CIA INVOLVEMENT TOLD IN BOMBER-EXPORT TRIAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000100420010-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 29, 1998
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: October 7, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

FOIAb3
Missing Defendant Allegedly Said
U. S. Government Agreed to Deal
By RON MASELKA
Sanitized.- Approved For R
Sanitize
An author-pilot testified Thursday that the defendant
missing from a federal court conspiracy trial told him
the CIA was involved in a B-2G bomber ferrying opera-
tion to Portugal in 1965.
"
The defense witness was Mar- He said the payment, and he
mentioned $1 million, had to be
tin Caidin, of Cocoa Beach, Fla.
arranged directly from Salazar
He detailed conversations he had
e Portuguese him-
with Gregory R. Board, 45, of (th dictator) him
self
. . . Board said arrange-
Tucson, Ariz., the defendant who
ments could. not be made unless
has not been apprehended.
an agreement was made with
The author of scores of books
the U. S. State Department and
and articles on aviation subjects,
Mr. Caidin said he first met the CIA."
Asked if he had any other
Board in '1961 when they flew
direct personal knowledge , be
three B-17 bombers to England
sides Board's statement that the
for use in a movie.
CIA was involved, Mr. Caldin re-
Mr. Caldin testified that in
early. 1965, Board said he was plied: "Not directly."
negotiating with the chief of the He said he had discussed the
project with a CIA represents-
Portuguese secret police to ship
five and with Air Force intelli
some B-26 bombers to Portugal.
gene and security officers.
Payment $1 Million "Based on my experience and as
a pilot," he added, "you just
"Board said the planes could
don't fly these type aircraft out
not be sold legally to the Portu-
of the country . . . without the
guese but the Portuguese were
complete co-operation of various
working on an arrangement so
government agencies."
they could be sold with the tacit governm
consent'... , of the U. S. govern-
Flew Over White House
fnenc" r4.caldin said. .1 .
Mr. Caidin said he recom-
:
.
,
.
?~
Hawke as a pilot and urged?
Hawke to take. the job. Mr..
Caidin said he, blmself, had
planned to fly some of the twin-
engine bombers.
During one B-26 flight, Mr.
Caldin recalled that Hawke flew
in the restricted air space over.
the White House but received no
disciplinary action. -
Caidin said. "I have never known. I
of an Incident like this before
where a severe violation was not
filed against the pilot.".
cross-examined Mr. Caldin dur.
Ing the Thursday afternoon court
sessiop and resumed his__quea+
4ioning of the witness today....,..
-'Approved For Release CIA-RDP75=0014'9R 00100420010=7