Jason Vermeer Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 It's hard to pursue a lead and then have it turn around and bite you in the face.... Over a year ago, in a debate with Wim Dankbaar about James Files credibility, I ran across a name I was familiar with but had not paid attention to in quite some time. That person's name was Cesar Diosdado, he gained some attention after the publication of Gaeton Fonzi's "The Last Investigation". Diosdado was the customs agent alleged by Antonio Veciana to have interviewed Veciana shortly after the JFK assassination. Veciana felt Diosdado was CIA and was mum about his witnessing Oswald and another CIA handler conversing in Dallas prior to Kennedy's assassination.. In reviewing the history of Diosdado, one begins to spin in a myriad of side tales involving allegations Diosdado was gun running to Havana, that he racked up a complaint from an informant regarding his general behavior, that he was monitored with accolades by the CIA according to their internal cables. My interest was piqued when I read an exerpt in a book by Chuck Giancana regarding the Kennedy killing. In that book, the author puts forth that the killing was a combined effort including mobster trafficante who supplied an ex havana vice cop and a "Radical turned corrupt" U.S. customs agent. Diosdado operated in Trafficante's area and his behavior seemed at least partially similar to the above description. I began to dig a little deeper. Gaeton Fonzi mentioned that he had not been able to question Diosdado. I always wondered why an HSCA investigator was not able to do that. Even more puzzling is that there seems to actually BE testimony of Diosdado in the HSCA volumes but where it is baffles me. WHY Fonzi wasn't allowed to be involved is even more troubling. I'm told this testimony before HSCA is one big denial fest. Diosdado denies interviewing Veciana, denies he is CIA so on and so forth. Weberman, however, indicates Diosdado was involved in the JM/Wave station since incept. If true, Diosdado lied. Did he lie about NOT seeing Veciana? In a final parting shot to Weberman during a phone interview, Diosdado said, "you've got nothing on me"! I was extremely interested to find the following HSCA executive testimony regarding Diosdado. 3-9-77...Tanenbaum-"Diosdado is a very important person for us to speak to. In 1971, when the last attempt on Castro's life by Veciana failed, it was brought to light to Bishop that Veciana and DIOSDADO (emphasis mine) were planning to blame the attempted assassination in Chile on the Russians..." The testimony was declassified fairly recently and goes on to discuss the use of phony papers, documents -pocket litter stuff- to plant a false trail. My head was swimming at the thought of someone like Diosdado and Veciana WORKING TOGETHER. If this were true, it would have lent some credence to my working hypothesis that Diosdado was the customs agent mentioned by Giancana. Alas, this was not to be... In recent correspondance with Gaeton Fonzi-forwarded to me by another researcher, he states the following regarding Tanenbaum's executive session testimony... 9-14-2005 "He's mistaken. It wasn't Diosdado (with when) Veciana was planning to blame the Russians for the Castro attempt in Chile, it was Posada. When we questioned Posada in prison in Caracus (sp) he said he hardly knew Veciana...." This resulted in Veciana calling a 3rd party who confirmed the Posada information Veciana gave Fonzi was accurate. Quite a blow to the working hypo. I would still like to know WHY Fonzi wasn't able to question Diosdado and exactly WHAT Diosdado said in his HSCA testimony. Knowing who called him before HSCA would also be very telling. There is the possibility that asking Diosdado questions in a controlled setting would minimize any conflicting information he would have given Fonzi. Jason Vermeer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Gratz Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 Fonzi did say in an interview that he thought Diosdado might be an important witness. Jason wrote: I would still like to know WHY Fonzi wasn't able to question Diosdado and exactly WHAT Diosdado said in his HSCA testimony. Jason, are you CERTAIN that Diosdado did in fact testify before the HSCA? If so, what difference does it make if he was interviewed by Fonzi or deposed by a staff attorney? I have been intrigued at the thought of a comprehensive list of testimony and documents that remain classified. And then perhaps making another FOIA suit to discover them. As a curiosity, Diosdado lived (four or five blocks down) on the same street in Key West that I live on. Jimmy Buffet's house was on the same street as well, but his was on the water side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Gratz Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 By the way I do not necessarily credit Giancana's book but even if I did Diosdado does not fit that description: a) he was never a "radical"; nor do I believe he was "corrupt". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Vermeer Posted September 25, 2005 Author Share Posted September 25, 2005 Fonzi did say in an interview that he thought Diosdado might be an important witness.Jason wrote: I would still like to know WHY Fonzi wasn't able to question Diosdado and exactly WHAT Diosdado said in his HSCA testimony. Jason, are you CERTAIN that Diosdado did in fact testify before the HSCA? If so, what difference does it make if he was interviewed by Fonzi or deposed by a staff attorney? I have been intrigued at the thought of a comprehensive list of testimony and documents that remain classified. And then perhaps making another FOIA suit to discover them. As a curiosity, Diosdado lived (four or five blocks down) on the same street in Key West that I live on. Jimmy Buffet's house was on the same street as well, but his was on the water side. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Tim, it does make a difference WHO interviewed him. It is also important to know WHY Fonzi did not get to interview Diosdado but rather Diosdado being deposed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Gratz Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 (edited) Jason, what information do you have that Mr. Diosdado was ever deposed? Does anyone else know if he was in fact deposed? I did not think he was but ICBW! Edited September 26, 2005 by Tim Gratz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Vermeer Posted September 26, 2005 Author Share Posted September 26, 2005 Jason, what information do you have that Mr. Diosdado was ever deposed?Does anyone else know if he was in fact deposed? I did not think he was but ICBW! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Diosdado was interviewed by HSCA 5-23-77. (Klein). A.J. Weberman was aware of this as well. Diosdado denied working for CIA which we know was a lie because of the CIA's own internal memos AND Diosdado denied knowing Hemming to Weberman. Hemming seems to have a low opinion of Diosdado. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Gratz Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 (edited) Well, the guy threw Hemming and company in the Monroe County Jail for a few days, after all. According to Hemming, he had a little fun with Diosdado during the arrest. Diosdado was carrying his gun, perhaps pointing it, and Hemming taunted him, "What you going to do, shoot us?" Anyone familiar with Gerry Hemming knows he is not easily intimidated. It was after their release from the Monroe County Jail, and after being flown to Miami, that Hemming caught Oswald attempting to infiltrate Interpen. Hemming also states that he was informed that the attorney who came forward to represent the Interpen members had been paid by Jimmy Hoffa, who was trying to interfere with what he thought was an RFK operation. Parenthetically, Jason, I assume I was correct that Diosdado was never deposed? Edited September 27, 2005 by Tim Gratz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Vermeer Posted September 27, 2005 Author Share Posted September 27, 2005 Well, the guy threw Hemming and company in the Monroe County Jail for a few days, after all.According to Hemming, he had a little fun with Diosdado during the arrest. Diosdado was carrying his gun, perhaps pointing it, and Hemming taunted him, "What you going to do, shoot us?" Anyone familiar with Gerry Hemming knows he is not easily intimidated. It was after their release from the Monroe County Jail, and after being flown to Miami, that Hemming caught Oswald attempting to infiltrate Interpen. Hemming also states that he was informed that the attorney who came forward to represent the Interpen members had been paid by Jimmy Hoffa, who was trying to interfere with what he thought was an RFK operation. Parenthetically, Jason, I assume I was correct that Diosdado was never deposed? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Interview or deposed. What difference does it make? I'm not trying to be snide but the point is HSCA HAD contact with him on 5-23-77. He was interviewed. Fonzi wasn't able to do this. Why? WHO interviewed Diosdado? On a side note, in some of the Weberman nodules, he quotes Hemming discussing some type of working relationship with Diosdado. Something to the effect of ".(..if he was working a deal with you he'd never f#k you over...)" I can get the exact quote if you want. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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