CONSPIRACY IS CHARGED TO U.S. AT TRIAL OF 3 IN B26 CASE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000100420015-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 29, 1998
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: September 22, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

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Sanitized - Approved "For? .Release.: 'CI
same type Of--. attack-bombers
use in the Bay of Pigs invasion,
engaged in a perfectly legiti
-~
in the Congo and in other trouble mate business deal.
spots.
No opening statement was,
"Hawke thought and had
made by Paul Birzon of Buffalo,
every reason to believe he was
attorney for Woodrow Wilson
working for the government of
Roderick, a Canadian who is
the U.S.," Marger said.
accused only under the con
Earlier in the day, Merger
spiracy indictment and is not
asked U.S. District Judge John
is
accused, as are Hawke and De
0. Anderson to subpoena a
Montmarin, of actually" taking
number of witnesses at govern-
planes from the country,
ment expense because Hawke
could not afford to pay for their
First Witness
appearance at the trial here. In a surprise move, Curtin. ,
The list of witnesses he will called as his first witness Keaf
week, trict J.the judge later will in the
include Griggers, a 42-year-old pilot
a number of high-ranking gov- mechanic who now runs a bar
and cdhrestaurant in Jamestown,; ? ?'.
ernment officials, including Calif. An indictment against
present and former employes of Gri
'`spooks" of 'the Central Intelli-
gence Agency will appear
throughout the trial here of
three men accused of conspiring
to smuggle B26 bombers out of
the United States, the attorney
for one of the defendants pre-
dicted in his opening statement.
If there was conspiracy, the
chief conspirator was the U.S.
government, Edwin Marger, a
high-flying lawyer-pilot from
Miami Beach, Fla., told the jury
of 10 men and two women as
the case opened yesterday
afternoon.
Marger represents John
Richard Hawke, 29, a former
,oval Air Force fighter pilot
rom Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who
las described on a number ofccasions how he flew seven B-
? 6 bombers from Tucson, Ariz.,here they had been bought
rom the government and recon-
itioned, . to Tancos Air Force
ase near Lisbon for use by the
ortuguese . in their African e ossession of_ Angola and Mo-
ambi9ue.
"We will show," Marger said,
that at all times the govern- d ent knew what was going on - h nd that the government wanted I. e planes moved to Portugal."
Sees a Pattern b Y During the trial, he told the d ry, he will attempt to show b gat the shipment of planes a etween May and mid-August of F 1 at ? year followed :,a -attern t
miler to,-.that,, inwhich' the p
he CIA. gggers was as missed Tuts-;.
t
In his op enin statement U.S. dsub ay and he was immediately'
ned as a prosecution;
A
tty. Jon T g Curtin said he witness.
would also . call a number of witne to show pervis d told how he had
g
overnment officials
hat the alleged cons irac was supervised the reconstruction of
t
c
arried on gcontrary toy U.S. Aircraft Cosin Tucson e for Grego-
p
olicy and without the knowl-
dge of the government. ry Board, a 95 year-old resident
Whether or not the of Jamaica, the alleged brains
govern- behind the entire operation.
m
ent itself will call an official Board left the
country two days'
o
f the CIA to make a formal before Hawke and Dc Montmarin
enial as of the offense contention were arrested on Sept. 16, 1965, 'Alt
not yet been decided. and, the government says,
The possibility of CIA, involve- cannot be extradicted on the,
m
eat in the case was not raised smuggling charge.
y Edward Brotsky of New Board instructed him, "Gri
ork, attorney for Count Henri g saido Montmarin, an alleged go- with lows at irframeu ands engino
etween in the deal. Instead, he time, ,and, if possible, to select;
rgued that De Montmarin, a those that could be fitted with.
'.:
renchman who is accompanied nose sections capable of mount
o
, court each day by an inter- ing and,. firing eight b0-calibea
reteri, thought that,,export machine guns, l
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Sanitized - Approved For Release :' CIA-RQP76