104 10095 10276

14-00000 104-10095-10276 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

S-E-C-R-E-T

20 September 1960

MEMORANDUM FOR: DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

SUBJECT: Summary of STESCALADE - Audio Operation Against the New China News Agency in Havana

  1. In May 1959, the New China News Agency (NCNA) opened an office in Havana in the El Medico Building which is occupied partly by business concerns and partly used for residential apart- ments. Shortly thereafter, the Havana Station obtained the con- currence of Ambassador Bonsal and Miss Carolyn O. Stacey, an Embassy employee, to mount an audio operation against NCNA through the wall of the adjacent apartment in which Miss Stacey lived. In November 1959, the FE Division sent one case officer and one TSD technician to Havana, and the installation of a microphone and tape recorder was completed in Miss Stacey's apartment on 29 November 1959.

  2. By June 1960, it had become evident that two other rooms occupied by NCNA possibly housed communication equipment and were used for conferences. At that time Bryan Mills, FE Division case officer, went to Havana and explored the possibility of improving the operation. He managed to lease an apartment directly over the NCNA office and arranged for a stay-behind agent to occupy this space.

  3. In August 1960, a team of three TSD technicians who were in Havana on a separate SR Division operation agreed to install the .. additional equipment required for the NCNA operation. A second FE Division case officer, Robert Neet, came down to Havana; and he, together with the technicians, installed a probe microphone and tape recorder in the apartment obtained by Mills over the NCNA office. About this time the equipment was removed from Miss Stacey's apartment, with the exception of the plastic probe which was left in the wall and plastered over. 14-00000 S-E-C-R-E-T

  4. As an additional security precaution to provide a safe haven, and after consultation with the Acting Chief of Station, a key to an apartment in the same building leased by Mrs. Marjorie Lennox, an Embassy secretary, was cotained. Mrs. Lennox was told that access to her apartment was needed for photographic surveillance purposes.

  5. The Station was then faced with the probability that time and security would work against holding indefinitely the lease to the apartment over NCNA since the owners of the building were cancelling sub-lessors' contracts and recalling leases. It was, therefore, decided to install transmitters and switches in order to permit continued monitoring of the target from a distant listening post. Another three-man team of TSD technicians consisting of David L. Christ (alias Carswell), Walter E. Szuminski (alias Taransky) and Thornton J. Anderson (alias Danbrunt) documented as tourists had been sent to Havana to install audio equipment in the Chinese Nationalist Embassy before it was due to be turned over to the Chinese Communits. This operation aborted. This team was then sent to work on the installation of the transmitters in the apart- ment over the NCNA office,

  6. At 2400 hours on 14 September, Christ, who with the other technicians was working in the target apartment, failed to keep a scheduled appointment with Neet. At 0100 hours on the 15th of September, the apartment of Mrs. Lennox was entered into and searched by Cuban authorities, and she was taken into custody. At 1540 hours on 15 September, Neet, the stay-behind agent and his wife. were picked up by the Cuban authorities and detained.

  7. As of today the agent remains in the custody of the Cuban authorities. His wife has been released and is still in Havana. Neet was released. 1715 hours 16 September and has subsequently returned. to Washington where he is being debriefed. Mrs. Lennox was subsequently released and has also returned to Washington where she is being debriefed, The three TSD technicians remain in confinement, They have been seen in confinement but not contacted by an Embassy officer when he first attempted to secure the release of Mrs. Lennox. Christ was last seen by Neet when they were jointly interrogated the morning of 16 September. At that time Christ did not appear -2- S-E-C-R-E-T 14-00000 S-E-C-R-E-T

to have been maltreated.

  1. According to articles in the Cuban papers the three technicians were arrested while in the apartment over the NCNA office and completing the installation of the equipment. The press article adds that the key to Mrs, Lennox's apartment was found on one of the technicians who identified the apartment to which it belonged. All Cuban press releases have referred to the men by alias and have not identified them as Government or Agency employees. It is unclear at present what story had been agreed upon by the technicians and station personnel to be used in the event they were caught. (While being interrogated with Neet, Christ indicated that Neet was his boss, and Neet consistently denied any knowledge as to why he was being held.) The sub-lease for the apartment in which the men were caught is in the name of the stay- behind agent with the original lease being in the name of Mills, the FE Division Case Officer.

  2. Initial information indicated that the three technicians would be charged with espionage "against the people of China". Subsequent press releases have been unclear on this point. An attempt by Consul Hugh Kessler to contact the three men at 1730 hours on 17 September was unsuccessful. He was not permitted to see them but was told they were in custody.

  3. The three technicians travelled to Cuba as tourists under very light commercial cover, two of them working for a company in New York and the third, one in Baltimore. In each case the cover company consists of a telephone answering service and a name on the door. Telephone messages and mail are picked up periodically by a n Agency contract employee. The men were provided with this cover as well as unbackstopped home addresses for use when entering or leaving Cuba as tourists since the filling out of the landing card requires this information. Subsequent to their detention the home addresses have been partially backstopped so that inquiries will indicate that someone with this alias name had lived in the apartment house in question. Insofar as the cover companies are concerned, efforts are being made to provide a backstop to withstand inquiries from the press should the Cubans reveal this information. In view -3- 14-00000 S-E-C-R-E-T

cf the thinness of the cover, it is uncertain whether this will succeed.

  1. A cleared and we tting law firm in New York has been briefed by Mr. L. Houston on the situation with the thought that inquiries received by the cover company could be referred to the firm of lawyers from whom no comment would be obtained by the press or other inquirers. The law firm has been briefed on the entire situa- tion so that they may be in a position to act if any action by them appears desirable or feasible. It would not appear that much support cí any kind can be obtained from the law firm or the law firms in Cuba which are associated with them.

  2. Insofar as the families are concerned, one of the technicians is a bachelor presently on home leave between two tours in Japan. His father, a cook in a diner in the Boston area, has been contacted by the Office of Security, and he will get in touch with Security if he receives any inquiries on this matter, Security, by the same token, will keep in touch with him as the Cubans reveal their inten- tions and course of action.

  3. The wives of the other two technicians have been told what has happened and are being contacted at least once daily by TSD staffers and their wives who have been briefed on the situation. A conference with the two wives was held in TSD on 19 September to go over the whole situation and determine if there were any personal problems on which the Agency could be of help. For the time being the wives are telling their neighbors that their husbands are on a trip. This story will be adjusted depending on what course of action. the Cuban Government takes, whether the aliases remain unbroken and whether recognizable photographs of the individuals are released. to the press. The two wives so far have taken the bad news exceedingly well..

RUDOLPH E. GOMEZ Acting Chier, WH Distribution: DCI - 2 WH - 3 DDCI - 1 OS - 1 DD/P - 1 CI - 1 COPS - 1

-4- S-E-C-R-E-T 14-00000 DD/? att' : RELEASE CONTINGENCY OPLAN 62-2

CHART OR MAF REFERENCE: Sectoral crocautical farts As regard.

TASK ORGANIZATION: Det. 1, 1045th Operational Evaluation and Training Group. Major Billy B. Carpbell, Comcender.

  1. SITUATION: tace A. Dwbrunt (Alias) and Eiend ployees who were appretarded by and who are uk serving ten year seutea- Daniel L. Cerswell (Alias), R. Teransky (Alius) are TED Staff Cuban authorities in September 1950 сев. Mforts are being aude to sourre their release. Stree their release nay cour without advance notice or at a variety of places, is. Havecs, Minad, Mexico City, Switzerland, az, etc., it is perfidve that a contingency plan be formulated to sure tar ancare reception of these epicyees. ) The controlling factor in all pues of the release predare is that these employees were in Cube 1.der alias and that during the entire period since their cuture their 80s and over stories apparently have been sintescued. Therefore it is essential that there alienee be maintained until such time as the pilnas here toned to Agrey ca trol and then have these aline domain disemper es quickly ja perio ble.

For pleuning purposes the case is will be ilwara, Mexico City or "ocher areas".

  1. M135ION: Tet. 1, 1045th Operetzonel Enlustice ard Training Group provide black air transportation on para of why CS to the designated sit krea.

  2. EBOUTICK: A. Black asr meaqat ville valer this ples at the request of IPH, COS Vezien, Operation appart Hvister/(6/305 spending on the release point ami ortay, 14-00000 -2-

  3. Request for black transport should incinda:

  4. Request that RELEASE CONTINGENCY OPLAN 62-2 de implemented.

  5. Port of entry.

  6. Date, Local time, and esrfield desired for pick up.

  7. Desired destination.

  8. Other requirements, ie., stretchers or buks in the event subjects are hospital cases.

  9. Name, organization and selephone number of requesting party.

  10. Name and telephone mcber of KUBARK contests at loading ard off-wading points.

C. The following personnel are knowledgeable and charged with the responsibility of activating this plan:

  1. Major Richart. I. Skinner, AC/ASD/DD/P Organization: Air Support Division, ID/P Home Phone: JE 3-11:09 Office Phone: : Sterile Numbers E 8-6285, EX 3-8515 Extensions 6862,7664,7367 Rel Line 1058

  2. Mr. Robert Morrero Organization: Air Support Division, DD/P Hore Phone: JA 4-3598 Office Phone: Same as 1.

  3. Major Billy B. Campbell, Commmender, Dat. 1. : Organization: Dat. 1, 1045th Operational Evaluation and Training Crom, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Hore Phone: 662737 Office Fhone: Eglin Air Force Besu, Florida 631590

  4. Major Kenneth R. Burton, Cas Officer, Det. 1. Organization: Dat. 1, 1045th Operational Evaluation end Training Croup, Eglin Air Force Babe, Florida. Home Phone: 662464 Office Fasre: Eglin Air Force Bene, Florida 631213

S-E-C-R-E-T 14-00000 S-E-C-R-E-T -3-

D. Det. 3. furnish 1 C-54 and ares in standby capacity until further notice. Stanīby capacity is heroin defined as espability to pocition the eircraft at any port of entry in cast, south or southwest U. S. from Easton to Los Angeles within 15 heurs.

E. Assurring the subjects will be released in Havena er Mexico City, Pet, I will prepare mission folders for flights from most probeble ports of entry to Isolation and Andrews Air Force Base. Distribution: Orig. & 1 - CI Stal? 3-08 3-CP 3-18 L 3-C/FE 3-C/TSD 3-CCG 3- 3-C/WH 3 - DPD/DDR : RICHARD I. SKINNER