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Cryptonym: QDBIAS

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Definition:
Pedro Diaz Lanz.
Status:
Documented
Discussion:
Pedro Diaz Lanz was head of the Cuban Air Force until late spring of 1959, when he resigned, charging Communist influence in the armed forces and government. He was close to Frank Sturgis.
Sources:

104-10061-10115: LIST OF NAMES RE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION

This name list shows item 16 as QDBIAS; the following page has the identication "Pedro Diaz Lanz."

104-10260-10178: NOTE: PEDRO LUIS DIAZ LANZ 1). DID HE EVER WORK FOR CIA?

This handwritten note asks these questions regarding Pedro Diaz Lanz: "Did he ever work for CIA?" and "If so, when was he terminated?" The RIF sheet covering this document has as its subject line: QDBIAS.

124-10226-10290: No Title

After Diaz defected in June 1959, he rejoined his colleague William Pawley/QDDALE in the United States. Pawley had formed the "Fighting Tigers" with Gen. Claire Chenault and wanted his Havana bus company back. "(Diaz Lanz) was the unofficial leader of a group of his friends who included Fiorini, Jose Marcos Diaz Lanz (QDCHAR), brother of Luis and former inspector general of the FAR, Ricardo Lorie Valls (QDCOVE), former underground leader of the July 26 movement, and Carlos Echegoyen, formerly attached to the FAR Attache's office in Miami. These individuals lived in Miami and were in constant association with each other. They formed the nucleus of alleged operations against the Castro regime involving training of exiles; acquisition of boats and aircraft; and leaflet and bombing raids against Cuba... Alexander Rorke states that Fiorini is "disgusted" because he believes that Diaz set up a situation in Washington DC where their boat was turned back from reaching Cuba by the Coast Guard in April 1962 - no weapons or ammo were seized. (at p. 24 of 44)

104-10260-10168: DISPATCH: SUBJECT - SUMMARY OF CURRENT QDBIAS ACTIVITIES

2/17/60 dispatch from Patrick Karnley, Miami WHD representative to Chief, WHD: "The fact that attempts are currently being made on several side to discredit QDBIAS is, I think, largely due to his own ineptness in the face of overdoses of publicity, much of which is bad for him and makes him a target for every con artist on the scene. This is too bad because, while QDBIAS is no giant in the scheme of things, he is by no means a total loss." See 104-10119-10445, p. 4: "By October 1960, the FBI had determined that (Frank Sturgis') only activities in anti-Castro matters were in conjunction with the activities of Pedro Diaz Lanz, who was one of the leaders of the anti-Castro group 'Liberation Alliance'."

104-10180-10035: REPORT FROM FRANCISCO BESTARD FORMER G 2 AGENT REVEALED THAT EX-CAPTAIN RODRIGUEZ TAMAYO AKA EL MEJICANO AND FOUR COLLEGUES WHO WORKED WITH DIAZ LANZ

12/5/60 cable from Director to JMGOLD: "(FBI) report from Francisco Bestard former G-2 agent revealed that ex-Captain Rodriguez Tamayo aka El Mejicano and four colleagues who working with Diaz Lanz group volunteered provide Cuban G-2 following info: A. Who financing Diaz Lanz group in Cuba. B. Who providing arms in Cuba. C. Names of Diaz Lanz group members in Cuba. D. Locations outside Cuba where war materials stored. D. Locations outside Cuba where war materials stored. E. Place date times of plane departures for Cuba. F. General plans of the counter revolution...Tamayo also stated only ____ he remaining (in) US is that short while ago he sentenced to 30 years in Cuba."

104-10260-10210: DISPATCH: SUBJECT - MEETING OF CUBANS IN BAYFRONT PARK, MIAMI

5/15/61, dispatch from JMWAVE Chief of Base Stanley Zamka/David Morales to Chief, WHD, subject Operational/JMZIP/General Political Meeting of Cubans in Bayfront Park, Miami: "On 8 May 1961 AMOT-2 reported the following about a meeting in Bayfront Park, Miami, which was held on 6 May and was organized by Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz and others: 'The meeting was used to attack North Americans who had anything to do with the "Cuban affair". They also attacked Manuel ARTIME, but the audience began to protest, and the speaker, Dr. Jose A. Rodriguez Navarro, had to be replaced by DIAZ Lanz in order to keep the meeting from degenerating into a wrangle.'"

180-10141-10365: No Title

Circa 1961-62: Gaeton Fonzi memo for the HSCA: "(Maurice) Bishop also asked Veciana/AMSHALE-1 to infiltrate a group which sponsored leaflet drops over Cuba, the Cellula Fantasma. Veciana was introduced to the group by Julio Lobo/AMEMBER-1, his employer in the Cuban bank he worked at before the Castro's takeover. Cellula Fantasma's group coordinator was Sergio Rojas, Castro's former ambassador to London. Their military coordinator was Pedro Diaz Lanz and the group's advisor was Frank Sturgis."

1993.08.11.13:44:10:960006: CUBAN COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY HANDBOOK

Circa 1962-63: Notes from Cuban Counterrevolutionary Handbook: "FLU: Frente de Liberacion Unido, United Liberation Front: Headed by Felipe Vidal Santiago, who was participating in training Cuban guerillas in Florida April 1962. After long history (of) association with Sanchez Arango (AMEER-1), Eusebeo Mujal and others, he formed FLU and initially cooperated with Comando 100 and Garceran, later with Diaz Lanz (QDBIAS)."

124-10350-10080: No Title

4/25/63 FBI letterhead memo reports that a 28 foot Chris Craft helmed by Felipe Vidal had been seized on 4/14/63 and that Vidal was facing an exclusion hearing on 4/17. Vidal is described as founder of the MLDR (Revolutionary Democratic Liberation Movement). "He was Naval Assistant and Advisor to the Government of Cuba from 1948 to 1950, and Naval Assistant to the Minister of Defense from 1954 to 1956. Vidal was head of the Maritime Police early in 1959, and Cuban Naval Attache in Venezuela when he resigned his post to participate in counterrevolutionary activities against the present government of Cuba. He collaborated in the founding of the (FULN - the United Front of National Liberation) and is Secretary of that organization."

124-10294-10122: No Title

FBI letterhead memo, 4/3/64: "On March 17, 1964, MM T-1 reported that Felipe Vidal Santiago, a former Cuban naval officer who has been involved in anti-Castro activities in the Miami area, is also cooperating in the plans of Pedro and Marcos Diaz Lanz. Among themselves, they decided that Pedro Diaz would be made Chief of the Air Force, and that Felipe Vidal would be head of the Navy."

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Contributors:
MFF • Bill Simpich

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