WEEKLY SITUATION REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06706407
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 29
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: November 27, 2017
• Case Number: F-2017-00199
• Publication Date: August 10, 1976

Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
SECKE I
Weekly Situation Report
on
International Terrorism
DO WSRIT 76-032
10 August 1976
Ittcreion
RECORD COPY
OPERATIONS STAFF/DDO
1 AUG 1976
SECRET
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 606706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
tt.;11t I
WEEKLY SITUATION REPORT
CONTENTS
10 August 1976
Progress in Niehous Kidnapping Case (Page 3)
keiteT
1 RECORD COPY
OPERATIONS STAFF/DDO
M."' -- � � .�----
1$EaMilE176
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
I
REt
Progress in Niehous Kidnapping Case
Venezuelan government officials believe that a series
of intensive interrogations of several persons arrested
during late July and early August in connection with the
five-month old kidnapping case of U.S. businessman William
Niehous has revealed the location of the victim. The inter-
rogations also reportedly disclosed the involvement of two
opposition members of the Venezuelan Chamber of Deputies
with the kidnappers.
The major change in the case occurred when the govern-
ment arrested two persons as they were attempting to collect
a part of the ransom demanded by the kidnappers (see the 27
July issue). Questioning of these persons indicated that
Jorge Rodriguez, a left-wing leader of the Council of the
Central University of Venezuela and Socialist League Secre-
tary General, was also part of the kidnapping ring. How-
ever, subsequent interrogation of Rodriguez was so severe
that the prisoner died of internal hemorrhaging without
yielding the location where Niehous is held captive.
According to press reports, additional questioning of
the two prisoners indicated that Deputy Salom Meza Espinoza
of the socialist People's Electoral Movement (MEP) and
Deputy Fortunato Herrera, former militant leader of the
Democratic Republican Union CURD), among others, were in-
volved with the kidnappers. Both deputies were arrested
even before their congressional immunity was suspended, as
the government feared they would try to leave the country or
seek political asylum in one of several foreign embassies in
Caracas.
Press reports of 3 August indicated that the government,
following leads obtained from the interrogations, began a
massive military operation to locate Niehous and to capture
the kidnappers during early August. The operations are
centered in San Jose de Guaribe, located approximately 250
miles south of Caraas. An unspecified number of local
residents were arrested in connection with the kidnappers,
but no additional information concerning the case was
announced. President Carlos Andres Perez told reporters
that he hopes to free Niehous, unharmed, in the near future
as a result of this operation.
Th-EGRET
SECRET
3
RECORD CC,PY
OPERATIONS STAFF/DDO
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Ag%
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
f
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
-
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407 N
R
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
 Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
II)
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
NR
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407
SECRET
'Secret,
SECRET
Approved for Release: 2017/11/07 C06706407