TESTIMONY FROM SAIGON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000800120005-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 10, 1998
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: May 18, 1965
• Content Type: NSPR

DAILY NEWS
,.Sanitized - Approv~ea iorrKelease :
message fc renfagan Official
PYRGHT
By MILTON BERLINER
fficial charged with embezzle-
ent of Government funds,
cached into the Chi Hoa prison
it Saigon for one of his major
'i' nesscs.
';'ruong Quant Van,' a- Diem
o
overiiment official who
"
scribed himself as apolitical
risoner," gave a deposition
here on March 2.
The questions propounded to
lira in Saigon by Atty. Henry
.erliner, and 'his answers, were
'cad into the Alexandria
Federal District Court 'trial
ecord yesterday. '
PROJECTS.-
The examination 'centered o
nilitary projects initiated i
Viet Nam by Mr. Godel and the
se of U. S. funds 'fo finance
hem.
q~ - "Did one of them become ;
nown as the strategic Hamle
rogram??
Am. VAN: "Yes, formally.
on't know if you know th
resident Diem was a Mandarin
nd he had the idea for akin
E paternalism. If some people
lo not deal with him, he will get
henm out of office."
(Abraham Dash, .- Justic
)epartment lawyer who we
here for' the . Government
bjected to the testimony a
'irrelevant.") .
Q.-"Did the Vietnames
government have funds to pa
or ' thesa .trips ' (to th
hat:__ets)?"
rm. 'Vk' T: "You ma
understand this more than me
resident Diem always urg .
he high American officials
pay; some ' from Mr. Godel
some from Gen. Lansdale, an
any high officer. wh
understands. We never believ
nr one second to get Presiders
iem' to give money. ... th
T. S: would. (produce) a whol
fistful of money so our count -
ould get it done..
CONTROL
Mr. Van testifie4. that Vi
11
Nam officials at that tim
(1961) were too mach control:,.
by Dlom's secret service. .
FaLLMUIaLty t3 Ilk. @VdU!,-
said. "Mr. Godel pay
everything."
for'
"I know President Diem.
appreciated Mr. Goslel but he
was afraid of Mr. Godel. He
said once to me that American
people that come here come to
make a coup:':-
Q.-"Can you state what - Mr.
Godel's general reputation was
among Vietnamese officials?"
"Big," Mr. Van. replied.
In. cross-examination, Mr.
Dash asked: "Do you consider
yourself a friend of Mr. Godel?"
Mi. Van eeniintted. "And
.not we would all be killed by
nationalists and so that means;..
get out the idea to fill
Vietnamese; We must have t1!
-will to fight and so after tl:`:> i
must get back and maybe go to
some foreign country. I don't'
want to stay here. They do not
appreciate this man in Viet
Nam,"
The ' defense also obtained a
-deposition from C4.. Bui- Quant
Trach at. the Combat Defense
and Test Center in Saigon. Col.
-Trach, an engineer, testified
that 'Mr. 'Godel gave President
M RI V'AN: "I hope so --but Diem aradio, a rifle and other
after' the Copp I vas arrested ' gifts.
and the Vietnamese government , .+"ilow do you know that?" Mr.
said I was'- an American spy. Dash asked.
The --really bad part is they "Because I hdVe one cousin in'
never understand. I- must fight the palace," Coi. Bra
for peace." ch replied.
M!. Berliner interrupted: 4I Counsel for co-defendant John
A. Wylie of Silver Spring
i
'
would L
ke the record- to show,
produced' , several witnesses
{
that at this point the witness. yesterday who testified that Yr,f
expressed extreme emotion; his.. Wylie had a general reputation
"We' must protect -.the- The jury is expected to gat
S rYlUZe* _ h, ed or Release : CIA RDP75% -001498000800.120005-9