104 10219 10283

104-10219-10283 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

MEMORANDUM FOR: Federal Bureau of Investigation SUBJECT: Person Ferguson MITCHELL, William Hamilton MARTIN, Espionage-R

HX-17 17 July 1961

Reference is made to the following communications, which contain information pertinent to the new information reported in succeeding paragraphs:

a. Memorandum of 16 June 1961 from this Agency addressed to the National Security Agency, a copy of which was forwarded to your Bureau, captioned as above.

b. Bureau letter of 22 June 1961, addressed to the Director, National Security Agency, with copy to this Agency, captioned: Person Ferguson MITCHELL, William Hamilton MARTIN; MISCELLANEOUS - INFORMATION CONCERNING.

c. Department of Immigration Name Check Request Form, File A-2, dated 18 June 1961 addressed to your Bureau with copy to this Agency, in the name of Justo SIERRA, born 14 July 1914, Mexico, D.F., who entered the United States at New Orleans, Louisiana, on 13 June 1961 with destination address of Mexican Embassy, Washington, D.C. (Not sent information address)

d. Various earlier Department of Immigration Name Check Requests on Justo SIERRA covering his previous trips to this country. (Not to NSA)

e. Our memorandum of 29 December 1960, addressed to your Bureau, per reference CSCI-2/769, 270 with enclosure, Subject: SIERRA, Justo: Visa - Mexican, and earlier communications forwarding name trace results on this individual. (Not to NSA)

SECRET

c. Further inquiries in Mexico by our officials there revealed that Nicolas DAMASCUS had been ordered to leave Mexico in October 1960 solely because of the expiration of his tourist card, which had been once extended. Mexican records fail to show that he returned to Mexico, allowing his entry into the United States at Brownsville, Texas, from Matamoros, Tamaulipas on 24 October 1960. Upon arrival in Mexico on 22 June 1960, he indicated that the purpose of his visit was to attend the wedding of his sister, Anastasia, identified in preceding paragraph, however, as of 21 June 1961, there was no record of Anastasia DAMASCUS aka DAMASCOU in official Mexican files, and there was no yet no identification of the individual she was alleged to have been scheduled to marry. From the same source it was learned that for the period 21 June through 8 September 1960, the only address listed in official indices for Nicolas DAMASCUS is c/o Justo SIERRA, Reforma 95-407, Mexico City, which is the law office maintained by Justo SIERRA Casasus, former Counselor of the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C., and who is further identified in the documents cited in paragraph 1. c. through h. above. DAMASCUS reportedly used SIERRA to attempt to obtain an extension of his tourist permit, although the details of his contacts with and knowledge of SIERRA himself are not known at this time. Neither has it been possible as of this date to verify the reported contact between Nicolas DAMASCUS and Subjects at the Hotel New Yorker, as reported by Mr. Thomas DONLON. Investigation efforts abroad by this Agency are continuing, however, and any further information developed will be forwarded as soon as available.

In light of the escape route used by the two NSA defectors, transiting Mexico and presumably Cuba enroute to the USSR, your particular attention is invited to the information concerning the contacts and views of Justo SIERRA Casasus furnished in the reports cited in paragraph 1. e., f., and g. above. It is noted Justo SIERRA Casasus is identical with the former Don Justo SIERRA, First Secretary at the Embassy of Mexico, mentioned in Bureau Reports cited in paragraph h. above as a contact of Boris A. KAZANTSEV, First Secretary of the Soviet Embassy in Washington from 1952-54. It is further noted that Boris KAZANTSEV, after returning to Moscow in 1954 and assuming the post of First Secretary in the Latin American Division of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was next assigned from 1953 to 1957 as First Secretary and subsequently Counselor of the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City, and that as of 1960 he was assigned to the Soviet Embassy in Havana, Cuba, in the position of Counselor, departing Havana for Mexico, in company of his wife and daughter, on 30 June 1961, and then proceeding to Canada on 2 July 1961.

SECRET

f. Teletypes information Report from this agency, dated 9 April 1959, Report No. IDCS-3/639,947, Subject: Contacts Between Fidel CASTRO Ruz and Lazero CARDENAS.

g. Intelligence Report of the Agency dated 7 September 1956, Report No. CS-102629, subject: Marxist Indoctrination of the Partido Popular.

h. Bureau Report dated 17 June 1954, prepared at Washington, D.C. by Special Agent Boyd D. Adsit, captioned: Soviet Cultivation of Latin American Espionage - Internal Security - R and Bureau letter of 21 August 1954, addressed to this Agency, forwarding as enclosure Washington Field Office Report of 16 August 1954, prepared by Special Agent William C. Cregar on the same subject. Bureau file Reference: 105-22386. (Not to NSA)

Since the writing of our memorandum of 14 June 1961, (cl. para l.a. above), the following supplementary information has been developed concerning Nicolas Georges DAMASCUS aka DAMASKU, who is a contact and client of Justo SIERRA Casasus, mentioned in the communications referenced in paragraphs 1. c. through h. above.

a. Nicolas Georges DAMASCUS reportedly is officially listed in Egypt under the name of Nicolas George DAMASCOU, born 10 March 1931 at Alexandria, the son of George DAMASCOU and Angelika DAMASCOU RODEAVOURAS. He is a Greek national and holds Greek citizenship. From 1947 through 1957, he resided at 57 Heliopolis Street in Alexandria. Representatives of this Agency in Alexandria advice that local available records indicate that as of May 1959, Nicolas DAMASCOU resided at 4 Birley Place, Elisabeth Bay, Sydney, Australia, and that he listed his occupation as that of Clerk. Our field records indicate that as of May 1959, the United States Consulate in Sydney had some interest in him, and it is suggested that the indices of the Department of State may contain further information concerning this individual.

b. Anastasia (or Anastasie) George DAMASCUS aka DAMASCOU, sister of Nicolas DAMASCUS, above, was born March 1933, place of birth not indicated but presumably Egypt. Was identified by our representatives in Alexandria as having filed application for a United States Visa at London, England in July 1956, listing her occupation as that of entertainer. It is suggested that the Visa Files of the Department of State may contain additional information on this individual.

SECRET

The records of this Agency indicate that Boris A. KAZANTSEV is a known Soviet Intelligence Officer, most probably representing Soviet State Security (KGB). It is requested that any further information which may be reflected in the indices of your Bureau, or those of information addressee, reflecting upon the relationship of Nicolas Georges DAMASCUS aka DAMASCOU and his sister Anastasia Georges DAMASCUS aka DAMASCOU with Justo SIERRA Casasus, on the latter's contact with representatives or agents of the CASTRO government in Cuba, or on SIERRA's continued contacts with KAZANTSEV or other suspect Soviet officials or agents in this country or elsewhere be forwarded to this Agency as quickly as possible. A request along the same lines has already been forwarded to our representatives in Mexico City, and you will be kept advised of any further information which may be developed in this regard.

FOR THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR (PLANS):

William K. Harvey

cc: National Security Agency

DD/P/FI/D/APotocki:mem

Distribution: Orig & 1 - addressee 1 - CS Copy- 100-6-124/3 2 - CG/SRS 1 - CI/OPS 1 - 201-282337 1- 201-282338

Based on: 201-24592, SIERRA ALEX 2793 (IN 37468), 12 Jul 61 MEXI 8266 (IN 28014), 21 Jun 61 DIR 49505 (OUT 79310), 7 Jul 61