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Cryptonym: TPELIDE

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Definition:
At least through 4/64, used by the Mexico City station as a generic term for "embassy" and also used for a CIA team conducting surveillance. Caused confusion within CIA ranks.
Status:
Probable
Discussion:
One of the JFK/Mexico City documents refers to TPELIDE, It is one of the two 10/10/63 cables from HQ discussing Oswald's visit to Mexico City.
Sources:

104-10169-10054: AMERICAN NEGRO WHO TRAVELED TO CHINA.

4/20/61 cable referring to David Dubois, stepson of W.E.B. DuBois, who sought out "a TPELIDE officer" in Egypt. Again, the context suggests that the cryptonym refers to an embassy.

104-10052-10057: DESCRIPTION OF AND INFO ON LEE H. OSWALD SENT TO MEXICO CITY FOR ID ON LEE OSWAL WHO CALLED SOVIET EMBASSY 1 OCTOBER

10/10/63 cable: TPELIDE is referenced as one of the local groups to contact, rather than ODACID (State Department), regarding the physical description of "Lee Harvey Oswald." Maybe this was because local State Dept. personnel would be found inside the American embassy in Mexico City. Neither this cable nor the other one of the same time period were provided to the Warren Commission - instead, the Warren Commission agreed to accept paraphrases of these documents at a 3/12/64 meeting - only when these documents were released in the 1990s did researchers see the contradictions inherent in these two cables for the first time. See http://maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=4674&search=verson_AND+FBI#relPageId=9&tab=page David Wise writes on how back in 1967 associate counsel Samuel Stern for the Warren Commission wrote that all of the files had been reviewed either by sight or by "paraphrase". In other words, these documents were paraphrased for Stern. He did not see them. http://maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=4712#relPageId=8&tab=page

104-10132-10152: NO INDICATION OF BEING UNDER SURVEILLANCE

11/22/63 from Amman, Jordan: "REDACTED claims he would know if ODYOKERS/Americans under surveillance. He insures they not. This also probably true. Neither TPELIDE nor KUBARK personnel have noticed any indication surveillance during past week. Will advise if receive any contrary evidence."

104-10132-10152: NO INDICATION OF BEING UNDER SURVEILLANCE.

11/22/63 cable from Amman to HQ: "...Neither TPELIDE or (CIA) personnel have noticed any indication of surveillance last week."

104-10180-10044: CIA FILE ON ROGELIO RODRIGUEZ LOPEZ.

1/7/64 interview of LITAMIL-9 by Robert Shaw: "L-9 was asked what all the ruckus was at the airport on January 5. This drew a blank...(Shaw) remarked that two Cuban officials were supposedly on the flight from Havana...one from the Embassy at Montevideo...L-9 was not aware that REDACTED was on the Jan 5 flight - he described him perfectly. He was not made aware of (CIA) involvement in the alleged 'assault', nor was he told anything about REDACTED appearance at TPELIDE."

104-10188-10080: DISPATCH-CONFUSION IN USE OF CRYPTONYMS

4/1/64: "The station's use of certain cryptonyms identifying technical operations against PBRUMEN TPELIDE (the Cuban embassy) has caused confusion in Headquarters..."

104-10414-10358: DISPATCH-CONFUSION OF CRYPTONYMS

In June 1964, the station says that "the photo coverage, the basehouse, PBRUMEN TPELIDE and the activity for which the cryptonym was first authorized have all been identified as LIERODE which has caused considerable confusion here at headquarters."

104-10422-10044: SIGNIFICANT DETAILS REGARDING VISIT BY SENATE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES WORKING ON THE OSWALD CASE

In 1975, Church committee staffers talk with a CIA officer - unnamed but maybe Paul Hartman - about the CIA's files on Oswald. In particular, they discuss the TPELIDE reference discussed in the previous note: "The cryptonym was TPELIDE, and its meaning made no sense in the context of the cable. Although we did resolve the matter on the basis of logic, there is still that nagging feeling that it's not quite what it should be."

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Contributors:
Bill Simpich

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