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Cryptonym: AMMUG-1

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Definition:
Cuban intelligence officer named Vladimir Lahera Rodriguez, who defected to U.S. via Canada in April 1964, and was interrogated about Oswald in addition to other matters. Later became known as SLANK-1.
Status:
Documented
Discussion:
To see that AMMUG-1 became SLANK-1, see https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=162506&relPageId=1&search=%22slank-1%22
Sources:

104-10183-10291: CABLE RE: VLADIMIR RODRIGUEZ LAHERA AKA VICENTE RAMIREZ LOPEZ AGE 27 DEFECTED IN CANADA 21 APRIL 1964

04/23/64: Cable from Director to JMWAVE and Mexico City: VLADIMIR RODRIGUEZ LAHERA AKA VICENTE RAMIREZ LOPEZ AGE 27 DEFECTED IN CANADA 21 APRIL 1964. Claims that he has documents for delivery to Cuban intelligence agents.

104-10161-10295: MESSAGE: DEFECTED CUBAN INTEL OFFICER VLADIMIR RODRIGUEZ LAHERE GIVEN PRELIMINARY DEBRIEFING BY LANGOSCH NIGHT OF 23 APRIL

4/23/64 report from Ottawa to Director: In 1957, he engaged in sabotage and propaganda activities against the Batista government on behalf July 26 movement. "Arrest July 57. Prisoner until Feb. 58. On release joined Column 9 of Huber Matos in Sierra Maestra. Fought as private under Captain Quiroga until Batista fell. Then made Lieutenant and assigned to head squad in Havana Investigation Dept to control gambling activities outside cabarets."

104-10400-10107: DEBRIEFING OF AMMUG-1 RE DGI REACTION TO KENNEDY ASSASSINATION

5/5/64: Debriefing of AMMUG-1 by WH on the "Oswald Case". (Debriefing #40) "The source does not have direct knowledge of Lee Harvey Oswald or his activities but was able to provide items of interest based on comments of Cuban intelligence officers assigned to the DGI, of which the source himself was a staff officer. The information appearing below was furnished by the source and is keyed to questions submitted by KUDESK/CIA's Counterintelligence Division. Prior to October 1963, Oswald visited the Cuban Embassy in Mexico on two or three occasions. Before, during and after these visits, Oswald was in contact with the Direccion General de Inteligencia (DGI) specifically with Luisa Calderon, Manuel Vega Perez (note: AMPOON-1) and Rogelio Rodriguez Lopez (note: . Vega whose Cuban intelligence pseudonym is Marcos is the current Cuban IS chief in Mexico. He recently has had a tour of duty of Habana, prior to which he held the same post as now as Cuban IS chief in Mexico. Rodriguez is a Cuban IS staff officer in Mexico. He has three Cuban intelligence pseudonyms, Eduardo, Casimiro and Jose Antonio. The precise relationship of Luisa Calderon to DGI is not clear. She spent about six months in Mexico to which she returned to Cuba early in 1964...The only Molina recalled is the Hook, the Cuban who was convicted in New York City for the murder of a young girl during a clash between two Cuban groups..." (Note: This is a reference to Francisco Molina, who was ultimately deported back to Cuba - the source was apparently asked about Joseph Rodriguez Molina, who worked in the same company as Oswald and was questioned at his home the night of November 22.)

104-10054-10412: DEBRIEFING OF AMMUG-1

05/08/64, Memorandum from Harold F. Swenson, Chief, WH/SA/CI to Chief, Counter Intelligence Staff (Attention Mr. Rocca) SUBJECT General: Debriefing of AMMUG-1. Specific: The Oswald Case..."I have no personal knowledge of Lee Harvey Oswald or his activities and I do not know that Oswald was an agent of the Direccion General de Inteligencia (DGI) or any other directorate or department of the Cuban government...Manuel Vega Perez previously had been assigned to Mexico in the Cuban Consulate where he was the principal intelligence officer of the DGI. Vega mentioned that Oswald had come to the Cuban Consulate two or three times in connection with a visa application during the time that Vega was in Mexico. I gathered, although I do not know that Vega made any specific statement to this effect, that Vega had personally seen Oswald. I well could have reached this conclusion because normally Vega and his assistant in Mexico for the DGI, Rogelio Rodriguez Lopez, would see persons applying for a visa to go to Cuba. This is because DGI officers are charged with expediting the grants of visas of agents of the DGI. Such agents on appearing at the Consulate use a special phrase to indicate their relationship with the DGI...The DGI officers at a Consulate interview visa applicants to find out if they are agents. If the visa applicant does not use one of the indicated phrases, the DGI officers, instead of granting the visa immediately, tell the applicant to return in a few days. The officer then notifies Habana and requests authority for the visa. I cannot recall if Vega even made the statement that he had requested permission to issue a visa to Oswald, but I feel sure that he would have done so because Vega had said that Oswald had returned several times and this would be the usual procedure. I believe that Rogelio Rodriguez Lopez also would have seen Oswald because he worked with Vega and also would have screened visa applicants.

104-10185-10248: MEMORANDUM: REJECTION OF AN APARTMENT FOR AMMUG-1

05/20/64, Memorandum for the record from Harold F. Swenson, Chief, WH/SA/CI: "1. The apartment at (REDACTION) Blvd., Alexandria, Virginia was rejected because it has been exposed to the following CIA staffers and agent assets: a. Mr. Dolf Luim with AMDIXIE-1 a Cuban who is the (REDACTION) and lives in (REDACTION). b. Mr. (REDACTION) with AMTOUT (probably Mario Lazo y Guiral) a principal agent in New York. c. (REDACTION) with AMCASH who is in New York. d. Lou De Santi with AMNIP-1 (Miguel Roche Monroy) and Dr. Winston. 2. Due to the foregoing we find it necessary to request that another apartment be secured for AMMUG-1."

104-10185-10234: MEMORANDUM: SAFEHOUSE FOR AMMUG-1

06/16/64, Memorandum for the record from Vivian A. Petrowki: "1. The undersigned called Mr. (REDACTION) of the Safehouse Procurement Section on 15 June 1964 to arrange for the Safehouse for AMMUG-1 at (REDACTION) 8484. 2. Mr. (REDACTION) called on the morning of 16 June 1964 to say that a deposit had been placed on Apartment (REDACTION) at (REDACTION). 3. Security has been notified and the apartment is now being checked. If everything goes well Mr. Roger Shea, Attorney in Arlington, Virginia will sign the lease beginning 01 July 1964. The lease will be for Vladimir Rodriguez Lahera."

104-10247-10218: AMMUG-1 IS A BONA FIDE DEFECTOR

06/23/64: Memo from Harold Swenson, Chief, WH/SA/CI to Director of Security:

Mary's DB AMMUG-1 entry

"Record: AMMUG-1. Sources: CIA Box 3, Vol 3, Doc 02710 (MMF 789); CIA Box 6, Folder 8 (MMF 473); CIA Box 7, Folder 2 (MMF 265); CIA Box 7, Folder 5, Doc 03370 (MMF 253); CIA Box 7, Folder 10, Docs 03045, 03046, 03049, 03051, 03053, 03055, 03056, 03058 (MMF 86-102); CIA Box 12, Folder 10, Doc 3357 (MMF 1095-1099); HSCA Reel 19, Box 12, Folder J, K, L (AMKW 14); HSCA Reel 20, Box 13, Folder J, K, L (AMKW 15); HSCA Reel 21, Box 14, Folder B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J (AMKW 15); HSCA Reel 22, Box 15, Folder A, B, C, D, E - OPS, F Folder 40, G Folder 39, H Folder 38, I Folder 37 (#16), J Folder 37 (#15), K Folder 36, L Folder 35, M Folder 34, N Folder 33, O Folder 32, P Folder 31, Q Folder 30, R Folder 29, S Folder 28, T Folder 27, U Folder 26, V Folder 25, W Folder 23, X Folder 24, Y 'ZAPOTE CASE' Folder 22, Z 'ROMEO CASE' Folder 21 (AMKW 16); HSCA Reel 22, Box 15, Folder AA 'VALLADARES CASE' Folder 20, Folder BB Folder 19, Folder CC, Folder DD, Folder EE, Folder FF, GG, HH, II, JJ (AMKW 17); HSCA Reel 48, Box 26, Folder Z (AMKW 26); HSCA Reel 60, Box 33, Folder D (AMKW 33). Mary's Comments: 201-749651. DGI. AMMUG-1 identified individuals in Volume 1 of the Cuban Mugbook for the CIA. 27-year-old Cuban Intelligence Officer who defected in Canada April 21, 1964."

104-10127-10030: CABLE ADVISING OF HSCA DESIRE TO INTERVIEW (DELETION)

08/01/78, Cable from Director to Mexico City: Slugline WNINTEL RYBAT SLANK: "1. Following FYI only: House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) desires interview SLANK-1 (S-1) in connection with their investigation of President Kennedy's assassination. 2. Please advise priority if Henry S. Pachankis (probably Jack Stewart) is still in contact with S-1 and confirm if S-1 still resides 2931 SW 19th Terrace, Miami, phone (305) 443-3027. 3. Above info needed for preliminary planning. Do not report not reveal HSCA interest to S-1. We plan to have any HSCA interview of S-1 conducted at HQs under controlled conditions. Will advise future developments when known. End FYI. 4. File: 201-749651...ORIG: W. Sturbitts - C/LA/STB...COORD: OLS (Joannides), PCS/LOC (Shepanek), DC/LA/CO (LATRASH), C/LA/CAR/Miami. REL: C/LAD Warren..."

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Contributors:
MFF • Bill Simpich

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