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Cryptonym: AMSORREL-5

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Definition:
AMSORREL-5 was Jose Nicolas Salado Mata. Cables in November and December of 1963 cited AMSORREL-5's 201 number as 201-311334. Cables in June, 1964, stated that Nicolas Salado had a 201 number of 201-311334.
Status:
Documented
Discussion:
A cable on June 17, 1964, mentioned that AMOT traces revealed that Jose Nicolas Salado Mata was born on May 16, 1925, in Isabela de Sagua, Las Villas. Salado left Cuba on September 25, 1961, and arrived in the Miami area on the Olga on September 27th. Nicolas Salado was assigned number A 12 490 730, and was a fisherman and knew the north coast of Varadero very well.

A JMWAVE cable (WAVE 8375) allegedly reported that Salado took Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo to Cuba. Nicolas Salado took part in the attack at Isabela de Sagua in March of 1963, and he told the FBI he had participated in attacks on Cuba in October and December of 1962. Salado was arrested by British authorities in the Bahamas in April, 1963 (along with Pedro Diaz Torres - AMTRUNK-7). In April of 1963 Salado stated he was not a member of the SFNE but had been cooperating with them for some time.

A cable in February, 1966, mentioned that AMSORREL-5 took part in Operation SALLY XIV, along with AMWOO-1, AMYUM-18, AMHAM-1, and AMOZON-1. The participants came under fire from Cuban security forces. AMSORREL-5 was part of the AMOZON team.

In 1978 Juan Felaifel Canahan, a Cuban Intelligence agent who allegedly infiltrated the CIA in 1963, claimed a CIA agent named "Bob", of Sicilian descent, had told CIA Cuban agents, in a CIA safe house in Miami, after the assassination of President Kennedy, that they had "finally got rid of the pinko in the White House." Felaifel alleged that those present at the meeting were Jose Enrique Daussa (probably AMWOO-1), Nicolas Salado, Porfirio Ramirez Ruiz, and Reynaldo Rodriguez Reyes. These Cubans were allegedly members of Felaifel's infiltration team.

A Cuban documentary in 1993 included the claim that "Bob" was a high level leader of the CIA's Miami operations unit, and that his talk was very similar to that of Mafia people. Although these claims were uncorroborated, "Bob" appears to match the profile of Miami CIA officer, Tony Sforza/aka Robert Stevens.
Sources:

124-90045-10010:

04/25/63: Interview of Nicolas Salado Mata by SAs Peter J. Nero and William Mayo Drew: Salado interviewed at Opa-Locka, Florida. He said he had been a fisherman all his life. Took part in the attack at Isabela de Sagua in March of 1963. Arrested the following month by British authorities when they docked in the vicinity of Andros Island and Williams Key. Salado said he was not a member of the SFNE but he had been cooperating with the group for some time. Salado also stated he participated in attacks against Cuba by the SFNE in October and December of 1962. Included in his description was the information that he was in the care of his brother, Oswaldo Salado Mata, 229 Northwest 30th Street, Miami, Florida. - - - Among those arrested with Salado on April 9, 1963, was Pedro Diaz Torres (AMTRUNK-7): https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=119730&search=salado#relPageId=14&tab=page

104-10075-10110: JMWAVE CABLE

11/27/63: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: Slugline RYBAT YOBITE TYPIC COMMO: REF: DIR 84930* "1. Ref B of ref pouched HQs 15 Nov. 2. Ref C of ref dated 27 Dec 62 grants OA and 201-311334 to AMSORREL-5. C/S Comment: *Believe DIR 07239 forwarded in error."

104-10077-10286: CABLE: RE REF A, POA GRANTED AMOZON-1, SUBJECT REF B, 5 DEC 63. COMMO TRAINING

12/05/63: Cable from Director to JMWAVE (Orig: M. Oleinez (?),SAS/IOS): Slugline RYBAT TYPIC YOBITE COMMO: "1. Re Ref A, POA granted AMOZON-1, subject Ref B, 5 Dec 63. Commo training authorized. Assigned 201-739650. 2. OA AMSORREL-5, subject Ref C amended 29 Nov 63 for commo training. SAS/Comment: *RYBAT. **(Unintelligible) PRQ Part I. ***Granted OA AMSORREL-5." 201 numbers at top of cable: 201-739650 and 201-311334.

104-10179-10209: ACCORDING AMFAST-6, AMBANG-1 INFORMED PEPE GATILLO (JOSE GARCIA VALDEZ) THEIR DEPARTURE DATE FOR PBRUMEN WOULD BE 1 JULY.

06/17/64: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: Slugline RYBAT TYPIC YOBITE AMBANG: Pages 2-3: ..."5. Gatillo also told AMFAST-6 (probably Jose Garcia Valdez) on 24 June that (handwritten: Jose?) Nicolas Salado (handwritten above: 311334) Mata left 23 June for West Palm Beach by truck with trailered boat which belongs AMBANG (MRP until 1962 - during 1962, the MRP outside of Cuba became JURE) organization. Motor of boat to be repaired in West Palm Beach and then boat to be shipped Puerto Rico aboard ferry. Gatillo said two men claiming be ODENVY (FBI) agents went to pier looking for Salado and boat. They angry to find both gone. Gatillo commented they did not look like ODENVY agents and he doubts they were. AMOT (network of Cubans trained by David Morales during 1960-61 to be a new Cuban intelligence service once Castro had been ousted) traces reveal Jose Nicolas Salado Mata born 16 May 25 in Isabela de Sagua, Las Villas, left PBRUMEN (Cuba) 25 Sept 61 and arrived WAVE area on Olga on 27 Sept. Assigned number A 12 490 730. Was fisherman and knows north coast Varadero very well. (See WAVE 8375, not send SJAN, for alleged report Salado took Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo PBRUMEN)..."

104-10274-10252: CABLE: APPROX 1600 HOURS 23 JUNE QKMAGNET RECEIVED FOLLOWING INFO FROM MR. AL TERRABACCIO

06/24/64: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: Slugline RYBAT TYPIC YOBITE AMBANG: "1. Approx 1600 hours 23 June QKMAGNET (probably the US Coast Guard) received following info from Mr. Al Terrabaccio, regular QKMAGNET contact and investigator for Senator Eastland's committee. Terrabaccio claims source as 'extremely reliable' which QKMAGNET interprets as 'possibly true': A. As of 23 June AMBANG-1 (Manuel Ray Rivero) may be in Cuba. B. As of same date Gutierrez Menoyo in Cuba. Taken these by individual identified as Nicolas Salado aka Colo. 2. QKMAGNET has info on a 'Colo' associating with SFNE. 3. WAVE traces indicate 'Colo' may be identical subject 201-311334. Subject this 201 is Gutierrez contact, professional fisherman, and has own boat."

104-10234-10414: INFILTRATION TEAM INVOLVED IN FIRE FIGHT

02/24/66: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: Slugline RYBAT TYPIC YOBITE AMOZON: AFTER ACTION REPORT OP SALLY XIV: "1. Following details supplement ref. A. AMOZON team departed OV Jade in IC at 22155 Feb local approx 2.5 miles from outer keys and proceeded towards Dromedarios Key...C. At 222230 on reaching initial bend in narrow channel 132395 AMOZON-1 heard sound of weapon bolt going into battery. He opened fire with BAR at boat located on right in mangroves only 10-12 feet from team craft. Firing from enemy on right almost simultaneous with that by AMOZON-1. Fire came from another boat on left at 132393 was returned by AMYUM-18 with LMG. Initial enemy burst apparently hit AMHAM-1 (Juan Felaifel Canahan) who fell from boat into water without uttering sound. Starboard engine hit and stopped running. AMWOO-1 (probably Jose Enrique Dausa Alvarez), P/A, ordered AMSORREL-5 to turn craft about, AMSORRER-5 pulled ahead to wider portion of channel where turn accomplished. Firing was reduced during turn. On return course AMYUM-18 and AMOZON-1 resumed firing at both enemy boats. Boat which fired initial burst fired briefly but soon ceased. Team believes it silenced by team fire. Other boat continued firing. Team estimated fire fight lasted total approx ten minutes..."

104-10229-10002: CRC ADMIN/BUDGET/FINANCE, AUGUST 68.

05/08/67: Translation of a letter from Clara Delgado to Withheld: "In your letter of 1 May 1967 you asked me for my marriage certificate and my son's birth certificate, I do not have them because my home was immediately intervened by the so-called Comandante Felix Torres who burned my family passport and wouldn't even let me get my son's clothing. My cousin (?), Porfirio's brother Rodolfo Ramirez clandestinely went to the coasts of Cuba to get me. I am sending you photostatic copies of our parolee cards. I believe they will suffice but at the same time I will write to Porfirio's mother who is still in Cuba since she has not been given permission to leave and come to this country and I will ask her to get copies of the marriage certificate. I will send them to you as I receive them."

https://cuban-exile.com/doc_001-025/doc0020.html

08/20/78: Reprint from Gramma: Titled: The Cuban Youth Tribunal Accuses the U.S. in JFK Killing: ..."*CUBAN WITNESS Juan Felaifel Canahan made important declarations in his appearance before the International Tribunal on August 2. Felaifel, as a member of the Cuban state security agencies, carried out its orders to infiltrate the CIA by first pretending he belonged to the counterrevolutionary organization known as the Movement of Revolutionary Recovery, and by making use of his contacts with his brother Anis, a CIA agent who also belonged to one of the counterrevolutionary organizations. On the orders of the stat security agencies, Felaifel traveled to Miami in April 1963 and went to work almost immediately for the CIA...He carried out 21 missions of infiltration into Cuba before returning to Cuba permanently on February 21, 1966...He went on to say that as a result of the propaganda spread against Kennedy, the Cuban exiles and the CIA agents were thrilled when they heard the news of Kennedy's death, saying that finally firm steps would be taken against the Cuban Revolution. He called attention to the reaction of Bob, a high-ranking CIA leader of Sicilian descent who had a penchant for using mafioso language. Bob was watching television with the CIA team to which Felaifel belonged when Kennedy was assassinated. When he saw the news, he burst out, 'We finally got rid of the ‘pinko' in the White House!' He said that a few days later Bob called his team together at the CIA safe house in Miami and told them that operations against Cuba would be stepped up, with no limits on expenses and no control of any king because the vice-president...was a rabid anti-Castroite and anti-communist. Present at that meeting were Jose Enrique Daussa (Note: Probably AMWOO-1), the CIA's top agent; and Nicolas Salado, Porfirio Ramirez Ruiz and Reynaldo Rodriguez Reyes, all members of Felaifel's infiltration team."

https://cuban-exile.com/doc_001-025/doc0025.html

11/27/93: Documentary called ZRRIFLE televised in Havana: ..."[Rodriguez] The Cuban counterrevolution, by unconditionally serving the CIA and the U.S. Government, tried to gain political ground from which to pressure the President to implement an immediate and drastic solution to the Cuban Revolution. At the same time, the Mafia was anxious to reclaim the juicy business of its emporium in Havana. When both realized that the policy of the Democratic administration, the dual solution, was to destroy the Revolution but not in the short term, among other reasons because they were not able to, then the two groups claimed that they had been betrayed. Allow me to say that we have an example of this in (Bob's) attitude. He was a top level leader of the CIA's Miami operations unit. Of Sicilian ancestry, his way of talking was even very similar to that of the Mafia people. While at the safe house together with the team which I had infiltrated, and watching television at the moment the assassination occurred, in an outburst of passion such as we ourselves had never seen--because his temperament was not like that --he could not contain himself and said: We have finally eliminated the pinko from the White House..." The Rodriquez mentioned at the beginning was probably Juan C. Rodriguez, Interior Ministry investigator.

Contributors:
Gavin McDonald

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