KIDNAPPING AND ASSASSINATION OF ARGENTINE AMBASSADOR TO VENEZUELA BY A GROUP ASSOCIATED WITH ARGENTINE STATE INTELLIGENCE SECRETARIAT (SIDE) WITHOUT SIDE KNOWLEDGE OR AUTHORIZATION - 1977/09/08

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06701426
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: September 8, 1977

Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06701426
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IntelligencOnformation Cable
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� ROUTINE
IN 386037
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PAGES
THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT. NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELUGENCE
SEC THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
ar nfri n6U 1I if ENT ow 8 SEPTVIBLR 1977
ii 5
nu NOTICE�SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE
REPORT CLASS
SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED--
COUNTRY ARGENTINA
3.5(c)
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Shilta KIDNAPPING AND ASSASSINATION OF ARGENTINE AMBASSADOR TO
VENEZUELA BY A GROUP. ASSOCIATED WI711 ARGENTINE STATE INTELLIGENCE
SECRETARIAT (SIDE) WITHOUT SIDE KNOWLEDGE OR AUTHORIZATION
. E 1(2 - t1,3-
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3.5(c)
I elanfileaffee)
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SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED
04 386037
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FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE 1,3F THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
3.5(c)
,THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
SUMMARY: HECTOR HIDALGO SOLA, ARGENTINE AMBASSADOR TO VENEZUELA,
WAS KIDNAPPED AND ASSASSINATED BY A SPECIAL GROUP, WHICH HAS WORKED FOR
THE STATE INTELLIGENCE SECRETARIAT (SIDE), WITHOUT SIDE AUTHORIZATION OR
KNOWLEDGE. THE SOLE MOTIVE FOR THE KIDNAPPING WAS TO DEMAND MONEY FROM
HIS FAMILY. WHEN THE AUTHORITIES BEGAN AN INTENSIVE SEARCH FOR HIDALGO
SOLA, THE GROUP BECAME AFRAID OF BEING DISCOVERED AND THEY KILLED HIM.
THE GROUP WAS LED BY ONE ANIBAL "G 0 R D 0 N" AND INCLUDEJ THE
SON-IN-LAW OF GENERAL OTTO PALADINO, FORMER DIRECTOR OF SIDE.
AFTER THE KILLING, THREE MEMBERS WERE ARRESTED AND THE OTHERS FLED
ABROAD. END SUMMARY.
3.3(b)(1) 1. (r----]COMMENT: PRESSURE HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE ARGENTINE
GOVERNMENT BOTH INTERNATIONALLY AND NATIONALLY TO FIND THE PERPETRATORS
OF THE KIDNAPPING OF ARGENTINE AMBASSADOR TO VENEZUELA HECTOR
HIDALGO SOLA WHO DISAPPEARED 0N18 JULY 1977.)
2. HIDALGO SOLA WAS KIDNAPPED AND ASSASSINATED BY A SPECIAL GROUP
WHICH HAS WORKED FOR THE STATE INTELLIGENCE SECRETARIAT (SIDE), ACTING
UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ONE ANIBAL "GOR D 0 N." THE GROUP DID NOT
HAVE ORDERS FROM SIDE TO CARRY OUT THIS OPERATION AGAINST HIDALGO SOLA
SAND IT WAS CARRIED OUT WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OR THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIDE.
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PAGE 3 OF 9 PAGES
MEM DISSEIKNATICH4 AND USE OF THIS INEORMATK/N SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
3.5(c)
_ .
THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
THE GROUP UNDERTOOK THE KIDNAPPING WITH THE SOLE MOTIVE OF DEMANDING
RANSOM FROM THE FAMILY, THINKING THAT IT WOULD CREATE CONFUSION AND
THAT THE FAMILY WOULD PAY A LARGE SUM OF MONEY. WHEN SECURITY FORCES
BEGAN AN INTENSIVE EFFORT TO FIND HIDALGO SOLA, THE GROUP, AFRAID OF
BEINGDISCOVERW.DECIDED NOT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FAMILY AND ASK
; FOR A RANSOM. INSTEAD THEY KILLED HIM AND HID HIS BODY.
3. WHEN HIDALGO SOLA WAS KIDNAPPED, HE WAS TAKEN TO A HOUSE AT
BACABAY 3570 IN:THE PEDERALCAPITAL WHICH SIDE RENTS AND USES FOR
OFFICIAL OPERATIONS OF "GORDON'S":GROUP. AN ARMY COLONEL WHO WORKS
FOR SIDE IS THE CONTACT BETWEEN SIDE, AND "GORDON;' -AND MEETS "GORDOWIN
THIS HOUSE. DURING THE TIME HIDALGO SOLA WAS IN THE HOUSE, HE WAS
KEPT HOODED SO, THAT IF THE COLONEL CANE THERE, HE WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE
� HIDALGO SOLA AR. WOULD THINK THAT ,THE HOODED MAN WAS A.SUBVERSIVE
CAPTURED BY "GORDON'S" GROUP. ,
4. THE BUENOS AIRES PROVINCIAL POLICE SUCCEEDED IN DISCOVERING
WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THE .HIDALGO SOLA CASE FOLLOWING AN INVESTIGATION
OF A CASE OF A KIDNAPPED CHILD IN WHICH THE FAMILY PAID THE RANSOM AND
THE CHILD WAS FREED. IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THAT THIS WAS ANOTHER
sOPERATION OF "commis" GROUP.
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SENSITIVE NTFILIGENCE SOURS AND METEODS INVOLVED
114 386037
PAGE 4 Of 9 PAGES
FURTHER DISSEAUNATION AND USE Of MS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT ELEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
3.5(c)
THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
"GORDON'S"S. GROUP CONSISTS OF -"GORDON"; R-ODRIGUEZ
(FNU), AN OFFICER (RETIRED) OF,THEHNATIONAL GENDARMERIE; AN INDIVIDUAL
WITH THE ALIAS."ZAPATI.T 0," WHO .IS THE SON-IN-LAW OF GENERAL
(RETIRED) OTTO PALAD'INO. FORMER:DIRECTOR OF SIDE; PAMPANO
(PNU), ALIAS 'VILA",; 'ANOTHER MAN ON WHOM THERE IS NO IDENTIFYING
INFORMATION; AND A DAUGHTER OF -PAMPANO. '"GORDON," RODRIGUEZ.
"ZAPATITO," "ANUPAMPANO CARRIED OUT THE KIDNAPPING AND ASSASSINATION OF
HIDALGO SOLA. TUE DAUGHTER OF PAMPANO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INITIAL
SURVEILLANCE OF THE TARGET. ( COMMENT: IT IS NOT KNOWN WHAT 3.3(b)(1)
ROLE THE UNIDENTIFIED MAN PLAYED.) "ZAPATITO," PAMPANO, A.H1 PAMPANO'S
DAUGHTER WERE TAKEN PRISONERS IN LA PLATA BY THE BUENOS AIRES PROVINCIAL
POLICE. ANIBAL "GORDON" FLED TO URUGUAY; RODRIGUEZ WENT TO SPAIN; AND
THE UNIDENTIFIED INDIVIDUAL IN HIE GROUP WENT TO PARAGUAY.
6. SIDE PREPARED AN OPERATION, WHICH WAS LATER SUSPENDED, TO
ASSASSINATE NONTONERO LEADERS IN EUROPE. ANIBAL "GORDON" WAS THE
PERSON WHO 'WAS TO DIRECT AND PERSONALLY TAKE PART IN THE OPERATION.
COMMENT: BECAUSE "GORDON" KNEW ABOUT THIS SIDE OPERATION
AND BECAUSE OF HIS PARTICIPATION IN OTHER IMPORTANT SIDE CASES WITHIN
3.3(b)(1)
5ARGENTINA,
4
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NO OFFICIAL ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AGAINST "GORDON" OR HIS
4
COMMENT:
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CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
idnejftema,
3.5(c)
THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
IN LATEAUGUST 1977 SIDE WAS PREPARING OPERATIONS
AGAINST MONTONERO LEADERS IN FRANCE AND ITALY.)
3.3(b)(1)
7 1 rOi4MENT:
GENERAL PALADIN� WAS SEEKING AN
OVERSEAS POST TO GET AWAY FROM BUENOS AIRES BECAUSE HE AND HIS WIFE
WERE UPSET ABOUT THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES OF THEIR SON-IN-LAW, A FORMER
SIDE OFFICER, FOR WHOM PALADIN� DID A GREAT DEAL. THE SON-IN-LAW
IS,CESAR ALEJANDRO; ENCIS 0.
1 WITH FOUR OTHER SIDE OFFICERS KIDNAPPED A WEALTHY
BUSINESSMAN,. WHEN THEY WERE FOUND OUT, THREE ESCAPED TO CHILE
ENCISO AND ONE OTHER ESCAPED TO BOGOTA, COLOMBIA. ALL FIVE TRAVELLED
WITH FALSE DOCUMENTS. PALADINO'S DAUGHTER AND GRANDCHILDREN PLAN TO
JOIN ENCISO IN BOGOTA AND WILL ALSO TRAVEL WITH FALSE DOCUMENTS.
3.3(b)(1)
3.3(b)(1)
ENCISO ALONG 3.3(b)(1)
A
.
ENCISO HAD LEFT ARGENTINA ABOUT
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4 TWO MONTHS AGO AND THAT AT THE TIME OF THE KIDNAPPING ENCISO AND THE
9
2 OTHERS WERE CONNECTED WITH SIDE. THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE CARRIED OUT
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IN 386037
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FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF HOS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
THE KIDNAPPING ON BEHALF OF SIDE BUT SIDE DENIED THIS. ALTHOUGH SOME
OF THE DETAILS VARY AND THE TIME OF THE KILLING IS NOT KNOWN, THIS
CONFIRMS THAT ENCISO WAS INVOLVED WITH A CRIMINAL GROUP.)
8.
COMMENTS:
A. DURING THE LAST WEEK OF JULY 1977, LEGATT RECEIVED
INFORMATION FROM AN ARMY INTELLIGENCE SOURCE THAT HE HAD SEEN A REPORT
TO THE EFFECT THAT AMBASSADOR HIDALGO SOLA HAD PERSONALLY BEEN
RESPONSIBLE FOR ISSUING TWO ARGENTINE PASSPORTS IN VENEZUELA TO TWO
INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE SUBSEQUENTLY DETAINED IN ARGENTINA WITH THESE
PASSPORTS. THE PASSPORTS ISSUED BY HIDALGO SOLA WERE UNDEI. FALSE
IDENTITIES AND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE IN POSSESSION OF THEM WERE
IDENTIFIED AS TERRORISTS WHO HAD RECENTLY RETURNED TO ARGENTINA FROM
CUBA. THE SOURCE REPORTED THAT A COMMENT TO THE AFOREMENTIONED REPORT
NOTED THAT THE ARGENTINE CONSUL GENERAL IN VENEZUELA WOULD NORMALLY
HAVE ISSUED SUCH PASSPORTS AND THAT THE AMBASSADOR'S PERSONAL ISSUANCE
OF THESE PASSPORTS CLEARLY IMPLICATED HIM DIRECTLY WITH THE "TERRORISTS."
WHEN ASKED WHETHER THE ARMY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (SIE) WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR HIDALGO SOLA'S ABDUCTION, THE SOURCE EMPHATICALLY STATED THAT HIS
SERVICE WAS IN NO WAY INVOLVED BUT MAT HE HAD A STRONG FEELING THAT
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STHE MOTIVATION FOR THE ABDUCTION OF THE AMBASSADOR WAS APPARENTLY
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IN 386037
PAGE 7 OF 9 PAGES
FURTHER pISSIVUNATION AND USE OF MS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
COMMIS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
3.5(c)
THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
TO ARGENTINE TERRORIST'S; THE SOURCE NOTED THAT THE REPORT HAD BEEN
CIRCULATED THROUGHOUT THE ARGENTINE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.
B. WITH REGARD' TO ANIBAL "GORDON'- IT IS BELIEVED THIS
INDIVIDUAL IS IDENTICAL WITH ANIBAL (LNU) ALIAS "EL GORDO," ALSO KNOWN
AS "EL VIEJO," A SIDE CONTRACT EMPLOYEE DURING THE PERIOD WHEN GENERAL
PALADINO WAS SIDE DIRECTOR, ,ANIBAL LED A BAND OF COMMON CRIMINALS AND
OPERATED A,SIDE INTERROGATION CENTER REFERRED TO AS "EL JARDIN," WHICH
WAS A CONVERTED PUBLIC GARAGE IN THE-FEDERAL'CAPITAL. ANIBAL AND HIS
BAND WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ABDUCTION AND SUBSEQUENT ASSASSINATION
, .
OF TWO CUBAN DIPLOMATS IN BUENOS AIRES DURING AUGBST'1977 ONE OF THE
MEMBERS OF ANIBAL'S GROUP WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO SUBSEQUENTLY MARRIED
GENERAL PALADINO'S,DAUGHTER:.
. C. AFTER PALADINO'S RETIREMENT, ANIBAL AND HIS GROUP
REPORTEDLY WERE DISBANDED. HOWEVER, SEVERAL SIDE OFFICIALS PRIVATELY
EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN OVER THE FUTURE ACTIVITIES OF ANIBAL AND HIS
GROUP, SINCE IT WAS WELL KNOWN THAT IN ADDITION TO CARRYING OUT OFFICIAL
SIDE BLACK OPERATIONS, THEY ALSO WERE ALLOWED TO FREE LANCE BY CARRYING
OUT SUCH OPERATIONS AS EXTORTIONS TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR SIDE INCOME.
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ui 386037
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FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE Of THIS INFOPmATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END Of REPORT.
3.5(c)
THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
D. IT IS STRONGLY BELIEVED THAT THE CHILD ALLEGEDLY KIDNAPPED
AND RETURNED AFTER A RANSOM HAD BEEN PAID, AS SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH
FOUR OF THE ABOVE REPORT, PERTAINS TO THE KIDNAPPING OF THE YOUNG SON
OF A U.S. CITIZEN WHO IS STILL MISSING. FROM INVESTIGATIONS IN THE
KIDNAPPING, IT HAS BEEN LEARNED THAT ANIBAL IS IN PARAGUAY.
E. IT IS NOTED THAT ANIBAL AND HIS GROUP CARRIED OUT NUMEROUS
EXTREMELY SENSITIVE BLACK OPERATIONS AGAINST THE TERRORIST TARGET AND
THEIR RESPECTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THESE OPERATIONS WOULD BE EXTREMELY
EMBARRASSING TO THE INCUMBENT MILITARY GOVERNMENT. THERE IS NO PCUBT
THAT ANIBAL AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF HIS GROUP WOULD BE PAOTECTED TO
SOME EXTENT FROM NORMAL CRIMINAL CHARGES SHOULD THEY BE ARRESTED BY
ARGENTINE LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES, IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE THAT THEY
NOT DISCLOSE EMBARRASSING INFORMATION CONURNING THEIR PAST OPERATIONS.)
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REPORT CLASS .11,...C�R�E1--WARNING NOTICE�SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE
SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED
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