The Odio Incident

[Robert Howard]

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 10.11.77 Robert 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?"

End quote

I am intimately familiar with the book and have been in contact with him on occasion.

As I am sure you know the identity of QJWIN has been the subject of intense scrutiny.

This is intriguing. I re-read the 1967 IG report on the attempts on Castro only yesterday, and Bannerman was listed as one of those in the loop. When it came time to pay Varona, it turned out O'Connell had no budget to do so, so they briefed Esterline so he could take the money from the Bay of Pigs project, and went to Edwards to okay the money, only Edwards was out of town, so they briefed his assistant Bannerman, and got the money. Or something like that. Anyhow, the top secret 67 report said that Bannerman was in the loop, and here he lied about it ten years later.

Siragusa is mentioned in Douglas Valentine's The Strength of the Wolf: The Secret History of America's War on Drugs.

<quote on>

Joined the Federal Bureau of Narcotics before the Second World War; protege of George White; served in the OSS; group leader in New York; opened the FBN's first overseas office in Rome in 1951; became the FBN's liaison to the CIA in 1959 when he returned to Washington as field supervisor; competed with Giordano to replace Anslinger as Commissioner, served as Deputy Commissioner until his retirement in December 1963.

<quote off>

See:

http://books.google.ca/books?id=Bed0gQKn-u...ary_r&cad=0

Has anyone here read Valentine's book?

Regards,

Peter Fokes,

Toronto

I am intimately familiar with the book as well as being acquainted with Douglas Valentine via email.

Here is probably the single most comprehensive thread on the Forum on the topic.

Who Was QJWIN?

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=10942

[Robert Howard]

Additional Info and Bump

File this post under serendipity.......

There are obviously so many documents to go through between the 26 Volumes of the Warren Commission and the declassified files that an attempt to obscure pertinent facts can be a relatively simple thing to do, I did run across an interesting fellow.

104-10274-10042...March 24, 1961

AMBANG 1 WIFE ADVISED LATE 23 MAR MRP* REP JUAN P MARTIN MORAN ENGINEER MINISTRY PUBLIC WORKS

STOWAWAY ABOARD TURKISH VESSEL “FATISH”

Ambang-1 advised late 23 March MRP Rep. Juan P Martin Moran Engineer Public Works arrived Houston, Texas

Accompanied by one Marsio?......WAVE will debrief subjects upon arrival this area

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/....do?docId=38521

It should be pointed out that the April 17, 1961 Bay of Pigs fiasco was only a few weeks away, and that there was a Alfred J Moran associated with Clay Shaw see Let Justice Be Done William Davy. page 179

Interestingly enough in Jack Ruby's old memo book, he had listed the Name and phone number of Sandra Moran

See WC Vol 19, p. 75; WC Vol 22, p. 520

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...wRec.do?id=6711

In Thomas Edward Beckham’s Grand Jury testimony in New Orleans by District Attorney Garrison’s office, Beckham was asked about another Jack Martin, besides the Jack Martin who had worked in Guy Bannister’s office, as well as Goldonna, Louisiana.

Question. ........We have already gone into Jack Martin. Do you know another party by the name of Jack Martin?

Beckham: I know Joe Martin.

Question: Have you ever been to Goldonna, La.

Beckham: I went to a lot of small towns, but that name doesn’t sound right

See

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...p;relPageId=146

Recently I discovered that in the Book The Armies of Ignorance - William Corson, that the CIA implemented a dossier analysis of President-elect Kennedy to determine how he would react in certain situations, tendencies, ie.....Garrison discusses this in On The Trail of The Assassins page 69; I dont have Corson’s book I only know of it from Jim Garrison’s mention of it.

James H. Meek independent oil operator who lived on Turtle Creek Blvd. died on Friday, November 22, 1963

This is recorded in the Dallas Times Herald of November 23, 1963.

Also from the same edition was this article:

Man Injured In Shooting

“A 24 year-old West Dallas man was in serious condition Friday morning

with a gunshot wound he said he suffered when two Negroes opened fire

on the car in which he was riding after curbing it at Singleton and Winne-

tka.

Methodist Hospital attendants identified the victim as Joe Jesse Medrano

of 3610 Singleton.

Police said, Medrano, Juan Velasco, 25, 3418 Odessa and Mario Gonzalez,

26, 3610 Singleton were occupants of a car driven by Fernando Rodriguez,

24, of 3604 Bedford.

The men told police the gunmen’s automobile began crowding them, about

midnight as they drove into the 1700 block of Singleton. The men said

they stopped their car and Medrano got out to be met by five shots from the

other car which had pulled up behind them. After firing their shots, one of

which struck Medrano in the right chest, the gunmen sped away.

Could there possibly have been a connection with the bungled Terrell Armory incident?

WHITTER, DONNELL DARIUS

Sources: CD 847; Arrest Report of Dallas Police Department 11/18/63; Dallas Morning News, Tuesday, 11/19/63, p. 1-A; Houston Post, 11/14/93, p. A-1; 14 pgs being withheld - Record No. 180-10071-10289 - Agency File No. 010223 (FBI)

Mary's

Comments: DOB: 5/30/20. Wife: Mary. Driving 1962 Thunderbird, HD5095, with Lawrence Reginald Miller as a passenger when arrested 11/18/63 at Gaston and Hall, Dallas, and held on suspicion of robbing National Guard Armory near Terrell, TX. Had been attendant at V.E. Morallis Texaco Service Station and had "waited on" Jack Ruby.

Distance between Singleton and Winnetka and Gaston and Hall Street is 4.1 miles

See

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Oswald look-a-like at The Lawrence Hotel the night before the assassination; remember the other Oswald that was on Industrial Blvd., the morning of the assassination

Commission Document 7 - FBI Gemberling Report of 10 Dec 1963 re: Oswald

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...p;relPageId=763

Robert: And here is the Joke of the Day

LETR RE WEST GERMAN INTELL INVESTIGATION

investigator reporting to Reinhard Gehlen feels there is no manner of further clarifying the matter of whether Anton Ehrdinger did have prior knowledge of Oswald before the assassination.

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...amp;relPageId=2

And I saved the most interesting section at the end...

The Other Oswald after leaving the Depository

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...p;relPageId=100

The light-colored Rambler station wagon that was seen with someone who was practically a double for Lee Harvey Oswald passed under the triple-underpass at 12:40 P.M.

A few blocks beyond that overpass is the Commerce Street Viaduct, leading directly into Oak Cliff. It is practically certain that after the Rambler with an unknown driver and a “Oswald impostor” left the Depository it crossed the viaduct, and after turning left on Sylvan Street drove 12 blocks further going south on Davis St. Three blocks away was the Tidy Lady Launderette. The drive from the Texas School Book Depository, would have taken 7 or 8 minutes. It is at the launderette where the car stopped. It would have been within a minute or so of 12:47 P.M.

The Tidy Lady (1227 Davis) was at the corner of Davis St and North Clinton St. There were only two people in the laundromat, at that time John Wesley and Oda Pennington. The car with the two fugitives parked on the east side of North Clinton St., by the side door of the laundromat. The young man who exited the car passed the laundromat and then turned around and entered, making a beeline towards the payphone. A brief pause and the Pennington’s heard the caller speaking in Spanish, in the FBI report, the Pennington’s felt that the man acted as if he was in trouble, under the circumstances, the Pennington’s were no doubt, accurate in their were perception. What happened to the driver is not certain but he may have left the scene as soon as he parked the car, which is what the Oswald impostor did as soon as he finished his call. He was last seen walking South on North Clinton St.

The car had been abandoned. When the couple were shown a photograph of Lee Harvey Oswald, they said he “appeared” to be the same person.

Just as compelling is how close the laudromat was to Jefferson Street, the location of the Texas Theater, and on the other side of Jefferson St. in the distance was the apartment of Jack Ruby. The Tidy Lady Lauderette on Clinton Street was only five blocks south away from Jefferson Street.

paraphrased from pages 831-832 Harvey and Lee - John Armstrong

So if you are trying to ascertain if another person was "in play" on Jefferson Street besides Lee Oswald, this scenario definitely seems pertinent. End of account. Yes....End of story? Definitely not.

There was also a Clarence Otis Pennington in W. Virginia who was interviewed by the FBI, at this point it is not known whether the individual Oda Pennington was related to Clarence Pennington. However there is a very sophisticated genealogy website and Family organization named Pennington Research Association, that almost without question makes mention of an C.O. Pennigton and “his wife Ida!”......If you surmised that the Pennington’s are interesting you would be right....

http://praresearch.blogspot.com/search/lab...itary%20Records

25 hits at NARA as of 7/24/09 under simple search under last name Pennington

http://www.nara.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/27799/jfksnew.txt

There is another Pennington, probably C.H. Pennington who was a member of the Alien Affairs Staff who is listed in some of the hits in the From and or To Fields. None of these documents appear to be still classified.

[see 104-10260-10095]

TELEPHONE CALL FROM MR. PENNINGTON , ALIEN AFFAIRS STAFF, CONCERNING POSSIBLE POSITION OF IMMIGRATION ON MARCOS DIAZ LANZ' APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT RESIDENT VISA

also 104-10130-10149

There are a very important couple of points to be made regarding the ostensible second Oswald at the Tidy Lady Laudrette.

First off The Ruby family was directly associated with washateria's in the Dallas are, the elusive Juan Martin of Uruguay also was said to have operated a washateria, the name of which seems difficult to determine.........Why would that be?

Secondly and more important?

As the Pennington account of this "Oswald" appearance within virtually minutes of the assassination of President Kennedy specifically implies, both of the occupants of this vehicle did not leave in it, but left on foot. Making the point that, if this was indeed the case, then there should be a record of "what happened to this vehicle."

If one knew the answer to that question, it would follow that it might be determined who the vehicle belonged to, and that in itself, would be a major accomplishment........

[Peter Fokes]

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 10.11.77 Robert 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?"

End quote

I am intimately familiar with the book and have been in contact with him on occasion.

As I am sure you know the identity of QJWIN has been the subject of intense scrutiny.

This is intriguing. I re-read the 1967 IG report on the attempts on Castro only yesterday, and Bannerman was listed as one of those in the loop. When it came time to pay Varona, it turned out O'Connell had no budget to do so, so they briefed Esterline so he could take the money from the Bay of Pigs project, and went to Edwards to okay the money, only Edwards was out of town, so they briefed his assistant Bannerman, and got the money. Or something like that. Anyhow, the top secret 67 report said that Bannerman was in the loop, and here he lied about it ten years later.

Siragusa is mentioned in Douglas Valentine's The Strength of the Wolf: The Secret History of America's War on Drugs.

<quote on>

Joined the Federal Bureau of Narcotics before the Second World War; protege of George White; served in the OSS; group leader in New York; opened the FBN's first overseas office in Rome in 1951; became the FBN's liaison to the CIA in 1959 when he returned to Washington as field supervisor; competed with Giordano to replace Anslinger as Commissioner, served as Deputy Commissioner until his retirement in December 1963.

<quote off>

See:

http://books.google.ca/books?id=Bed0gQKn-u...ary_r&cad=0

Has anyone here read Valentine's book?

Regards,

Peter Fokes,

Toronto

I am intimately familiar with the book as well as being acquainted with Douglas Valentine via email.

Here is probably the single most comprehensive thread on the Forum on the topic.

Who Was QJWIN?

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=10942

Thank you, Robert. I will read that thread.

Regards,

Peter Fokes,

Toronto

[Peter McGuire]

John Simkin writes:

Many readers are no doubt familiar with the Silvia Odio story, but a short refresher is still in order. Briefly, Silvia Odio was the daughter of a prominent anti-Castro activist who was jailed in Castro's Cuba. In September of 1963 she was living in Dallas when three men, whom she did not know, came to her apartment out of the blue one evening. They told her they too were involved in the anti-Castro movement and wanted her help. Two of the men, Odio later said, appeared to be Cuban or Mexican, and identified themselves by their "war names," Leopoldo and Angelo (or Angel). The third was an American introduced as Leon Oswald.

Uneasy with these men, Silvia Odio declined any involvement with them, and sent them away. A day or two later, Leopoldo called her on the phone and, among other things, said that Leon Oswald was a former marine, a crack shot - and that he thought President Kennedy should be assassinated.

After the President was indeed slain, Silvia Odio was horrified to recognize Lee Harvey Oswald as the same "Leon Oswald" who had been outside her apartment. This identification was corroborated by her sister Annie who also saw and spoke with the three strangers.

Silvia Odio gave this story to the Warren Commission. But the Commission decided she was mistaken in her identification of Oswald, in part because Oswald was, by the Commission's reckoning, in Mexico City at the time Odio said she was visited.

This story - the conventional "Odio incident" - is explosive enough, tying Oswald to the idea of killing Kennedy several months before it happened. Sylvia Meagher called it "the proof of the plot." Anthony Summers said it represents "the strongest human evidence." And Gaeton Fonzi, who investigated this episode for the House Select Committee on Assassinations, wrote that "the Odio incident absolutely cries conspiracy."

Another case of the traitors tripping over themselves in the plot to kill President Kennedy.

Edited April 2, 2011 by Peter McGuire

[Thomas Graves]

Hi Tim,

Angelo Murgado is a new name for me.

Charles Siragusa is an interesting character though. The following is from one of A.J. Weberman's Nodules.

James

*****************

bump

--Tommy

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 10.11.77 Robert 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?"

[Thomas Graves]

Hi Tim,

Angelo Murgado is a new name for me.

Charles Siragusa is an interesting character though. The following is from one of A.J. Weberman's Nodules.

James

*****************

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 10.11.77 Robert 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?"

bump; emphasis added by Tommy

P.S. Gerry Patrick Hemming said that Bernardo de Torres ("Leopoldo") and Angelo Murgado ("Angel") accompanied LHO to Silvia Odio's house. He also said that BdT was run by Charlie Siragusa.

P.P.S. Professor Alan Block thinks that Siragusa was QJ/WIN.

Edited December 9, 2011 by Thomas Graves

[David Andrews]

John Simkin writes:

Many readers are no doubt familiar with the Silvia Odio story, but a short refresher is still in order. Briefly, Silvia Odio was the daughter of a prominent anti-Castro activist who was jailed in Castro's Cuba. In September of 1963 she was living in Dallas when three men, whom she did not know, came to her apartment out of the blue one evening. They told her they too were involved in the anti-Castro movement and wanted her help. Two of the men, Odio later said, appeared to be Cuban or Mexican, and identified themselves by their "war names," Leopoldo and Angelo (or Angel). The third was an American introduced as Leon Oswald.

Uneasy with these men, Silvia Odio declined any involvement with them, and sent them away. A day or two later, Leopoldo called her on the phone and, among other things, said that Leon Oswald was a former marine, a crack shot - and that he thought President Kennedy should be assassinated.

After the President was indeed slain, Silvia Odio was horrified to recognize Lee Harvey Oswald as the same "Leon Oswald" who had been outside her apartment. This identification was corroborated by her sister Annie who also saw and spoke with the three strangers.

Silvia Odio gave this story to the Warren Commission. But the Commission decided she was mistaken in her identification of Oswald, in part because Oswald was, by the Commission's reckoning, in Mexico City at the time Odio said she was visited.

This story - the conventional "Odio incident" - is explosive enough, tying Oswald to the idea of killing Kennedy several months before it happened. Sylvia Meagher called it "the proof of the plot." Anthony Summers said it represents "the strongest human evidence." And Gaeton Fonzi, who investigated this episode for the House Select Committee on Assassinations, wrote that "the Odio incident absolutely cries conspiracy."

Another case of the traitors tripping over themselves in the plot to kill President Kennedy.

Is it possible that the Oswald-Odio introduction is a part of period anti-Castro activity, but not strictly a part of the assassination planning? That it points toward conspiracy against JFK, but was not an attempt to frame Oswald?

If not, it seems like an act of desperation, a flailing to create a confusing association for Oswald. To what end?*

What was the motive for creating an Oswald-Odio connection? Would an established connection bolster the image of "Oswald" as an extrapolitical nutter, willing to shoot either Castro, Walker, Nixon, or Kennedy?

Putting Oswald in the company of two plotters of any stripe is enough to quash the plot's usefulness to an anti-conspiracy investigation. What, if anything, was planned for the case of an investigation intended to establish conspiracy evidence?

Again, the introduction seems like a desperation move, unless the Oswald-Odio introduction is just an infiltration exercise outside the assassination plotting, just an attempt to entrap Odio in anti-Castro plotting for reasons unrelated to the assassination.

Was the Oswald-Odio introduction just a sideline use of Oswald's spy and provocateur talents? Arguments against?

* I edited this post several times to be more exact than in the original version Tommy Graves quotes in Post #159.

Edited December 10, 2011 by David Andrews

[Thomas Graves]

John Simkin writes:

Many readers are no doubt familiar with the Silvia Odio story, but a short refresher is still in order. Briefly, Silvia Odio was the daughter of a prominent anti-Castro activist who was jailed in Castro's Cuba. In September of 1963 she was living in Dallas when three men, whom she did not know, came to her apartment out of the blue one evening. They told her they too were involved in the anti-Castro movement and wanted her help. Two of the men, Odio later said, appeared to be Cuban or Mexican, and identified themselves by their "war names," Leopoldo and Angelo (or Angel). The third was an American introduced as Leon Oswald.

Uneasy with these men, Silvia Odio declined any involvement with them, and sent them away. A day or two later, Leopoldo called her on the phone and, among other things, said that Leon Oswald was a former marine, a crack shot - and that he thought President Kennedy should be assassinated.

After the President was indeed slain, Silvia Odio was horrified to recognize Lee Harvey Oswald as the same "Leon Oswald" who had been outside her apartment. This identification was corroborated by her sister Annie who also saw and spoke with the three strangers.

Silvia Odio gave this story to the Warren Commission. But the Commission decided she was mistaken in her identification of Oswald, in part because Oswald was, by the Commission's reckoning, in Mexico City at the time Odio said she was visited.

This story - the conventional "Odio incident" - is explosive enough, tying Oswald to the idea of killing Kennedy several months before it happened. Sylvia Meagher called it "the proof of the plot." Anthony Summers said it represents "the strongest human evidence." And Gaeton Fonzi, who investigated this episode for the House Select Committee on Assassinations, wrote that "the Odio incident absolutely cries conspiracy."

Another case of the traitors tripping over themselves in the plot to kill President Kennedy.

Is it possible that the Oswald-Odio introduction is a part of period anti-Castro activity, but not strictly a part of the assassination planning? If not, it seems like an act of desperation, a flailing to create a confusing association for Oswald. To what end?

What was wanted from Odio, and from an Oswald-Odio connection? Would an established connection bolster the image of "Oswald" as an extrapolitical nutter, willing to shoot either Castro, Walker, Nixon, or Kennedy?

Putting Oswald in the company of two plotters of any stripe is enough to quash the plot's usefulness to an anti-conspiracy investigation. What, if anything, was planned for the case of an investigation intended to establish conspiracy evidence? Again, desperation is suggested, unless the Oswald-Odio introduction is just an infiltration exercise outside assassination plotting.

Arguments against?

Huh?

--Tommy

[Thomas Graves]

Hi Tim,

Angelo Murgado is a new name for me.

Charles Siragusa is an interesting character though. The following is from one of A.J. Weberman's Nodules.

James

*****************

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 10.11.77 Robert 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?"

bump; emphasis added by Tommy

P.S. Gerry Patrick Hemming said that Bernardo de Torres ("Leopoldo") and Angelo Murgado ("Angel") accompanied LHO to Silvia Odio's house. He also said that BdT was run by Charlie Siragusa.

P.P.S. Professor Alan Block thinks that Siragusa was QJ/WIN.

rebumped

[Thomas Graves]

Hi Tim,

Angelo Murgado is a new name for me.

Charles Siragusa is an interesting character though. The following is from one of A.J. Weberman's Nodules.

James

*****************

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 10.11.77 Robert 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?"

bump; emphasis added by T. Graves

P.S. Gerry Patrick Hemming said that Bernardo de Torres ("Leopoldo") and Angelo Murgado ("Angel") and LHO were at Silvia Odio's house together. This was later confirmed by Murgado himself in an interview with Joan Mellen. Gerry Patrick Hemming also said that Bernardo de Torres was run by Charlie Siragusa.

P.P.S. Professor Alan Block thinks that Siragusa was QJ/WIN, the talent spotter and manager of assassins for ZR/RIFLE.

In plain, straightforward, unpretentious, easy-to-understand English: bumped again.

--Tommy

Edited December 9, 2011 by Thomas Graves

[David Andrews]

John Simkin writes:

Many readers are no doubt familiar with the Silvia Odio story, but a short refresher is still in order. Briefly, Silvia Odio was the daughter of a prominent anti-Castro activist who was jailed in Castro's Cuba. In September of 1963 she was living in Dallas when three men, whom she did not know, came to her apartment out of the blue one evening. They told her they too were involved in the anti-Castro movement and wanted her help. Two of the men, Odio later said, appeared to be Cuban or Mexican, and identified themselves by their "war names," Leopoldo and Angelo (or Angel). The third was an American introduced as Leon Oswald.

Uneasy with these men, Silvia Odio declined any involvement with them, and sent them away. A day or two later, Leopoldo called her on the phone and, among other things, said that Leon Oswald was a former marine, a crack shot - and that he thought President Kennedy should be assassinated.

After the President was indeed slain, Silvia Odio was horrified to recognize Lee Harvey Oswald as the same "Leon Oswald" who had been outside her apartment. This identification was corroborated by her sister Annie who also saw and spoke with the three strangers.

Silvia Odio gave this story to the Warren Commission. But the Commission decided she was mistaken in her identification of Oswald, in part because Oswald was, by the Commission's reckoning, in Mexico City at the time Odio said she was visited.

This story - the conventional "Odio incident" - is explosive enough, tying Oswald to the idea of killing Kennedy several months before it happened. Sylvia Meagher called it "the proof of the plot." Anthony Summers said it represents "the strongest human evidence." And Gaeton Fonzi, who investigated this episode for the House Select Committee on Assassinations, wrote that "the Odio incident absolutely cries conspiracy."

Another case of the traitors tripping over themselves in the plot to kill President Kennedy.

Is it possible that the Oswald-Odio introduction is a part of period anti-Castro activity, but not strictly a part of the assassination planning? That it points toward conspiracy against JFK, but was not an attempt to frame Oswald?

If not, it seems like an act of desperation, a flailing to create a confusing association for Oswald. To what end?

What was the motive for creating an Oswald-Odio connection? Would an established connection bolster the image of "Oswald" as an extrapolitical nutter, willing to shoot either Castro, Walker, Nixon, or Kennedy?

Putting Oswald in the company of two plotters of any stripe is enough to quash the plot's usefulness to an anti-conspiracy investigation. What, if anything, was planned for the case of an investigation intended to establish conspiracy evidence?

Again, the introduction seems like a desperation move, unless the Oswald-Odio introduction is just an infiltration exercise outside the assassination plotting, just an attempt to entrap Odio in anti-Castro plotting for reasons unrelated to the assassination.

Was the Oswald-Odio introduction just a sideline use of Oswald's spy and provocateur talents? Arguments against?

Bumped, because I'd like to know what people think is the motive for the Oswald-Odio introduction. I understand why the incident helps prove conspiracy in the assassination. I edited this post several times to be more exact than in the original version Tommy Graves quotes in Post #159.

Because of their father, the Odio sisters would have been held in a certain respect in the anti-Castro exile community. But what connections or influence did the Odio sisters really have, or bother to exploit? They seem, to my understanding, retired at that point from political activity, reclusive even. Sylvia certainly did not exploit the Oswald incident after the assassination, becoming more fearful and withdrawn instead after the Warren Commission experience. This is what I mean when I say that approaching them was a "desperation move" in any assassination plotting. Was that the best introduction any assassination plotters could have cooked up for "Oswald"?

Edited December 10, 2011 by David Andrews

[William Kelly]

John Simkin writes:

Many readers are no doubt familiar with the Silvia Odio story, but a short refresher is still in order. Briefly, Silvia Odio was the daughter of a prominent anti-Castro activist who was jailed in Castro's Cuba. In September of 1963 she was living in Dallas when three men, whom she did not know, came to her apartment out of the blue one evening. They told her they too were involved in the anti-Castro movement and wanted her help. Two of the men, Odio later said, appeared to be Cuban or Mexican, and identified themselves by their "war names," Leopoldo and Angelo (or Angel). The third was an American introduced as Leon Oswald.

Uneasy with these men, Silvia Odio declined any involvement with them, and sent them away. A day or two later, Leopoldo called her on the phone and, among other things, said that Leon Oswald was a former marine, a crack shot - and that he thought President Kennedy should be assassinated.

After the President was indeed slain, Silvia Odio was horrified to recognize Lee Harvey Oswald as the same "Leon Oswald" who had been outside her apartment. This identification was corroborated by her sister Annie who also saw and spoke with the three strangers.

Silvia Odio gave this story to the Warren Commission. But the Commission decided she was mistaken in her identification of Oswald, in part because Oswald was, by the Commission's reckoning, in Mexico City at the time Odio said she was visited.

This story - the conventional "Odio incident" - is explosive enough, tying Oswald to the idea of killing Kennedy several months before it happened. Sylvia Meagher called it "the proof of the plot." Anthony Summers said it represents "the strongest human evidence." And Gaeton Fonzi, who investigated this episode for the House Select Committee on Assassinations, wrote that "the Odio incident absolutely cries conspiracy."

Another case of the traitors tripping over themselves in the plot to kill President Kennedy.

Is it possible that the Oswald-Odio introduction is a part of period anti-Castro activity, but not strictly a part of the assassination planning? That it points toward conspiracy against JFK, but was not an attempt to frame Oswald?

If not, it seems like an act of desperation, a flailing to create a confusing association for Oswald. To what end?

What was the motive for creating an Oswald-Odio connection? Would an established connection bolster the image of "Oswald" as an extrapolitical nutter, willing to shoot either Castro, Walker, Nixon, or Kennedy?

Putting Oswald in the company of two plotters of any stripe is enough to quash the plot's usefulness to an anti-conspiracy investigation. What, if anything, was planned for the case of an investigation intended to establish conspiracy evidence?

Again, the introduction seems like a desperation move, unless the Oswald-Odio introduction is just an infiltration exercise outside the assassination plotting, just an attempt to entrap Odio in anti-Castro plotting for reasons unrelated to the assassination.

Was the Oswald-Odio introduction just a sideline use of Oswald's spy and provocateur talents? Arguments against?

Bumped, because I'd like to know what people think is the motive for the Oswald-Odio introduction. I understand why the incident helps prove conspiracy in the assassination. I edited this post several times to be more exact than in the original version Tommy Graves quotes in Post #159.

Because of their father, the Odio sisters would have been held in a certain respect in the anti-Castro exile community. But what connections or influence did the Odio sisters really have, or bother to exploit? They seem, to my understanding, retired at that point from political activity, reclusive even. Sylvia certainly did not exploit the Oswald incident after the assassination, becoming more fearful and withdrawn instead after the Warren Commission experience. This is what I mean when I say that approaching them was a "desperation move" in any assassination plotting. Was that the best introduction any assassination plotters could have cooked up for "Oswald"?

Well, the father was also in prison in Cuba for harboring some Castro assassins in a plot that involved snipers. He was, I believe, a member of JURE, and you have to put that into the context of the other orgs - DRE, Alpha 66, etc.

Sylvia wrote to her father in prison and mentioned these men - before the assassination, and he wrote back and gave her advice on this issue.

If you want to figure out what it all means, I think that you have to put the Odio visit in the context of the Bray-Bendix incident - in which Bray, an employee of Bendix who is said to know something about the equipment failures that led to the sinking of the nuke sub USS Thresher - Bray was visited by three men in suits who claimed to represent JFCOTT - Justice for the Crew of the Thresher, which went down on JFK's watch. These guys from JFCOTT threatened the life of the President and John Connally, as former Navy Sec. Was this a similar attempt to establish another motive for the assassination, similar to the Cuban one also laid out in a smilar fashion?

Also, Odio was pals with John Martino, who may have known Sylvia's father from prison, and Father McChann, the Catholic priest who was assigned to cater to the spiritual needs of the Cuban community in Dallas, and had also heard the story of the Cuban visitors from Sylvia before the assassination. McChann was also possibly entangled sexually with both Sylvia and another parishioner, Sullivan, who wrote a book about the whole affair. McChann split Dallas for New Orleans where he spent time in hibernation at a seminary and then left the priesthood for Thailand, where he lives today. When Martino came through Dallas on his book tour he met with Sylvia and was on stage with Mchann.

BK

JFKcountercoup

[Thomas Graves]

As noted above, Gerry Hemming told us a few weeks ago that the Angel who visited Odio with Leopoldo (who he identified as Bernardo de Torres) was Angelo Murgado who later changed his name to Angelo Kennedy. We believe we found a reference to Angelo Murgado in Russo's "Live By the Sword". Russo calls him Angelo Kennedy; herein I will call him Murgado, which was obviously still his name in 1963. Murgado was a close aide to Manuel Artime. In a 1997 interview with Russo, Murgado (then Kennedy) stated that he was with Artime in early 1963 when Artime received a call from the White House. Murgado sat in the ante room of the Oval Office while Artime met privately with President Kennedy (not clear how many others were present). Murgado knew the topic of discussion was the authorization to train a new invasion force. When Artime emerged from the meeting he hugged Murgado and said, "We got it! We got everything!" (Everything Artime had requested of JFK.)

JFK has, of course, met Artime at the Brigade rally at the Orange Bowl in late December of 1962.

Apparently RFK was not in the meeting because JFK told Artime to contact RFK. According to Murgado, by January of 1963 Artime and other exile leaders were being treated to ski vacations in New Hampshire with RFK. Murgado says that Artime and Bobby became so close that Artime stayed at RFK's house in McLean, VA ("Hickory Hill") so frequently he wondered if Artime even keys to Hickory Hill.

Hemming suggested to us that RFK may very well have known Oswald's name and even seen his photograph, which is certainly possible if LHO was "hanging" with one of Artime's closest aides. That, Hemming suggested, may explain a call Robert Kennedy made to another Cuban exile Harry Williams after he learned of his brother's assassination and said to the newsman who was with Williams, "One of your guys did it!" It is easy in retrospect to attribute this remark to a conspiracy. At the time it may have only been that RFK recognized Oswald's name as an associate of the anti-Castro Cubans (assuming his call came after the arrest of Oswald.)

Does anyone have any other information re Murgado/Kennedy?

It is also interesting that Artime died at a very early age in November of 1977 (in the middle of the HSCA investigation) two weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. It perhaps seems hard to characterize Artime's death as "mysterious" but he certainly died at a young age.

There is a performing arts center in Miami named after Artime.

I found an obvious error that Tim Gratz made in the above post and took the liberty to correct it in bold face. Originally it said that Hemming had called Harry Williams! (The error is still in Tim Gratz's same JFK Assassination Debate Forum post on the Spartacus page on Angelo Murgado, however, and perhaps other places as well.)

--Tommy

P.S. Remember, Hemming told Gratz that Charles Siragusa was running Bernardo de Torres...

Edited December 11, 2011 by Thomas Graves

[Thomas Graves]

John Simkin writes:

Many readers are no doubt familiar with the Silvia Odio story, but a short refresher is still in order. Briefly, Silvia Odio was the daughter of a prominent anti-Castro activist who was jailed in Castro's Cuba. In September of 1963 she was living in Dallas when three men, whom she did not know, came to her apartment out of the blue one evening. They told her they too were involved in the anti-Castro movement and wanted her help. Two of the men, Odio later said, appeared to be Cuban or Mexican, and identified themselves by their "war names," Leopoldo and Angelo (or Angel). The third was an American introduced as Leon Oswald.

Uneasy with these men, Silvia Odio declined any involvement with them, and sent them away. A day or two later, Leopoldo called her on the phone and, among other things, said that Leon Oswald was a former marine, a crack shot - and that he thought President Kennedy should be assassinated.

After the President was indeed slain, Silvia Odio was horrified to recognize Lee Harvey Oswald as the same "Leon Oswald" who had been outside her apartment. This identification was corroborated by her sister Annie who also saw and spoke with the three strangers.

Silvia Odio gave this story to the Warren Commission. But the Commission decided she was mistaken in her identification of Oswald, in part because Oswald was, by the Commission's reckoning, in Mexico City at the time Odio said she was visited.

This story - the conventional "Odio incident" - is explosive enough, tying Oswald to the idea of killing Kennedy several months before it happened. Sylvia Meagher called it "the proof of the plot." Anthony Summers said it represents "the strongest human evidence." And Gaeton Fonzi, who investigated this episode for the House Select Committee on Assassinations, wrote that "the Odio incident absolutely cries conspiracy."

Another case of the traitors tripping over themselves in the plot to kill President Kennedy.

Is it possible that the Oswald-Odio introduction is a part of period anti-Castro activity, but not strictly a part of the assassination planning? That it points toward conspiracy against JFK, but was not an attempt to frame Oswald?

If not, it seems like an act of desperation, a flailing to create a confusing association for Oswald. To what end?

What was the motive for creating an Oswald-Odio connection? Would an established connection bolster the image of "Oswald" as an extrapolitical nutter, willing to shoot either Castro, Walker, Nixon, or Kennedy?

Putting Oswald in the company of two plotters of any stripe is enough to quash the plot's usefulness to an anti-conspiracy investigation. What, if anything, was planned for the case of an investigation intended to establish conspiracy evidence?

Again, the introduction seems like a desperation move, unless the Oswald-Odio introduction is just an infiltration exercise outside the assassination plotting, just an attempt to entrap Odio in anti-Castro plotting for reasons unrelated to the assassination.

Was the Oswald-Odio introduction just a sideline use of Oswald's spy and provocateur talents? Arguments against?

Bumped, because I'd like to know what people think is the motive for the Oswald-Odio introduction. I understand why the incident helps prove conspiracy in the assassination. I edited this post several times to be more exact than in the original version Tommy Graves quotes in Post #159.

Because of their father, the Odio sisters would have been held in a certain respect in the anti-Castro exile community. But what connections or influence did the Odio sisters really have, or bother to exploit? They seem, to my understanding, retired at that point from political activity, reclusive even. Sylvia certainly did not exploit the Oswald incident after the assassination, becoming more fearful and withdrawn instead after the Warren Commission experience. This is what I mean when I say that approaching them was a "desperation move" in any assassination plotting. Was that the best introduction any assassination plotters could have cooked up for "Oswald"?

Well, the father was also in prison in Cuba for harboring some Castro assassins in a plot that involved snipers. He was, I believe, a member of JURE, and you have to put that into the context of the other orgs - DRE, Alpha 66, etc.

Sylvia wrote to her father in prison and mentioned these men - before the assassination, and he wrote back and gave her advice on this issue.

If you want to figure out what it all means, I think that you have to put the Odio visit in the context of the Bray-Bendix incident - in which Bray, an employee of Bendix who is said to know something about the equipment failures that led to the sinking of the nuke sub USS Thresher - Bray was visited by three men in suits who claimed to represent JFCOTT - Justice for the Crew of the Thresher, which went down on JFK's watch. These guys from JFCOTT threatened the life of the President and John Connally, as former Navy Sec. Was this a similar attempt to establish another motive for the assassination, similar to the Cuban one also laid out in a smilar fashion?

Also, Odio was pals with John Martino, who may have known Sylvia's father from prison, and Father McChann, the Catholic priest who was assigned to cater to the spiritual needs of the Cuban community in Dallas, and had also heard the story of the Cuban visitors from Sylvia before the assassination. McChann was also possibly entangled sexually with both Sylvia and another parishioner, Sullivan, who wrote a book about the whole affair. McChann split Dallas for New Orleans where he spent time in hibernation at a seminary and then left the priesthood for Thailand, where he lives today. When Martino came through Dallas on his book tour he met with Sylvia and was on stage with Mchann.

BK

JFKcountercoup

bump

[Robert Howard]

John Simkin writes:

Many readers are no doubt familiar with the Silvia Odio story, but a short refresher is still in order. Briefly, Silvia Odio was the daughter of a prominent anti-Castro activist who was jailed in Castro's Cuba. In September of 1963 she was living in Dallas when three men, whom she did not know, came to her apartment out of the blue one evening. They told her they too were involved in the anti-Castro movement and wanted her help. Two of the men, Odio later said, appeared to be Cuban or Mexican, and identified themselves by their "war names," Leopoldo and Angelo (or Angel). The third was an American introduced as Leon Oswald.

Uneasy with these men, Silvia Odio declined any involvement with them, and sent them away. A day or two later, Leopoldo called her on the phone and, among other things, said that Leon Oswald was a former marine, a crack shot - and that he thought President Kennedy should be assassinated.

After the President was indeed slain, Silvia Odio was horrified to recognize Lee Harvey Oswald as the same "Leon Oswald" who had been outside her apartment. This identification was corroborated by her sister Annie who also saw and spoke with the three strangers.

Silvia Odio gave this story to the Warren Commission. But the Commission decided she was mistaken in her identification of Oswald, in part because Oswald was, by the Commission's reckoning, in Mexico City at the time Odio said she was visited.

This story - the conventional "Odio incident" - is explosive enough, tying Oswald to the idea of killing Kennedy several months before it happened. Sylvia Meagher called it "the proof of the plot." Anthony Summers said it represents "the strongest human evidence." And Gaeton Fonzi, who investigated this episode for the House Select Committee on Assassinations, wrote that "the Odio incident absolutely cries conspiracy."

Another case of the traitors tripping over themselves in the plot to kill President Kennedy.

Is it possible that the Oswald-Odio introduction is a part of period anti-Castro activity, but not strictly a part of the assassination planning? That it points toward conspiracy against JFK, but was not an attempt to frame Oswald?

If not, it seems like an act of desperation, a flailing to create a confusing association for Oswald. To what end?

What was the motive for creating an Oswald-Odio connection? Would an established connection bolster the image of "Oswald" as an extrapolitical nutter, willing to shoot either Castro, Walker, Nixon, or Kennedy?

Putting Oswald in the company of two plotters of any stripe is enough to quash the plot's usefulness to an anti-conspiracy investigation. What, if anything, was planned for the case of an investigation intended to establish conspiracy evidence?

Again, the introduction seems like a desperation move, unless the Oswald-Odio introduction is just an infiltration exercise outside the assassination plotting, just an attempt to entrap Odio in anti-Castro plotting for reasons unrelated to the assassination.

Was the Oswald-Odio introduction just a sideline use of Oswald's spy and provocateur talents? Arguments against?

Bumped, because I'd like to know what people think is the motive for the Oswald-Odio introduction. I understand why the incident helps prove conspiracy in the assassination. I edited this post several times to be more exact than in the original version Tommy Graves quotes in Post #159.

Because of their father, the Odio sisters would have been held in a certain respect in the anti-Castro exile community. But what connections or influence did the Odio sisters really have, or bother to exploit? They seem, to my understanding, retired at that point from political activity, reclusive even. Sylvia certainly did not exploit the Oswald incident after the assassination, becoming more fearful and withdrawn instead after the Warren Commission experience. This is what I mean when I say that approaching them was a "desperation move" in any assassination plotting. Was that the best introduction any assassination plotters could have cooked up for "Oswald"?

Well, the father was also in prison in Cuba for harboring some Castro assassins in a plot that involved snipers. He was, I believe, a member of JURE, and you have to put that into the context of the other orgs - DRE, Alpha 66, etc.

Sylvia wrote to her father in prison and mentioned these men - before the assassination, and he wrote back and gave her advice on this issue.

If you want to figure out what it all means, I think that you have to put the Odio visit in the context of the Bray-Bendix incident - in which Bray, an employee of Bendix who is said to know something about the equipment failures that led to the sinking of the nuke sub USS Thresher - Bray was visited by three men in suits who claimed to represent JFCOTT - Justice for the Crew of the Thresher, which went down on JFK's watch. These guys from JFCOTT threatened the life of the President and John Connally, as former Navy Sec. Was this a similar attempt to establish another motive for the assassination, similar to the Cuban one also laid out in a smilar fashion?

Also, Odio was pals with John Martino, who may have known Sylvia's father from prison, and Father McChann, the Catholic priest who was assigned to cater to the spiritual needs of the Cuban community in Dallas, and had also heard the story of the Cuban visitors from Sylvia before the assassination. McChann was also possibly entangled sexually with both Sylvia and another parishioner, Sullivan, who wrote a book about the whole affair. McChann split Dallas for New Orleans where he spent time in hibernation at a seminary and then left the priesthood for Thailand, where he lives today. When Martino came through Dallas on his book tour he met with Sylvia and was on stage with Mchann.

BK

JFKcountercoup

bump

Although I have come to the conclusion that an Achilles heel for researchers, is their lack of knowledge regarding integrating "original Warren Commission documents" into the known persons associated with the assassination as the decades passed by; [i will elaborate later in this post] there are very compelling persons, whom a lot of researchers

are not aware are mentioned in the original Warren Commission documents.

Just a few examples. The Soldier of Fortune types.

Richard Case Nagell.....more important than a lot of folks realize, Field Operations Intelligence, really existed.

See my thread on Cryptology and Field Operations Intelligence

Garrett Trapnell....he was hospitalized as a mental case in Florida in the period after the assassination, and gave statements, regarding anti-Castro Cuban's on Flagler Street and rifles.....

Frank Fiorini aka Frank Sturgis see CD 59

There are also persons mentioned like Stephen Fritchman see A Certain Arrogance, George Michael Evica pages

34-37, 84, 86, 87, 128, 159, 282.

Here is something that may pertain to another thread, I simply do not have time to read every single thread on the Forum

OSWALDS LEAVING MOSCOW JUNE 1, BOARDING MAASDAM AT ROTTERDAM JUNE 4, A

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=97285

a check in the amount of $10.00 dated October 30, 1963 payable to CORE

a check in the amount of $10.00 dated October 30, 1963 made payable to NEAR EAST FOUNDATION

a check in the amount of $10.00 dated October 30, 1963 made payable to Wilderness Society

check payable to COMMITTEE OF 100

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=10477&relPageId=259

end

But the reason I wanted to add to this thread is one of the main items of interest to me regarding John Martino in the

context of the original Warren Commission documents was "Juan Martin."

Those who know the habitual pattern of misspelt names by the Warren Commission of important names, will perhaps

understand my curiosity....

Examples here.....

8. Commission Document 6 - FBI De Brueys Report of 8 Dec 1963 DALLAS FBI REPORT re: Oswald

page 155, he DE MOHRENSCHILDTs stated were taken in Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia He advised that one LOUIS McNULT0N Jr. a younger individual more so than DE MOHRENSCHILDT was an associate of DR MOHRENSCHILDT

note McNulton is undoubtedly McNaughton

other example Bill DeMeris=Bill Demar

end

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NOTE WHEN RESEARCHING WARREN COMMISSION DOCUMENTS

In Mexico City there were five CIA disinformation agents, four of them run by

Phillips: Dr Luis Conte Aguerro, Herman Portell-Villa, Angel Fernandez

Varela, Nestor L. Carbonel and Eduardo Borrel Nouvarros. Phillips also had

two other agents: Salvador Diaz Verson and Emilio Nunez Portundo.....

941. Commission Document 945 - SS Rowley Letter of 5 May 1964 re: Walter J. McChann, 9 pages

page 3, Walter J. McChann stated that he never attended any political meetings of the Cuban groups; see JFK obits

receiving any assistance from the Committee He could not recall the name of this Cuban but he believes the Cuban is still employed at Parkland Hospital The other contacts Heitman had with him were drop-in visits Heitman had with him..... He stated that the Catholic Cuban Relief Committee “cut through all these groups”

942. Commission Document 946 - SS Ernest Aragon Report of 5 May 1964 5 pages re: Sylvia Odio, Rogelio Cisneros Diaz

Synopsis

Re-interview of Rogelio Cisneros Diaz [JURE] revealed that the Uruguayan is definitely identified as Juan Martin

On April 27, 1964 Monsignor Fitzpatrick, Catholic Diocese of Miami was reinterviewed regarding Father Walter MacHann of Polish extraction.....

He further identified himself as ROGELIO CISNEROS DIAZ and that the name “EUGENIO” is his designated war name.

He stated that the JURE office is located at 1878 West Flagler Street.

Cisneros stated he had been to Dallas only once and at that time had been only accompanied by Jorge Rodriquez Alvareda

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=11342

more

Said the FPCC sent wires to President Kennedy and President Dorticos of Cuba re the Cuban hurricane disaster.

Street had changed its name to Frank Pais Revolutionary Movement On March 15 1962 Carlos Rodriguez Quesada advised that his organization had withdrawn from the CRC He said that his group had participated in a "hunger strike” in Bayfront Park, Miami, March 10-12, 1962, protesting the lack of action on the part of Miro and the CRC.

headed by Jose Miro Cardona. Cardona is a Cuban exile who was formerly dean of the University of Havana Law School and Prime Minister of Cuba during the early

days of the Castro regime. The

In April 1963 Jose Mire Cardona resigned his position as head of the CRC The 30th of November Revolutionary Movement (Fernandez faction) publicly supported Miro’s action

[Robert: extremely informative passage in Paul Bethel’s The Losers pages 399-402 re Cardona’s deteriorating relationship with JFK Administration]

On November 22, 1963, the executive committee of the Los Angeles chapter met to determine its position in view of the assassination of President Kennedy

The (BAFPCC) Bay Area Fair Play For Cuba Committee was formed in San Francisco in the latter part of 1960

Vincent Ted Lee letter to Lee Harvey Oswald “We feel that the South-east is a very difficult area to work because of our lack of contacts. Our only south-eastern

chapter right now is that in Tampa, Florida which I originally organized before coming up to work in the National office.”

next page

In 1963 the FPCC-CC had no offices in Chicago. It recieved mail through Post Office Box 4474, Chicago, 80, Illinois

Aldo Raimundo Pedraja Ortiz, after coming to Chicago in June 1963 he organized a delegation of JURE

Nine individuals comprised the leadership of the JURE. Five of these persons resided in exile, and four remained in Cuba. The leadership of the exiles consisted of the

following:

Manuel Ray Rivero -Puerto Rico

Jose R. San Martin - Puerto Rico

Raul Chibas - New York City

Jose-Gomez Rodriguez -Miami

Rogelio Cisneros-Diaz - Miami

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=11481&relPageId=37

Los Angeles Branch of JURE

Manuel Ray Rivero aka Manuel Ray

Jose M. Estevez

Antonio Arias Gonzalez, Propoganda secretary for JURE at Miami

Louis Bretos, 3115 Eleysian Fields, New Orleans, Louisiana, advised on April 20, 1964 that he is a Cuban national and is the delegate of Alpha 66 in New Orleans

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=11481&relPageId=55

At any rate Hosty did interview "Juan Martin" in a terse one paragraph interview, that I cant find the link for..to me it looked as if it could easily have been contrived....The only JUAN MARTIN I ever found is listed below...it is one of those items I never got to the bottom of interms of whether he could have been the same person.....

Home/Archive/Documents/JFK Assassination Documents/JFK Documents - Central Intelligence Agency/HSCA Segregated CIA Collection (microfilm)/HSCA Segregated CIA Collection (microfilm - reel 28: MIRR - MRP)/

NARA Record Number: 104-10193-10273

CABLE: AMBANG 1 WIFE ADVISED LATE 23 MAR MRP REP JUAN P MARTIN MORAN, ENGINEER MINISTRY PUBLIC WORKS

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=38521

But I believe it is the blurb below, that although extemporaneous of the Odio area, that is probably the most important in terms of how it fits in with the actual

assassination..........Ominous

HSCA Segregated CIA Collection microfilm - reel 62 Rockefeller Commission, Cuban Revolutionary Council. Nosensko

CABLE-DRE REPRESENTATIVES JUAN MANUEL SALVAT, JOSE MARIA LASA AND FERNANDO GARCIA CHACON VISITED DR.MIRO CARDONA 12 MARCH ADVISING THAT HAVING RECEIVED NO ARMS FOR FIGHTING COMMUNIST REGIME THEY CONSIDER MEMBERSHIP CRC VALUELESS AND DESIRE WITHDRAU. MIRO REQUESTED THEY POSTPONE DECISION AND APPEAL TO PASSAVOY

3. WAVE POLICY HAS BEEN TO SUPPORT GROUPS. IF DRE DOES NOT RETRACT DECISION DOES HQS DESIRE CONTINUED SUPPORT AS INDIVIDUAL UNIT?

4. OSVALDO SOTO POLO AND CARLOS RODRIGUEZ QUESADA UNDER ARREST DISORDERLY CONDUCT WILL UNDOUBETDLY ATTEMPT REPRISAL

RIF#: 104-10227-10298 (03/13/62) CIA#: 80T01357A

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=34433

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?absPageId=156147

All for now...

Edited December 11, 2011 by Robert Howard