Cryptonym: AMHIM
Date uncertain: AIP was a news information service financed by CIA. Agency sponsorship was an open secret. It was designed to fill the gap in coverage by the regular news media. It was accepted in the Hemisphere as an accurate and objective reporter of events. It prepared four news bulletins a week which were distributed to 1200 Latin American news outlets and prepared radio tapes based on the bulletins which were distributed to hemisphere radio stations.
1994.06.17.11:39:43:350005: Reel 47, Folder K - MEXI CABLES 6900 - 7154 CABLES.
11/25/63 cable MEXI 7066 from Mexico City to Director, slugline DTDORIC TPRANSACK: "First week November La Nacion played article sourced AIP (Cuban exile information service) charging leadership new banana federation Communists. Many (of) these trained (by) AIFLD (note: The American Institute for Free Labor Development - an AFL-CIO project funded by CIA) and noted for democratic unionism. FIOPP involved since AIP carries its initials on masthead (of) all releases as sponsor without FIOPP authority...United Fruit subsequently reproduced La Nacion article and distributed to Banana Fed workers. Effect of article has damaged FIOPP image (within) Central American labor and placed strain (on) its relations with IFPAAW." Duplicate version: 104-10097-10014.
104-10075-10282: JMWAVE CABLE REQUESTING STATION TO RECHECK ALLEGATIONS
11/29/63: WAVE 8283 from JMWAVE to Director, slugline DTDORIC TPRANSACK: "Request stations recheck allegations AIP not recommended by FIOPP as stated AIP format. WAVE records contain FIOPP resolution approved by assembly at (Panama City) 16 Apr 63 and clip from El Dia 1 Nov 63 which published letter by John K. Sloan confirming FIOPP recommendation (of) AIP to its members. Pouching document at clip to (Panama City), (Mexico City) and Director...(WAVE) has some influence through AIP officials, one of whom (is) Augustin Alles now MEXI. Alles advises that FIOPP willing send letters to LA newspapers confirming endorsement of AIP if latter agrees to delete same from format. Fernando J. Carrandi, AIP Director, feels this tantamount surrender to Communist pressure and inappropriate action for 'seminar', but will submit it to WAVE instructions. WAVE would prefer AIP continue carry FIOPP endorsement, but if not possible under circumstances, request that action be limited to personal letter with no publicity. WAVE primary concern is avoid blow AIP prestige vis-a-vis LA outlets..." Chief of Station comment: "Ops meetings? held with FIOPP cover associates - as of 26 Nov seminar progressing and under control."
104-10308-10133: AMHIM PROJECT
This memo for the record on the AMHIM project describes it thusly: "The distribution of news and information bulletins and radio newscast tapes to addresses throughout Latin America (AIP - Agencia de Informaciones Periodisticas, News Information)."
AIP (Agencia de Informaciones Periodisticas - Agency of Newspaper Reporters) for March 16, 1964, noted that there had been considerable discussion about the difficulties between Carlos Rafael Rodriguez, Minister of the National Institute for Agrarian Reform (INRA) and Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, Minister of Industries. AIP noted that on March 6, 1964, at a meeting in the Palace, Castro stated 'Che' deserved the very high honor of 'Worker of the Vanguard', a statement interpreted to mean a pat on the back for the Argentine communist and an indication of which side Fidel Castro favors. AIP further noted that the creation of the Ministry of Industries, and the appointment of Che to run it, took away some of the power of INRA, headed by Carlos Rafael Rodriguez."
1993.06.09.16:16:46:000000: INVESTIGATION OF CLAIM BY JAMES C. BUCHANAN THAT HIS BROTHER JERRY HAD
4/28/64 FBI memo from SA James J. O'Connor re his interview with James Buchanan, currently employed with two associates at Caribbean Press Associates in Fort Lauderdale. (James Buchanan) said that from the manner in which the FBI appeared to question the authenticity of reports that Oswald was engaged in pro-Castro activity at Miami, he (Buchanan) felt that the FBI is interested in clearing Oswald from any communist affiliation...He said that in the distribution of the monthly bulletin of the International Anti-Communist Brigade, he has stamped on each copy 'Communism killed Kennedy'...He said the bulletin generally has a lead article from Frank Fiorini, head of the Brigade, and filler material obtained from the Agencia de Informaciones Periodisticas (Agency for News Information), which he obtains from Dr. Fernando Fernandez Cabada at Miami." At page 10: Fiorini states he founded IACB, that Geraldine Shamma is vice-president, and Jim Buchanan is secretary and a reporter for Pompano Sun-Sentinel. "Fiorini stated he believes in utilizing 3/4 truth and 1/4 lie in order to obtain effective propaganda, but he regarded Buchanan as having gone far beyond this point in the propaganda which was being written for the International Anti-Communist Brigade." Another copy of this document can be viewed at Warren Commission Document 1020: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=11416#relPageId=18
Peter Dale Scott, "The Three Oswald Deceptions: The Operation, the Cover-Up and the Conspiracy" - http://www.assassinationweb.com/scottd.htm
A small intelligence-backed "press agency," the Agencia de Informaciones Periodisticas (A.I.P.), was a source for one recurring Oswald story, that he had worked on behalf of Cuban intelligence in the Miami area. (The A.I.P. attracted notice again during the wave of Chilean-financed Cuban terrorism of the mid-1970s, involving many Cuban exile veterans of the JMWAVE operations, when the A.I.P. was revealed to be an agency by then financed by the Chilean intelligence service DINA). (12) The story was traced by the FBI to AMBLEAK-1/Fernando Fernandez Cabada of the A.I.P., who told it to Jim Buchanan, a close ally of Frank Sturgis; the story was later publicized by Frank Sturgis and John Martino. (13) Another A.I.P. story, traced to Dr. Fernando Carrandi, spoke of Ruby's travel to Cuba. Those involved in circulating this story included Salvador Lew, p.r. agent for the CIA-backed Comandos Mambises, and Paul Bethel, described by Fonzi as "a close friend of David Atlee Phillips." (14) Yet another Oswald-Cuban intelligence story involved Miguel "Cuco" de Leon, senior adviser to Manuel Artime in the JMWAVE-backed Operation Second Naval Guerrilla. (15) Any evidence for linking Phillips to these intelligence-tinged stories has not yet been made public. We have however Phillips' own statements that he was involved in the transmission of both of the key "phase one" allegations promoted in CIA cables, the Kostikov story of October, and the Alvarado story of November 25.
104-10165-10187: CURRENT COVER AND FUNDING REQUIRMENTS FOR JMCOBRA MHSPAWN ACTIVITIES FOLLOW
This 1968 document describes funding of several "JMCOBRA MHSPAWN" projects, noting regarding AMHIM that "present arrangement which funds this activity by monthly black-bag averaging $18,000 cash."
104-10244-10033: DISPATCH: POSSIBLE IDENTITY PROBE LINK TO AMCORE-2 AND AMSTRUT-2
2/19/69 memo by George J. Copsidas for Chief of Station WH/Miami to Chief, Western Hemisphere Division: "...a (Cuban) exile tabloid...(implies)...the current Identity probe (note: probably a reference to the Garrison investigation) could be expanded to include the issuance of subpoenas to AMCORE-2/Luis Conte Aguero and AMSTRUT-2/Juanita Castro and AMHIM as suspected (CIA) assets and mechanisms...with his own probe going so poorly, (Garrison) could conceivably jump on this item in an attempt to manufacture new ammunition for his cause."
104-10104-10049: CRIMINAL PROSECUTION - ALPHA 66
This document about ALPHA-66 includes a paragraph on Augustin D. Alles Soberon/AMHIM-2: "He was an employee of the AMHIM project until termination of the project in May 1970." See 104-10104-10051: The Justice Dept was considering criminal charges against 19 members of Alpha 66, including Alles.