MAFIA THREATENED TO DISCLOSE PLOT BY CIA TO KILL CASTRO, AIDE SAYS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01315R000300510134-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2004
• Sequence Number: 134
• Publication Date: May 22, 1975
• Content Type: NSPR

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Approved For Release 1t1O3E1;1 :ZQj,td4 P88-01.315R000300510134-8 {
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WASHINGTON-Former. Attorney
General Robert F. Kennedy was
warned that prosecution of two or
ganized crime figures could'result in
the disclosure. of a plot of the Central
itelligence Agency to kill Cuban
Premier Fidel Castro, a former high
'"Ye:ricial says.
The former official also said that he
did not know what effect the informa-
tion had on the Justice Department's
subsequent efforts to prosecute the
two men. ' We gave Kennedy the, facts and
The official, who declined use of his said, `Here's the'problem,'." the offi-.
name, said he told Kennedy about cial said., ` aMr. Kennedy said, `The
the assassination plot -in. 1952. after
the CIA, learned that Sam Giancana next time you deal with the Mafia
and John l oselli,the two Mafia fig-.' come to me first; but he didn't voice.
ures involved in. the plot, were under . any other- objection','" the.' official
investigation by Kennedy's Justice added. V .
Department. The agency was con- The department dropped its efforts
cerned that Giancana or Roselli might. to prosecute Giancana after the Chi-
threaten to disclose the plot in an ef- cago rackets chief had spent 'a' year
fort to avoid prosecution, the official to jail for refusing to answer ques-
said. . . tions before a federal grand jury. Ro-
selli was convicted of a card-fixing
scheme and subsequently revealed
his CIA connection in an unsuccessful
effort to gain a reduced sentence.
The former official. said that the
1961 plot-involved contacts between
Giancana and Roselli and two former
CIA officials. William. K. Harvey and !
Sheffield Edwards. Both Harvey, cur- i.
rentiy an attorney in Indianapolis,
Mind., and Edwards, now retired and
living in suburban Maryland, refused
to comment.
2d6 C_ (~
Approved For Release 2005/01/11: CIA-RDP88-01315R000300510134-8