</s>104-10143-10048 2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 CONFIDENTITIETE J.A.R.S.C.P.Y. HSCA INSPECTOR GENERAL Hoch 77-0090 27-1408 HOCA MEMORANDUM FOR: Acting Deputy Director of Central Intelligence 3.0 AUG 1977 FROM : S. D. Breckridge Deputy Inspector General APPROVED FOR RELEASE 1993 CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM SUBJECT Comments on Book V, SSC Final Report, The Investigation of the Assassination of President: Kennedy: Performance of the Intelligence Agency 1. Forwarded herewith is the report of a review that Mr. Knoche requested last fall. Is the undersigned was designated as chairman or coordinator of an Agency working group that was to conduct the study. It proved the more ambitious undertaking than conducted by the study, It proved an ambitious undertaking that Warren Commission inquiry into President Kennedy's assassination were reviewed in detail. It was were the very large file holdings of LA Division on its Cuban operations during the period preceding taking review in detail, was required, and the files proved to be so extensive that the research became a major file filed of the Office of Security was required. The Office of the Inspector General presented a less formidable problem. 2. The attached report, with its annexes, is the formal result of the effort. If the attachments being bulky, it is the final notnoted that the effort, if the attachments being held for the record in the event of future inquiry. These papers represent the result of a conscientious and painstaking effort, he said he is the with high standards of review and testing kept foremost in mind. in coverage, the work was so extensive and carefully done that we in coverage. The work was to extendive and carefully don't have we feel there is small chance of surprises remaining in the CIA files on this subject. 3. In brief, we found that many of the presentations of Book 1 of the Final Report of the Senate Select Committee were based by the Final Information of the Distributed Percussion While the record of CIA was not perfect, the performance at the time, under the understanding of the period, the periasonate. The fact remains that evidence of a Castro conspiracy to assistassinate Presides- kennedy still has not been discovered. The Warren Commission and 20231

Summary  
The document contains a series of classified government records from 1963–1967 primarily related to U.S. intelligence investigations into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK). It includes FBI and CIA communications, interrogations of individuals such as Lee Harvey Oswald, Gilberto Alvarado Ugarte, and Silvia Durán, and analyses of Oswald’s activities in Mexico City, Cuba, and the Soviet Union. References to the Warren Commission are frequent, indicating its involvement in reviewing evidence. Topics include alleged connections between Oswald and Cuban or Chinese intelligence, claims about his travel, verification of documents like Marina Oswald’s notebook, anonymous threats against JFK, and internal CIA reviews of media reports. The text also critiques claims that the CIA withheld information from the FBI, stating such assertions are misleading and contradicted by internal records. A separate section references Antonio Carlos Viciano (Viciana/Viciana) and his alleged involvement in anti-Cuban activities between 1960–1963, including requests for assistance from the CIA to execute an assassination plot against Fidel Castro. The document also includes discussions about Clare Boothe Luce’s alleged involvement in funding anti-Castro operations in the early 1960s, including support for a motorboat captain linked to Oswald.  

Key People  
- **Lee Harvey Oswald**: Central figure in JFK’s assassination; investigated for ties to Cuba, USSR, and alleged assassination plot.  
- **Jack Ruby**: Linked to Oswald’s arrest and alleged involvement in the assassination.  
- **Gilberto Alvarado Ugarte**: Interrogated regarding potential involvement in the assassination.  
- **Silvia Durán**: Subject of interrogations related to Oswald’s activities.  
- **Marina Oswald**: Wife of Lee Harvey Oswald; her notebook was analyzed for Soviet connections.  
- **Antonio Carlos Viciano (Viciana/Viciana)**: Assistant bank manager allegedly involved in anti-Castro plots and CIA interactions.  
- **Clare Boothe Luce**: American diplomat and philanthropist allegedly involved in funding anti-Castro operations.  
- **Felix Zabala**: Cuban refugee with alleged connections to Viciano’s activities.  

Key Locations  
- **Mexico City**: Site of Oswald’s alleged travel, CIA surveillance, and interactions with Cuban agents.  
- **Cuba**: Cubans intelligence involvement, visa processing, and diplomatic ties.  
- **Soviet Union**: Oswald’s alleged connections, photographs, and documents.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Warren Commission headquarters; FBI and CIA operations.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Birthplace of Lee Harvey Oswald; referenced in discussions about his activities.  

Key Events  
- Interrogations of Alvarado, Durán, and others regarding Oswald’s activities.  
- Analysis of Marina Oswald’s notebook for Soviet contacts.  
- Verification of Oswald’s travel records and alleged meetings with Cuban agents.  
- Investigation into claims that the assassination was orchestrated by foreign entities (e.g., Communist China, Cuba).  
- CIA and FBI reviews of media reports and public allegations about the assassination.  
- Viciano’s requests for assistance from the CIA to execute an assassination plot against Castro.  
- Luce’s alleged involvement in funding anti-Castro operations, including support for a motorboat captain linked to Oswald.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central to interrogations, document analysis, and surveillance.  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Conducted internal reviews, analyzed Oswald’s activities, and provided intelligence to the Warren Commission.  
- **Warren Commission**: Investigated JFK’s assassination, received documents from FBI and CIA.  
- **U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica, Stockholm, and other locations**: Involved in receiving letters and reports about the assassination.  
- **Alpha-66**: CIA-backed exile organization linked to Viciano’s activities.

Summary  
The document contains fragmented discussions among U.S. intelligence officials regarding the handling of information related to Lee Harvey Oswald’s contact with Soviet authorities in October 1963. Key topics include debates over whether the CIA withheld critical details about Oswald’s activities, the dissemination of information to agencies like the FBI and Department of State, and concerns about protecting sources and methods. References are made to the Warren Commission’s investigation into President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, with mentions of tapes, photographs, and alleged CIA involvement. The text also includes a memorandum responding to an article by Ronald Kessler that claimed the CIA withheld details about Oswald’s contact with Soviet officials. Discussions involve balancing transparency with national security interests, including potential leaks or unauthorized disclosures. A 1976 CIA memorandum addresses allegations that Oswald had prior contact with Cuban officials about his assassination plan, referencing a 1963 report from the Mexican Embassy in Mexico City where Gilberto Alvarado claimed Oswald received $500 to kill an American official. The CIA and FBI reportedly shared this information with the Warren Commission, which included it in its final report. The memorandum notes that Alvarado later retracted his claims, and the FBI concluded Oswald was not a CIA agent. The text includes references to U.S.-Cuba intelligence interactions, dissemination of alerts to federal agencies, and internal CIA discussions about the credibility of informants. A 1963 incident involving Robert Dietz Morrow, arrested for counterfeit Cuban pesos and with prior CIA contract ties, is referenced. A November 25, 1963 memo notes a CIA case officer briefly noted Oswald’s “unusual behavior” in the USSR but found no evidence of agency contact. The document also references Gillberto Nolácio Alvarado, a Nicaraguan national who claimed to have interacted with Oswald and Cuban officials, describing Oswald as wearing a black coat and carrying U.S. currency. A 1963 CIA contract with Morrow Products was terminated in February 1963. Fragmented information involving individuals such as ALVARADO, ALFANADO, and others is mentioned, primarily associated with activities in Mexico and Cuba around November 1963. It references CIA surveillance of Cuban flights, noting delays on the 22 November 1963 flight from Mexico City to Havana linked to JFK’s assassination. An unidentified passenger boarding a Cuba-bound aircraft without customs clearance is observed by the surveillance team. The text includes unrelated fragments about visits to embassies, travel routes, and vague claims involving individuals with ties to Cuban or Nicaraguan entities. Some sections reference "SSC" (likely Security Service Center) reports and mention a flight on 27 November 1963 described as a cargo flight with one passenger. The text contains redacted or unclear elements, such as dates, names, and locations, and includes typographical errors or nonsensical phrases that hinder coherent interpretation.  

Key People  
- **James McCone** (CIA Director)  
- **Richard Helms** (CIA Deputy Director for Plans)  
- **Clare Boothe Luce** (U.S. Ambassador to Italy and CIA liaison)  
- **William Colby** (CIA Director, 1966–1973)  
- **John Schneier** (CIA official involved in handling sensitive information)  
- **E. Henry Knoche** (CIA Assistant to the Director)  
- **Julio Fernandez Molino** (Cuban exile associated with anti-Castro groups)  
- **Jose Antonio Lanuza** (DRE leader linked to anti-Castro activities)  
- **Lee Harvey Oswald** (assassin of JFK)  
- **Gilberto Alvarado** (Mexican informant)  
- **Robert Dietz Morrow** (arrested for counterfeit pesos, had CIA contract ties)  
- **Gillberto Nolácio Alvarado** (Nicaraguan national claiming interaction with Oswald and Cuban officials)  
- **J. Edgar Hoover** (late FBI Director)  
- **Clark D. Anderson** (Legal Attache at U.S. Embassy, Mexico City)  
- **Andrew Falkiewicz** (CIA official)  
- **John Waller** (Inspector General)  
- **Fidel Castro** (target of alleged CIA plots)  
- **Richard Helms** (CIA Director, testified about no contact with Oswald)  
- **Unidentified passenger** (observed boarding a Cuba-bound aircraft without customs clearance)  
- **CIA surveillance team members**  

Key Locations  
- **Miami, Florida** (context of Cuban exiles and intelligence operations)  
- **Washington, D.C.** (headquarters for U.S. intelligence agencies and the Warren Commission)  
- **Havana, Cuba** (site of DRE activities and Oswald’s 1959–1962 stay)  
- **Mexico City** (U.S. Embassy and Cuban Consulate)  
- **Cuba** (Cuban government and intelligence ties)  
- **Nicaragua** (Alvarado’s ties to Nicaraguan military and intelligence)  
- **Canal Zone, Fort Glick, Honduras, Guatemala** (mentioned in fragmented travel routes)  
- **Security Service Center (SSC)** (referenced in reports)  

Key Events  
- **October 1963**: Lee Harvey Oswald’s contact with the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City, reported to U.S. agencies but not fully disclosed at the time.  
- **Warren Commission investigation** (1963–1964): Focus on Oswald’s activities and potential CIA involvement in Kennedy’s assassination.  
- **CIA information dissemination**: Dissemination of Oswald-related data to the FBI, State Department, and other agencies in October 1963.  
- **Ronald Kessler’s article** (1976): Alleged claims by the CIA about withholding details on Oswald’s Soviet contact, prompting a memorandum from the CIA.  
- **Cuban exile networks**: Discussions about DRE (Students’ Revolutionary Directorate) and other anti-Castro groups in Cuba and the U.S., including their ties to intelligence operations.  
- **1963 Mexican Embassy report** on Oswald’s alleged contact with Cubans, including Gilberto Alvarado’s claim of $500 payment for an assassination plan.  
- **Dissemination of Alvarado’s allegations** to U.S. federal agencies (1963).  
- **Warren Commission inclusion** of Oswald-Cuba links in its final report.  
- **CIA and FBI internal reviews** of informants’ credibility.  
- **1976 Washington Post article** prompting CIA historical review.  
- **1963 CIA contract termination** with Morrow Products for a device deemed unsatisfactory.  
- **October 1963 arrest** of Robert Dietz Morrow and his wife for counterfeit pesos.  
- **November 25, 1963 memo** noting brief CIA interest in Oswald’s behavior but no confirmed contact.  
- **Alvarado’s claims** of interactions with Oswald, Cuban officials, and Nicaraguan intelligence networks.  
- **CIA denial** of involvement with Jack Ruby, Clay Shaw, or Lee Harvey Oswald.  
- **CIA surveillance of Cuban flights**, noting delays on the 22 November 1963 flight from Mexico City to Havana linked to JFK’s assassination.  
- **Unidentified passenger boarding a Cuba-bound aircraft without customs clearance** observed by the surveillance team.  
- **Visits to embassies, travel routes involving bribes and illegal crossings** mentioned in fragmented text.  

Key Organizations  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Central figure in managing information about Oswald, balancing transparency with national security.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Involved in investigations related to Oswald and Cuban exile activities.  
- **Department of State**: Received information on Oswald’s Soviet contact.  
- **Warren Commission**: Investigated Kennedy’s assassination, with ongoing debates over CIA involvement.  
- **Students’ Revolutionary Directorate (DRE)**: A Cuban anti-Castro group linked to intelligence operations in the 1960s.  
- **U.S. Embassy, Mexico City**: Site of Alvarado’s claims and surveillance activities.  
- **Cuban government**: Alleged intelligence ties with U.S. agencies.  
- **Nicaraguan military/intelligence** (Maj. Roger Jersz, Torres): Mentioned in context of Alvarado’s networks.  
- **Security Service Center (SSC)**: Referenced in reports about surveillance and operations.

MLK Declassified Files

00549098_draft_document_comments_o_104-10143-10048.pdf

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