author. 

[Cliff Varnell]

1 hour ago, Paul Brancato said:

It was a snippet I read in A Woman I Know, Mary Haverstick author. 

That’s a hot topic.  Could you post the snippet?

[Paul Brancato]

I can never figure out how to fit pics, so I’ll attempt to summarize what the author wrote.

in responding to 7 pages of Arnold Silver notes discussing the creation of ZRRIFLE Harvey responded with two pages of his own. The words ‘The Magic Button’ appear at the top of the first page. Right below it Harvey drew a schematic that the author (she shows a picture of this) says looks to her like ‘a pistol-like contraption with a triggering mechanism shooting something forward’. ‘When the Church Committee asked Harvey what the Magic Button was, he said it was probably a euphemism for technology he had discussed with [Technical Services Division Chief] Sidney Gottlieb the day before. The notes also contain an underlined phrase ‘Not a TSD problem’. Harvey told the committee that the operation involved ‘A very sensitive and unusual technique of assassination’. 

 

[Cliff Varnell]

1 hour ago, Paul Brancato said:

I can never figure out how to fit pics, so I’ll attempt to summarize what the author wrote.

in responding to 7 pages of Arnold Silver notes discussing the creation of ZRRIFLE Harvey responded with two pages of his own. The words ‘The Magic Button’ appear at the top of the first page. Right below it Harvey drew a schematic that the author (she shows a picture of this) says looks to her like ‘a pistol-like contraption with a triggering mechanism shooting something forward’. ‘When the Church Committee asked Harvey what the Magic Button was, he said it was probably a euphemism for technology he had discussed with [Technical Services Division Chief] Sidney Gottlieb the day before. The notes also contain an underlined phrase ‘Not a TSD problem’. Harvey told the committee that the operation involved ‘A very sensitive and unusual technique of assassination’. 

 

That’s it!  MKNAOMI.  Blood soluble rounds.

”Not a TSD problem.”  What could that have meant?

[Cliff Varnell]

FBN-affiliated assassins armed with high tech weapons, from which the CIA sought distance.