STATUS OF THE INVESTIGATION OF THE KIDNAPPING OF WILLIAM F. NIEHOUS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06708812
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: November 27, 2017
• Case Number: F-2017-00199
• Publication Date: September 13, 1978

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DIRECTOEATI OF
OPERATIONS
SE RET
ROUTINE
Intelligence Information Cable IN 1261297
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TvJPAGE 001 OF 006
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
STATE/DIR FBI SDO
CHARD COPIES TO: NSC/S DCl/NFAC wHS/TRm
0/CRC D/ORPA).
Opalbad by ed Repetting Officer. Enema, from General Declassification Schedule of E.O. 11632 hesitation
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Category SS Impossible to Determine Dote of Ault:ma/It Declass/'Illation.
THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, IA21 FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
REPORT CLASS S V/R E T�wWNINTELOMFORN�NOCONTRACT�ORCON
EXCLUSIVE DISSEMINATION TO ADDRESSEES LISTED IN FINAL PARAGRAPH
1EXCLUSIE 172:TANI'
COUNTRYt VENEZUELA
SUBJECT: STATUS OF THE INVESTIGATION OF THE KIDNAPPING OF
WILLIAM F. NIEHOUS.
SOURCE SEE BELOw,
SUMMARY: NEwLY APPOINTED MINISTER OF INTERIOR MANUEL
JOSE MANTILLA CACERES IS SUPPORTING THE SPECIAL TEAM INvES-
TIGATING THE KIDNAPPING OF UNITED STATES BUSINESSMAN WILLIAM
Fv, NIEHOUS. MANTILLA HAS RELEASED THE GROUP'S OPERATING
FUNDS. HAS AGREED TO ASSIGN MORE PEOPLE TO THE TEAM AND
HAS ORDERED THE DIRECTORATE FOR THE SERVICES OF INTELLIGENCE
AND PREVENTION (OMP) TO COOPERATE WITH THE SPECIAL TEAM,
AS FOR NIEHOUS, A SUSPECT IN THE CASE SAID IN LATE JULY 1978
THAT NIEHOUS IS STILL ALIVE BUT THAT THE OPERATION IS NOW IN
THE HANDS OF AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP. MEANWHILE, THE VENE�
CITE
DIST 13 SEP 78
1
ZUELAN ARMY IN BOLIVAR STATE IS INDEPENDENTLY INVESTIGATING
THE REPORTS THAT NIEHOUS IS BEING HELD IN A REMOTE AREA OF THAT
STATE, END SUMMARY.
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WARNING NOTICE PAGE 002 OF 006
SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT
2. SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFFICE AS MINISTER OF INTERIOR
MANUEL JOSEMANTILLACACERES MOVED TO STRENGHTHEN THE
SPECIAL OFFICE CHARGED wITH PURSUING THE INVESTIGATION OF
THE FEBRUARY 1976 KIDNAPPING OF UNITED STATES BUSINESSMAN
WILLIAM F. NIEHOUS. HIS FIRST ORDER INVOLVING THE SPECIAL
TEAM WAS TO RELEASE FUNDS NEEDED BY THE GROUP TO CARRY FORTH
AND EXPAND ITS INVESTIGATION.
COMMENT: EARLIER
DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY THE GROUP IN RECEIVING OPERATING
FUNDS FROM THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR WERE PROBABLY DUE TO THE
LACK OF ORGANIZATION UNDER OCTAVIOLEPAGE, who AS THE
MINISTER UNTIL LATE AUGUST 1975 fth(N HE RESIGNED TO PARTI�
CIPATE IN THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS, AND NOT TO ANy'uLTERIoN
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MOTIVE ON LEPAGE'S PART.)
FOR AN EARLIER
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0:0(3)
IRCPORT ON THE SPECIAL TEAM'S PROBLEmS
SEE
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!
S. /N ADDITION TO RELEASING THE GROUP'S OPERATING
FUNDS, MANTILLA hAS AGREED To THE ASSIGNMENT OF ADDITIONAL
OFFICERS FROM THE DIRECTORATE FOR THE SERVICES OF INTELLI�
OENCE AND PREVENTION (OISP) , HE HAS ALSO ORDERED THE
INTERIOR MINISTRY'S SPECIAL ELECTRONIC MONITORING SECTION
,TO ALLOCATE SOME OF ITS FACILITIES TO THE NIEHOUS INvESTI�
CATION, FURTHERMORE. HAVING LEARNED THAT DISIP DIRECTOR
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wARNING NOTICE PAGE 003 OF 006
SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOuRCES AND METHODS INVOLVED
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT
RETIRED GENERAL RAULGIMENEZFAINZA WAS RUNNING MIS
OWN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE NIEHOUS KIDNAPPING,
.!.MANTILLA ORDERED GIMINEZ TO,DISBAND HIS OPERATION AND TO -
tTURN ALL INFORMATION ON THE CASE OVER TO RAFAELRIVAS
VASOUEZ, THE DISIP DEPUTY WHO HEADS THE SPECIAL
NEIHOUS INVESTIGATIVE GROUP, COMMENTt FOR AN
EARLIER REPORT ON THE RIVALRY BETWEEN GIMINEZ AND RIVASs
SEE
4. UPON RECEIVING ITS OPERATING FUNDS, THE NIEHOUS
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT ACTIVELY REOPENED THE CASE,
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IN LATE JULY
1978
NIEHOUS
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M(3)/
IS STILL ALIVE,
THE NIEHOUS OPERATION
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IS STILL IN PROGRESS; HOWEVER,
THE ORIGINAL VENEZUELAN
KIDNAP GROUP HAS LOST CONTROL OF THE OPERATION
AND
IT IS
NOW IN THE HANDS OF AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP,
IN TIME
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'NIEHOUS MIGHT WELL BE RELEASED IN AN UNSPECIFIED FOREIGN
COUNTRY AND THAT UPON HIS RELEASE NIEHOUS WOULD POSSIBLY
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. . .WARNING NOTICE � PAGE 004 OF 006
SENSITIVE INTELLIBENCESOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED.
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT
MAKE STRONG STATEMENTS AGAINST THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT AND
HIS UNITED STATES EMPLOYER.
5.
6.
7. IN ADDITION TO D;SIP AND THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE
, -
TEAM, THE VENEZUELAN miLITAR,( IS ALSO ACTIVELY PURSUING LEADS
IN THE NIEHOUS FURTHERMORE; THE MILITARY IS NOT INFORM.
ING'THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR.OF ITS ACTIVITIES, OR IS IT
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NARNING NOTICE PAGE 005 OF 006
SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOuPCES .,FTHODS INVOLVED
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFoRmATION SuBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT
tPAssING ON INFORMATION DEVELOPED TO THE MINISTRY OR THE SPECIAL
INVESTIGATIVE TEAM,
So SPECIFICALLY, VENEZUELAN ARMY OFFICIALS IN BOLIVAR
STATE HAVE RECENTLY RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT NIEHOUS IS
'ALIVE AND IS BEING HELD ONARANCH OwNED BY OLONZOLANZ
.CASTELLANO, A LAwYER WHO AT ONE TIME HAS INVOLVED IN GUERRILLA
,ACTIVITIES.
THE LANZ RANCH IS LOCATED IN A VERY REMOTE AREA
BETWEEN THE TOWNS OF UPATA AND GuAs1PATI IN BOL1vAR STATE,
AN ARMY COUNTERINTELLIGENCE UNIT HAS RECONNOTTEPED THE AREA
AND HAS FOUND DEFINITE EVIDENCE OF GUERRILLA OCCUPATION,
ON THE BASIS OF THE RECONNAISSANCE REPORT ARMY OFFICIALS IN
,OOLIVAR STATE ARE ATTEMPTING, TO DECIDE ImETNER THEY WILL
!RAID THE AREA IN FORCE.,
9.
10.
11. wASHINGTON-DISSEm:
TO STATE
EXCLUSIVE FOR THE DIRECTOR, 1NR
TO FBI EXCLUSIVE FOR THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
INTELLIGENCE DIVISION
'REPORT CLASS SECRET,D�HARNING NOTICE�SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE
SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED�NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS.
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SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED
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DISSEMINATION AND EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION CONTROLLED BY �
.0RIGINATOR..
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