LA TERCERA ON CIA AND FBI INVOLVEMENT IN LETELIER CASE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000403680007-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2010
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: February 11, 1987
• Content Type: CABLE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/22 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000403680007-5
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STATE FOR ARA/SC; DEPUTY LEGAL ADVISOR KOZAK
FBI FOR PIMENTEL
E.O. 12356: N/A
SUBJ: "LA TERCERA" ON CIA AND FBI INVOLVEMENT IN
LETELIER CASE
FEBRUARY 11 TOP CIRCULATION DAILY "LA TERCERA" ARTICLE
HEADLINED "CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE CIA AND THE FBI IN
THE LETELIER CASE ARE LIKE A MOVIE" ACCUSES CIA AND FBI
OF INVOLVEMENT IN LETELIER MURDER. PARTIAL TEXT:
"THE SPECTACULAR ARRIVAL IN WASHINGTON OF EX -
CAPTAIN OF THE CHILEAN ARMY, ARMANDO FERNANDEZ LARIOS,
ABOARD THE PERSONAL JET OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE FBI,
DIRECTLY TO ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE DEMONSTRATES THE KEY
ROLE THIS INSTITUTION PLAYED IN THE SURPRISE APPEARANCE
OF THIS EX - OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES.
"THE FBI ... AND THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
APPEAR TO BE INVOLVED IN THE ASSASINATION OF LETELIER,
WHO PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE AS AN AGENT OF THE OFFICE
OF INTELLIGENCE OF FIDEL CASTRO.
UPON ITS EXECUTION, THE CASE MUST HAVE COME UNDER
THE AUSPICES OF THE FEI, BUT VERY QUICKLY THIS CHANGED IN
A STRONG CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THIS AGENCY AND THE
CIA... IT IS PROBABLE THAT REASONS EXIST IN THE GOVERNMENT
AND THERE WERE STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH THE CONGRESS AND
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE IN ORDER TO PERMIT AN OPERATION
OF THIS MAGNITUDE IN ONE OF THE MOST GUARDED CAPITALS ON
EARTH.
"BUT A TINY OPENING PRESENTED ITSELF TO THE FBI. AN
EX - MEMBER OF THE CIA, BROTHER - IN - LAW OF CHILEAN
OFFICER FERNANDEZ LARIOS, REPORTED THAT HE (FERNANDEZ
LARIOS) WAS GOING THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT TIME
PERSONALLY. THEY REALIZED THAT FERNANDEZ LARIOS WAS A
VERY VULNERABLE PERSON AND THAT THEREFORE THEY COULD NOW
CONTINUE THEIR INVESTIGATION. WHEN THEY WERE CERTAIN THAT
THIS WAS A FACT, THEY MADE A PLAN. FERNANDEZ LARIOS
SHOULD CONFESS ALL, INCLUDING WHAT THEY WOULD MAKE HIM
UNCLASSIFIED
P40
INCOMING
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BELIEVE CONSIDERING THE BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE CASE THAT
THE OFFICER HAD... TO PUT THIS PLAN INTO PLACE, THEY
SHOULD ORGANIZE THEMSELVES AS IF THEY (FBI) WERE COMING
TO VACATION IN CHILE, MAKING BUSINESS PLANS THAT HID
THEIR CONNECTION WITH THE FBI, AND ABOVE ALL, THE CIA
WOULD NOT HAVE TO KNOW ANYTHING UNTIL THE FACTS WERE IN.
AS IT HAPPENED, THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE, AND THE CIA AS
WELL AS THE U.S. EMBASSY IN CHILE WERE INFORMED.
"LATER ON. FERNANDEZ LARIOS WAS INVITED TO TALK, AND
EVERYTHING BEGAN. FBI AGENTS ACCOMPANIED HIM FROM BRAZIL
TO THE UNITED STATES AS THEY WERE AFRAID THAT THE CIA
MIGHT TAKE ACTION AND THIS WOULD END WITH THE DEATH OF
THE CHILEAN OFFICER.
"TODAY FERNANDEZ LARIOS IS UNDERGOING HIS HOURS OF
TRAINING, UNDER ENORMOUS PRESSURE FROM THE TWO AGENCIES.
SURELY THEY WILL HAVE TO MAKE A TRANSACTION WHICH LEAVES
THE CIA CLEAN AND WHICH WILL MAKE CHILE GUILTY IN ORDER
TO PLEASE THEIR BOSSES. BUT THE INFORMATION IS COMPLETE
ONLY WITHIN THE CIA, INFORMATION THAT NOBODY WILL EVER
KNOW BECAUSE IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE WHOLE PLOT WAS
CONCOCTED BY THEIR OWN OFFICIALS." DESHAZO
END OF MESSAGE UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/22 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000403680007-5