Cryptonym: AMDECK-1
A dispatch from JMWAVE on October 22, 1963, stated that "the following information from AMDECK-1 was not published because of possible AMBANG-1 (Manuel Ray Rivero) involvement."
A cable on December 3, 1963, with AMDECK-1 as a source, reported on Antonio Cuesta del Valle (leader of the Cuban exile action group Comandos L), and Robert Cao, in regards to the Harbell vessel. In addition, a cable on December 14, 1963, stated that AMOT-2 (Jose Joaquin Sanjenis Perdomo) and AMDECK-1 had confirmed that on December 15, 1963, Comandos L would hold a fund-raising festival at Dinner Key auditorium, Miami. AMDECK-1 also noted "that Comandos L has no funds, no weapons, no explosives, and the festival is for funds to purchase such material."
A dispatch on February 20, 1964, stated AMDECK/1 reported on February 17 and 18th, that he spoke to the son of Santiago Alvarez concerning plans to join AMWORLD. Moreover, in a memo in November of 1964, James D. Tatterfield, PM Case Officer, stated that "AMDECK/1, a P/A handled by Tatterfield...reports regularly on the activities of Santiago Alvarez Rodriguez and his son Santiago Alvarez Fernandez. AMDECK/1 is a close friend of Santiago Alvarez." Fernandez."
A cable on February 20, 1965, stated that AMDECK-1 saw Navarro and AMFIX-1 (probably Teodore Enrique Casado Cuervo) at the boat site. Moreover, a Report Cover Sheet on February 23, 1965, stated that AMDECK-1 received information from Osiel Gonzalez, former SFNE captain, on an alleged attack by Cuban bombers on a SFNE training base in the Dominican Republic.
10/12/60 FBI interview with informant M-2: "(MM 726-S) reported that he learned a marine radio transmitter-receiver which had been removed from a ship located at Miami, Florida, had been installed at a house (in Miami). A friend of (Santiago Alvarez Fernandez) named Juan Labrador resides at this house, which was described as an old wooden structure...Labrador had hoped to maintain communication with the 'Alisan' from his residence..." However, communication failed once Santiago Alvarez had departed in his yacht.
2/8/61 FBI interview by SA Leland Stafford of Juan Jose Labrador Pozas. "Labrador came to the United States from Cuba on his boat, the 'Maria Maria', on June 22, 1959...He claimed that his vessel is not now seaworthy, and that he has not used it for more than a year...Labrador volunteered that he is a close friend of Santiago Alvarez; that the latter has a vessel named the 'Alisan' which formerly was seaworthy, but has not been in condition for seagoing trips for the past several months...Labrador admitted that he formerly had a radio and receiver connected up at his house; that he previously had an antenna installed on his house, but said that he had taken it down several months ago...during the few days after the installation of the radio antenna, (he) made radio contact with Santiago Alvarez when Alvarez was on board his own vessel, the 'Alisan'..."
10/9/63: Field Information Telegram: UFG 3833. SUBJECT: Planned Post-Hurricane Raid on Cuba by the Comandos L. PLACE & DATE ACQ.: United States, Miami (10 October 1963): "1. Source for para 2: Cuban exile with good access to activities of the Comandos L. Despite the fact that the source has had a relatively short reporting history, his reporting on raider activities has been generally reliable. 2. On 9 October 1963 Santiago Alvarez Jr. of Comandos L, a Cuban exile group, said that he planned to depart Miami between 10 and 14 October for a raid on Cuba. He would not disclose the target area. He said that he had obtained authorization from Antonio Cuesta del Valle and Ramon Font, leading officials of the group, to make the raid after Hurricane Flora had left the waters of Cuba...4. Santiago Alvarez, SR. of Comandos L has expressed an interest in obtaining operational information on Nicaro, Preston, Manati, Vita, Gibara, and Puerto Padre in Oriente Province, and Nuevitas in Camaguey Province..."
104-10275-10034: DISPATCH: AMDECK-1 PRODUCTION - POSSIBLE INTEREST IN TURBINE POWERED BRITISH BOATS
10/22/63, Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Special Affairs Staff: "The following information from AMDECK-1 was not published because of possible AMBANG-1 (Manuel Ray Rivero) involvement: 'As of 10 August 1963 Armando *Lora Hernandez and his two brothers, Raul *Lora Hernandez and Gustavo *Lora Hernandez had proposed to an unidentified ODYOKE (U. S. Government) employee a plan to raid Cuba. Armando was interested in obtaining some information on certain turbine power boats that were being offered for sale either in Nassau or Jamaica by the British Government. When told that the boats would cost about $79,000 each, Armando replied: 'if our plan goes through, we are not going to have any financial problems. 'Armando, Raul and Gustavo keep in touch with AMBANG-1 and see him whenever he is in Miami. AMBANG-1 appears to be involved in their plans. Gustavo was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was expecting to attend a special course in Washington, D.C. in September 1963."
12/03/63, Cable from JMWAVE to Director: "SUPDATA: AMDECK-1. RID: Index....SOURCE: Cuban exile with good access to activities of the Comandos L. Despite the fact that source has had a relatively short reporting history, his reporting on raider activities has been generally reliable." - - - Page 3: "1. Antonio Cuesta del Valle, leader of the Cuban exile action group Comandos L, believes that before moving out any weapons, the vessel Harbell should make several bona fide fishing trips in order to gain the confidence of Coast Guard and Customs officials. 2. On 25 November the Harbell left on her second fishing trip. As of 29 November she was still fishing near Key Largo and was expected to return to Miami on about 2 or 3 December. 3. Robert Cao is the skipper of the Harbell."
12/5/63 cable WAVE 8497 describing AMDECK-1 in terms identical with above post. His report: "in considering the possibility that Comandos L may have slipped out of town either to proceed to a non-US base or to make a raid, it is recalled that on about 23 November Santiago Alvarez Jr. said the group had no weapons, and on 28 November Cuesta was known as looking for weapons. It is believed that the Comandos L had one Browning automatic rifle that was not with the other weapons taken into custody by US Customs on its roundup of boats, equipment and personnel in October." Compare with 12/5/63 cable 104-10069-10211 TDCS-3/658,226, re "Failure of the Commandos L vessel HARBELL to return from a fishing trip to the Bahamas" - again states "Cuban exile with good access to activities of the Comandos L. Despite the fact that source has had a relatively short reporting history, his reporting on raider activities has been generally reliable." Again refers to Santiago Alvarez, Jr.. Handwritten marginalia to 201-286313
104-10077-10038: CABLE: COMANDOS L MAY PLAN TO ATTACK A SHIP NEAR CUBA
12/14/63, Cable from JMWAVE to Director: "SUPDATA: AMOT-2 (Jose Joaquin Sanjenis Perdomo) phone call to WAVE on 14 Dec. Confirmation dinner key affair AMDECK-1. See also UFG 4144. RID no index..." - - - Page 3: "1. On 15 December 1963 Comandos L will hold a fund-raising festival at Dinner Key auditorium, Miami, Florida. While this festival is in progress a Comandos L boat will be carrying out an attack against a ship close to Cuba: The announcement of this attack will be made during the course of the festival. (Field Comment: A Cuban exile with good access to the activities of Comandos L confirms the fund-raising festival by Comandos L on 15 December. This exile also points out that Comandos L has no funds, no weapons, no explosives, and the festival is for funds to purchase such material)."
104-10162-10418: DISPATCH: RYBAT/TYPIC/OPERATIONAL/AMWORLD-ALVAREZ, SANTIAGO, SR
02/20/64, Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Special Affairs Staff: "1. AMDECK/1 reports that on 17 and 18 February he spoke to the son of Santiago Alvarez concerning plans to join AMWORLD. According to Alvarez, Jr., AMBIDDY/1 (Manuel Artime Buesa) offered the subject a boat and said that he could name his own crew. In addition, according to Santiago Alvarez, Jr., his father could have his own plans, and would be able to operate without interference from AMBIDDY/1. 2. Alvarez, Jr., stated that as soon as ODYOKE (U.S. Government) releases their boat, 'Silvia' they would take it down to AMBIDDY/1's base in South America (sic). While Alvarez would prefer to work with AMBIDDY/1 rather than with CIA because because he is easier to handle, if AMBIDDY/1 did not live up to his promises the Alvarez' and their crew would return to the WAVE area and start working with CIA."
104-10162-10391: MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD: PM SOURCE OF INFORMATION RE ALVAREZ, SANTIAGO RODRIGUEZ
11/25/64, MFR from James D. Tatterfield, PM Case Officer: "AMDECK/1, a P/A handled by Tatterfield of PM Branch, reports regularly on the activities of Santiago Alvarez Rodriguez and his son Santiago Alvarez Fernandez. AMDECK/1 is a close friend of Santiago Alvarez Fernandez."
02/20/65, Cable from JMWAVE to WH/SA 8: "SUPDATA:...Paras 5-6: AMDECK-1 who saw Navarro and AMFIX-1 (probably Teodore Enrique Casado Cuervo) at boat site..."
02/23/65, Report Cover Sheet from JMWAVE: Reporting Officer: Henry J. Sloman (probably Tony Sforza). Reports Officer: Margaret R. Nankall. Approving Officer: Andrew K. Reuteman (Theodore Shackley): "Source:...AMDECK-1 reported on 7 February 1965 that, according to Osiel Gonzalez, former SFNE captain, that after the capture of Gutierrez, two MIG aircraft from Cuba flew over the SFNE training bases. When the Dominican Air Force saw the MIGs, they sent up two jets which opened fire on the Cuban planes. The Cuban planes reportedly then returned to Cuba. Gonzalez claimed he obtained this information from the SFNE office in Miami, but could not say just who saw the incident in the Dominican Republic."
11/16/65, Cable from JMWAVE to IW: "SUPDATA: Paras 3 and 4 AMDECK-1 on 15 and 16 Nov..." - - - Page 2 of Information Intelligence Cable:..."2. Source for paras 3 and 4: A Cuban exile with good access to activities of émigré activists groups. His reporting on raider activities has been generally reliable since 1962. 3. During the evening of 14 November 1965 Antonio Cuesta del Valle, military leader of Comandos L, visited an individual who had previously given him financial assistance and stated that Comandos L had been responsible for carrying out the raid on the residence of Osvaldo Dorticos Torrada in the Miramar section of Havana City during the early morning hours of 14 November. (Field Comment: There have been previous reports from this same source, as well as others, that Comandos L was planning a raid against a target in Cuba. Comandos L was going to utilize the 'Angelina' as a mother vessel. According to Cuesta the purpose of this raid was to disrupt the movement of refugees from Cuba to the United States through Camarioca, Matanzas Province, as this, to him, was an indication that the United States was moving toward a policy of coexistence with Fidel Castro). 4. As of 16 November it had been determined that the 'Angelina' was not involved in the 14 November raid, but that possibly three vessels had participated in this raid. One of these vessels which was back in the Miami area on 16 November was the 'Baku' a 23 to 25-foot long vessel powered by twin Crysler v-8 engines with power in excess of 200 horsepower."