LETTER RE REQUEST OF ITEMS OR INFORMATION RECORDS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005506205
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: July 21, 2011
• Case Number: F-2010-00344
• Publication Date: July 11, 2001

f V o o! -cal ceso
(b)(3)
(b)(6)
APPROVED FOR RELEASED
DATE: 02-22-2011
July 11, 2001
Information and Privacy Coordinator
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
Under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. subsection 552,1 am requesting
certain items of information or records on FATHER JAMES (GUADALUPE) CARNEY
and DAVID ARTURO BAEZ CRUZ, two U.S. citizens who disappeared in Honduras in
1983 after entering that country from Nicaragua with a guerrilla column. I would like to
offer you a few paragraphs of information about these two. men which may be helpful in
your task; then I will specify the information about them, but not limited to them, which I
want.
Father James (Guadalupe) Carney, a veteran of World War II, had worked in
Honduras for 18 years. His defense of human rights and his support of the farmers'
organizing efforts resulted in his deportation in 1979. In 1983 he returned to Honduras as
a chaplain to an armed revolutionary column (PRTC H: Revolutionary Party of Central
American Workers-Honduras); the group was captured by the Honduran army, and Father
Carney disappeared. The Honduran military suggested that he had starved to death in the
mountains. Five years later, a former sergeant of the Honduran army, Florencio
Caballero, told The New York Times (June 5, 1989) that he personally had interrogated
Carney and that the priest had been tortured, executed and perhaps thrown from a
helicopter.
The CIA has stated that it cannot rule out the possibility that Father Carney was
captured and killed by the Honduran military.
David Arturo Baez Cruz, a Nicaraguan who had become a U.S. citizen and then
had served in the Green Berets (U.S. Army Special Forces) mainly in Panama before
returning to his native Nicaragua, also entered Honduras as an advisor to the
revolutionary group -- the Revolutionary Party of Central American Workers. Baez was
named in a 1983 telegram from the U.S. Southern Command and identified as a member
of the group who was killed in action in Honduras. His remains, like those of Father
Carney, have never been found.
 Pg. 2
MY REQUEST
All of the following requests refer to the CIA Inspector General's Report of
Investigation: Selected Issues Relating to CIA Activities in Honduras in the 1980s (96-
0 1 25-IG), August 27, 1997.
The US government presented this report to the Honduran government in 1998. I
currently have possession of this report, but some of the information in the report has
been redacted (i.e., blacked out). Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I request
that the CIA release to me certain names and other information redacted from the report,
which I have described in detail below.
1. Notes on the interviews conducted by the CIA Office of Personnel Security
(OPS) on behalf of the Honduras Working group between July 1995 and August
1996; and the responses which 34 CIA officers provided on the questionnaires
prepared and distributed by the Honduras Working Group in the same period.
(p. 2., Para # 2)
2. Name of "the Chief of the Honduran Special Forces Battalion" who "had killed
insurgent leader Reyes Mata and other insurgents-possibly including American
priest Father James Carney...." (p. 4, para. # 4)
3. Name of person whom Headquarters reportedly "tasked to determine what happened
to Carney." (p. 4, para. 4)
4. Memorandum sent to CIA Executive Director Nora Slatkin by the head of the
Honduras Working Group at her request in 1996 or 1997 which identified
specific individuals whose actions should be reviewed for accountability
purposes. (p. 5, para. 5)
5. Headquarters Cable dated January 14, 1985, which includes information
regarding the Agency's interrogation policy [pp. 18-19, para 47J.
6. CIA record dated January 31, 1996 in which Section 20 is entitled "Human
Rights Violations and other Proscribed Acts" which provides guidance
regarding the CIA's interrogation policy. [p. 19, para 481
7. Name of person who made the "report concerning Reyes Mata and Father Carney"? (p.
22, para 54) Name of person who "was responsible for killing Reyes Mata and his
 Pg. 3
insurgents-possibly including Father Carney"?
8. Documents/interviews/witnesses which "indicate that Reyes Mata was captured in the
course of the Olancho Operation and executed by while in the custody of the
Honduran military." (p. 33, para 86)
9. Name of person who executed Reyes Mata. (p. 33, para 86)
10. March 24, 1988 report prepared by the CIA's Office of General Counsel
summarizing its review of the circumstances surrounding the 1983
disappearance of Carney and the Agency's handling of this family's 1984
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. P. 37, para 97.
11. October 3, 1983 CIA Headquarters Memorandum containing the Acting Chief
of DO/LA's draft response to 14PSCI Chairman Edward P. Boland's inquiry about
Father James F. Carney. (p. 44, para. 120)
12. Training and activities of the Honduran Airmobile Squadron [alternatively
called AIr Mobelie Unit] in 1983, particularly its deployment to Nueva
Palestine (p. 46, para. 126 and p. 80, para 218)
13. Name of person or entity which "had received information indicating that PRTCH
guerrillas who had been captured by the Honduran Armed Forces in Olancho
Department had been summarily executed by Honduran Army officers after being
debriefed"? (Pp 46-47, para 127)
14. Names of the others "among those executed"? (P. 47, para 127)
15. Name of the "Nicaraguan advisor- was it David Arturo Baez Cruz, an American
citizen (born in Nicaragua) who had served in the U.S. Green Berets? (P. 47, para
127)
16. Name of person who "stated that the justification within the Honduran military for
the executions...." (P. 47, para 128)
17. Name of person who "provided additional information... " Please release information
blacked out in this paragraph. (P. 48, para 130)
18. Name of person who "reportedly believed that Reyes Mata was held for a couple of
days before being executed.... (P. 49, para 134). In same paragraph, name of person
who "stated that the diary had been found intact." Name of person who "did not
know the contents of the missing pages...." Please release information blacked out in
pages 49-52.
 Pg. 4
19. November 29, 1993 Intelligence Report that reported that Alvarez had
initiated a formal investigation of the alleged theft of approximately
$25,000 confiscated during the Olancho Operation (p. 53, pare 144).
20. Please release information blacked out in pages 54-56.
21. March 2, 1984 CIA Headquarters OLL Memorandum of Record which describes a
meeting between HPSCI Staff member Steve Berry and LA Division Chief Duane
Clarridge (p. 56, pars 151)
22. March 2, 1984 CIA Headquarters Memorandum from CATPs Special Assistant
to the Chief, DO/LA with information on the Olancho Operation and Carney.
(p. 57, pars 152)
23. Name of person who "advised that Carney was never held specifically at El Aguacate
or anywhere else"? Name of person who "did not comment on the individuals... "? (p. 58,
pare 158).
24. March 20, 1985 CIA record regarding the congressional inquiries received
by CATF about human rights abuses by the GOH and the FDN, and the resulting
review of headquarters' files and press items. (p. 59, para 160)
25. June 12,1995 Headquarters Draft Response prepared by DO/LA in response
to a June 8, 1995 letter from Rep. Robert G. Torricelli to the National
Security Advisor. (page 60, para 164) And, please release full text of this letter by Rep.
Torricelli.
26. Transcription or notes of the May 23, 1995 briefing of HPSCI members on
Guatemalan issues by CIA officers. (page 60, para 164)
27. June 28, 1995 letter to Torricelli from CIA's Director of Congressional
Affairs, responding to the questions posed by the Congressman at a May 23,
1995 briefing and in a June 8, 1995 letter. (page 61, paragraph 166)
28. Name of person who "advised that...." (P. 61, para 167) In same paragraph, name of
person who "reportedly provided details of the 1983 Olancho Operation..." In same
paragraph, name of person who "also indicated that Father Carney was not with the
guerrilla group...."
29. Name of person who "stated that..." (P. 61, pare 168). In same paragraph, name of
person who "was accompanied by other officers." In same paragraph, name of person
referred to as "possibly including ; " In same paragraph, name of person who
 Pg. 5
"reportedly had shot Reyes Mata in the forehead with a.45 calibre pistol."
30. Name of person who "had also claimed that he did not know of Carney's fate... " (P.
64, pare 176). In same paragraph, name of person who "commented that it was
probable that the analyst had been given...."
31. July 14, 1995 Intelligence Report. Name of person or entity which gave "an
additional account of Carney's death"? (P. 64, para 178) Name of person "who had
reportedly told... "? Name of person or entity which is the object of "told"?
32. On P. 65, name of person who "had told that she had received this
information... "? Name of person or entity which is the object of "told"? Name of person
who "had also reportedly indicated that Reyes Mata had been captured and killed... "?
Names of persons who "were persistent critics of the Honduran military... "?
33. July 20, 1995 Intelligence Report on a 1984 ethics complaint related to
$15,000 taken from the bodies of insurgents. (page 66, paragraph 180) In same
paragraph, name of person who was "accused of removing approximately $15,000 from
the bodies"? Name of person who "believed that all documents related to the encounter
... had probably been destroyed"?
34. Name of person who "stated that his knowledge of the event was based on the ethics
complaint... "? (P. 67, pare 183) In same paragraph, name of person who "indicated that
_ information corroborated... "? Name of peson whose information "corroborated and
added to that... "? To that OF WHOM?
35. August 15, 1995 Intelligence Report combining information on the deaths
of Carney and Reyes Mata with INSCOM/AOG information from November 1983.
(page 67, paragraph 184)
36. November 19831NSCOM/AOG information on the deaths of Carney and Reyes
Mata (page 67, paragraph 184) In same paragraph, name of person by whom Reyes Mata
was executed.
37. September 14,1995 Congressional Notification by CIA officials regarding CIA
reporting relating to the death of Carney. (P. 68, para 186) Please release the September
14, 1995 Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA) background paper. Please release the
blacked-out words after "one report" and after "a second report."
38. October 11, 1995 Congressional Notification by CIA regarding the execution of
Reyes Mata. (page 69, paragraph 187) In same paragraph, name of person involved "in
the execution of Reyes Mata." The "1983 AOG information that had been provided by an
AOG source... "
 Pg. 6
39. October 1983 CIA intelligence report which included information on the
execution of Reyes Mata. (page 69, paragraph 188) Please release all names blacked out
in this paragraph.
40..May 23, 1996 CIA record- about a pistol -and a piece of clothing of Carney's reportedly
recovered by captured insurgents, and a Honduran helicopter search of the area. (page
69, paragraph 189) In same paragraph; name of person who "had provided information
regarding the disappearance of Carney"? Name of person who had "been told that the
SFC never saw Carney"? Name-of person who "had indicated that Honduran helicopters
were unable to locate Carney... "?
41. May 31, 1996 Intelligence Report clarifying that it is unknown if Carney was alive or
dead when left behind by his comrades. (page 70, paragraph 191)
42. Name'-of person who "related that Honduran Special Forces had captured an aide to '
Carney who was in possession of the priest's stole and chalice"? (p. 71, pare 195).
Name of person who "said that the' Special Forces backtracked....."? Name of person
who "estimated that Carney had been dead for several days"?
43. February 14, 1997 Intelligence Report. Please release this report. Name of person
who was the "former Honduran soldier who had told a close confidant... "? (p. 74,
pars 203) Name of person by whom was the patrol led? Name of person who
"ordered the body to be buried at the site"?
44. Name of person who "commented- that the Lieutenant probably killed Carney's aide .
as he was not needed after finding the cache"? (p. 77, pare 211).
45. Name of person whom Alvarez advised that enough prisoners had been taken? (p. 77,
pare 212) In same paragraph, name of person who, along with "other officers,
marched the guerrillas into the jungle and executed them"? In same paragraph, name
of person who "also had executed another captured guerrilla"?
46. Name of person who "estimated that' Honduran Special Forces executed between 30'
and 40 of the captured guerrillas"? Name of person who said he witnessed the
executions? (p. 77, pars 213) -What comes before "killing a Nicaraguan advisor"? Please
reveal all names in this paragraph.
47. What comes before and after "we have to make them disappear"? (p. 80, para 220)
Name of person by whom was _ "given overall responsibility for ensuring that the
executions were performed by each officer"?
48. What comes before "that he had captured and executed Reyes Mata"? (p. 81, pare
221) Please release all information in this paragraph.
 Pg. 7
49. Who ordered whom "to assemble a patrol... "? (p. 81, para 223) Name of person who
"collected approximately 15 men... "? What comes after "the individual led the patrols to
the hammock"? Name of person who "believes that the leader of the primary patrol... "?
50. Name of person who "did not return Carney's body to Nueva Palestina because it was
badly decomposed"? (p.82, pare 225).
51. Name of person who "advised CINC Alvarez... "? (p. 82, pare 226) Name of person
who "had stolen money from the guerrillas"? Name of person who "had received
some of the proceeds"? Name of person who was "reassigned because of this theft"?
Name of person who "was the field commander for the operation"?
52. Name of person who "said that prisoners captured during the Olancho Operation... "?
(p. 83, para 229) Name of person who "confirmed the earlier report and added... "?
53. What comes before and after "on the Olancho Operation were hampered"? (p. 84,
pare 229) Please release all information on p. 84.
54. Name of person who "had indicated that Father Carney was left to die in a
hammock... "? (p. 91, pars 252)
55. Name of person who "recalls visiting and sorting through... "? (p. 94, para 260)
Visiting what? Name of person who "says that some of these individuals... "?
56. Name of person who "recalls one photograph, possibly black and white... "? (p. 94,
para 261) Name of person who "does not recall whether this item was on the
hammock... "? What comes before "believed this individual to have been Carney"?
57. Name of person who "recalls that the Hondurans were not showing... "? (p. 94, para
262) Name of person who "believes that this photograph was provided... "?
58. Name of person who "has no specific recollection of reporting or recording..."? (p.
94, para 263)
59. Name of person who "maintains that neither... "? (p. 95, para 263) What comes after
"or other events"?
60. Name of person who "was not able to identify photographs of Carney... "? (p. 95,
para 264) Please release all information in this and subsequent paragraphs.
61. Name of person who "was assisted in this operation... "? (p. 96, para 266)
62. Name of person who "recalls that the Honduran Armed Forces set up... "? (p. 96, para
 Pg. 8
267)
63. One of whose "Honduran assistants"? (p. 96, para 268) Name of person who "says he
never saw these prisoners"?
64. Name of person who "advises that a group of U. S. newspaper reporters... "? (p. 96,
para 269) Name of person who "believes that the inquiry related to him... "? He
returned to what or where? Name of person who "does not recall any additional
references... "?
65. Name of persons who "say that they were not aware of prisoners... "? (p. 96, para
270) Name of person who "indicates that the only support... "? (p. 97, pare 270)
66. Name of person who "recalls a discussion" with whom? (p. 97, para 272) Name of
person who "recalls that he had previously learned... "? According to whom, who
"indicated that he had not participated... "? Name of person who "had been
involved"? Name of person who "had come upon Carney while on a patrol... "?
Name of person who "is not certain... "? Name of person who "told him that Carney
was dead or left to die... "
67. Name of person who "was provided with seized documents for his review... "? (p.
101, pare 290) What comes after "was accompanied..."?
68. Name of person who "analyzed the diary of Reyes Mata..." (p. 103, para 293)
69. Name of person who "recalls that efforts were made by CIA... "? (p. 105, pars 297).
By whom was "relevant information provided"?
70. Name of person who "notes that there was significant interest"? (p. 105, para 298).
What comes before "representative" and after "being assigned as"? Name of person
who "had no recollection of matters... "?
71. Name of person who "was the individual primarily responsible... "? (p. 105, para
299). Name of person who "took great care in drafting... "?
72. Name of person who "initiated Headquarters traces and queried" whom? (p. 105, pars
300).
73. Name of person who "provided an _ officer with information... "? (p. 109, para
311). What comes before "officer"? Name of person who is indicated as having "shot
insurgent leader Reyes Mata... "?
74. Name of person who "provided - with additional information..."? (p. 110, pare
 Pg. 9
312). What comes after "Olancho Operation"? According to whom "this information
provided"? Name of person who "had personally killed Reyes Mata"? Name of person
who "indicated that only a young guerrilla... "? According to whom "the guerrilla was
subsequently killed"? Name of person who "indicated" who was under investigation... "?
75. Name of person who was named as "having killed Reyes Mata..."? (p. 112, para 319)
Name of person who "confiscated and split with the C1NC"?
76. The "basic information conveyed in the draft report... could not be refuted,"
according to whom? (p. 112, para 320)
77. Name of person who "said he had obtained the information..." (p. 112, para 321).
Name of person who "would not elaborate on the specific rumor... "? What comes
before "that CINC Alvarez... "?
78. Name of person who "stated only that a young guerrilla... "? (p. 114, para 327) Name
of person who "also said that" who "split money with..."?
79. Name of person who "stated that had said that the priest... " (p. 195, upper half).
Name of person who "had said that the priest..."
80. Name of person who "says that did not say...." (p. 195, upper half). Name of
person who "did not say that he personally had found the priest..."
81. Name of person who said that " , a former member of the HondwAn Special
Forces...." (p. 195, middle). Name of person who is "a former member of the
Honduran Special Forces..."
82. Name of person/entity/document which "indicates that _ said that _claimed that
" Name of person who "said that claimed...." Name of person who "claimed
that the Honduran troops...." (p. 195, lower half).
83. Name of person who "states that _ claimed to have placed the skull...... Name of
person who "claimed to have placed the skull... " (p. 195, lower half) Please release
the remaining blacked-out items on pp. 195-196.
WHY YOU SHOULD RELEASE THIS MATERIAL NOW
The incidents in question here - the disappearance of Father Carney and Mr. Baez
Cruz - go all the way back to 1983. Some of the key individuals who MAY be mentioned
in this Report, such as Gen. Gustavo Alvarez Martinez (head of the Honduran armed
forces until 1984) and Donald Winters of the CIA, have died.
 Pg. 10
Moreover, the U.S. government has been very forthcoming in releasing large
amounts of previously classified material concerning human-rights abuses in Chile. Also,
the U.S. has insisted on the prosecution of Slobodan Milosevic and assisted in the arrest
of former Peruvian spy chief Montesinos. Why is the U. S. government protecting alleged
torturers and executioners in Honduras?
Finally, the Honduran government needs this information in order to see that
justice is done. On October 29, 1999, two Honduran government officials -- Attorney
General Roy Edmundo Medina and National Commissioner of Human Rights Dr. Leo
Valladares Lanza - wrote to Mr. Frank Almaguer, U.S. Ambassador in Honduras,
expressing their interest "in obtaining additional information from the U.S. government
concerning- the identity of those responsible for the extrajudicial execution of Dr. Jose
Maria Reyes Mata in 1983 and his burial site." (I believe this letter arrived at the State
Department.)
The Honduran officials referred to the CIA Inspector General's Report, noting that
"it contains numerous references to the execution of Reyes Mata., but in all instances the
name or names of those responsible are blacked out."
The officials also referred to a November 4, 1998 article in the Washington Post,
noting the statement by a U.S. official that the U.S. would provide "amplifying
information on the incident through government-to-government human rights channels."
The Honduran officials wrote: "We are eager to receive such information."
It should be presumed, but I will state it here, that if you cannot release all the
items I have specified, please release those you can.
If you deny all or any part of this request, please cite each specific exemption you
think justifies your refusal to release the information and notify me of appeal procedures
available under the law.
If there are any fees for searching for, reviewing; or copying the records, and if it
would require more than one month to make your decision on my request for a complete
fee waiver (below), then please supply- the records without informing me of the cost IF
THE FEES DO NOT EXCEED $200., which I agree to pay.
Nevertheless, I hereby request a complete FEE WAIVER because the disclosure
of this information is in the public interest and not in any commercial interest on my part.
This subject clearly concerns the operations or activities of the US Government.
 Pg. 1 1
The disclosure is informative and would contribute significantly to public
understanding. The information requested will shed light on the activities and operations
of the CIA in Honduras during the period in question. I plan to widely disseminate the
information I have requested through editorials; speeches, press releases; and possibly in
a book. I have the ability to analyze and disseminate this information. As a Catholic
priest (Jesuit), I frequently give lectures at universities and churches in the U.S., and I am
a free-lance writer
If you have any questions about handling this request, you may contact me at my postal
address or at phone numbers or email address above
_~h E rd Mulligan
PS I would be glad to send this letter/request to you by email, if you would find it useful
to have it in your computer.