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Cryptonym: AMCLEVE-15

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Definition:
Luis Posada Carriles, aka Luis Clemente Faustino Posada, Luis Clemente Posada, Luis Clemente Faustino Posada Carriles, El Bambi, Father Frank Roddson, Jr., Pete.
Status:
Documented
Discussion:
Luis Posada is one of the most important figures with a remarkable history. He is also known as CIFENCE-4 (crypt on MFF).

AMCLEVE-15 may have been linked with "Cleve" - Dr. Cleveland C. Cram, who worked with MRP in 1961, and later a historian on CIA affairs. See 104-10506-10028, p. 82.

A military record for Posada in the early 60s: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=121717&relPageId=2&search=%22miguel_orozco%22

"Father Frank Roddson, Jr." was a name used by "Father Luis Posada" in Miami. QDDALE (William D. Pawley) and Fabio Freyre worked with him, William Bishop of the Cross Movement wanted to join forces with him in 1960. 104-10220-10124
Sources:

124-90158-10011: No Title

"Posada was schooled as a chemist and worked there for the Firestone Rubber Company as a production manager. After his arrival in the United States, he worked for the Firestone Company in Akron, Ohio...Prior to his being recruited by ROGELIO CISNEROS (AMBANG-4), Posada had belonged to the anti-Castro movement known as (MRP)."

104-10129-10245: Personal Record Questionnaire

Posada worked for Firestone in Havana between March 1958-March 1959 - then "unemployed" until 1961, stationed in Guatemala for the Bay of Pigs and back to the Firestone in Akron, Ohio from July 1961- March 1963, when he left and his joined the US Army for the next year at Fort Benning between March 1963-March 1964 (see p. 17). In Akron, Posada reported to FBI agent Dick Patterson (see p. 18). Described as a "good shot" in hunting. (p. 23) Sought out for questioning by Contact Division in early 1963. (p. 43). In 1965, study was done on his relationship with Emilio Aragones (target in alleged pro-Castro plot aimed at JFK), Osvaldo Dorticos, and Jorge Mas Canosa. (p. 35). JMWAVE training branch instructor, also served as CI informant until termination in 1967. His contact was the "well-known gangster" Lefty Rosenthal. (See p. 16) Posada was a CIA informant in Venezuela in 1974 (working as a DIGEPOL employee at the Ministry of Interior as early as 1968) and reported to WH/3/V (See pp. 14, 16, 19). Was he posing as a Jesuit in 1960? See this letter (in Spanish, could use an English translation): http://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=55497&search=%22dr._tito%22#relPageId=77&tab=page

104-10226-10162: DISPATCH: UNIDAD REVOLUCIONARIA (UR) MILITARY COORDINATION

7/5/61 dispatch: Posada is listed as one of UR's "Black Falcons", along with Eduardo Perez Gonzalez (AMDENIM-11) and Julio Garcia aka "Al Smith" (AMCHEER-1) Also see https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=55556&relPageId=171 - Tony Cuesta/AMDENIM-14 was also UR and worked with the Falcons during the 1961 period.

124-10225-10120: No Title

6/24/64 urgent memo from Tampa FBI to Director and Miami: "Training of Cubans on property of Weir W. Williams, Polk County, Florida...Williams advised June 23 Cubans affiliated with JURE set up training camp on the farm three months ago and have been training men for guerilla warfare against Castro regime in Cuba. Luis Posada, ranking Cuban at camp, is person who made arrangements with Williams. Williams has had no contact with CIA but believes camp had CIA support as equipment, uniforms etc. appeared to be GI. (Luis Posada was discharged from Fort Benning, GA on March 18 as a second lieutenant.) Posada advised June 23 he was recruited in March 1964 in Miami by Rogelio Cisneros, militia coordinator of JURE, to set up camp to train men for guerilla operation against Castro regime in Cuba. Posada and Higinio Diaz, also recently discharged from United States Army...arranged with Williams and set up camp...24 trainees have concluded eight weeks training at camp. Other instructors other than Posada were were Lieutenant Mario Jiminez Rojo, Delfin Pio Martinez and Jose Benito Clark, latter two trained by CIA...Posada is considering quitting camp and has been told by Jose Benito Clark that he can get job with CIA..." At the time, Posada was the head of the camp. See 124-10214-10371, page 26 of 35.

124-10225-10175: No Title

On 8/18/64, Posada said he was terminating his membership with JURE. He said that although he had been in charge of its training camp in Polk County, Florida for several months, the training camp was no longer receiving support due to Ray's failure to enter Cuba by 5/20/64 as promised. See 104-10178-10050: By April, 1965, AMCLEVE-15 was employed by the Training Branch, and in July 1965 was an instructor for the Maritime Training Section. He also served as an informer on the ALEJOS/Guatemala activities.

104-10178-10224: SUBJ: REF 201-300985 ASSIGNED AMCLEVE-15 Document View

4/17/65: 201-300985 is assigned the cryptonym AMCLEVE-15.

104-10178-10221: SUBJECT: AMCLEVE/15 201-300985

PRQ Part 2, Sept 65: Posada was a member of Brigade 2506 and participated in training in the spring of 1961. Identified in this document as AMCLEVE-15, 201-300985. Active with JURE between December 1963-Feb. 1965. No record that Posada received cryptonym or 201 number prior to his time with JURE. "He has been a paid agent since March 1965." This document identifies 201-300985 as Luis Posada: http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB153/19720417.pdf

104-10178-10048: MEMORANDUM: TRANSFER OF AMCLEVE/15

8/1/66 memo from CI/FLUSTIKOFF to Chief of Station: "AMCLEVE-15 will be transferred to the CI branch effective 1 August 1966. AMCLEVE-15 will be used by CI to report on the activities of a 'Central Junta', which is being organized to govern the activities of RECE, Comandos L, MRTN and the AVBC...the above exile organizations have recently combined forces and have asked AMCLEVE-15 to work with them in the 'Central Junta'. AMCLEVE-15 will henceforth be paid under AMCITY." 104-10178-10210: 12/66 memo depicts AMCLEVE-15 working with Jorge Mas Canosa (201-297817) getting an estimate for a 23 foot boat with two 210 hp motors, using the title "Cuban Coordinating Committee "to enhance his cover". Also see 104-10178-10051: Posada was working with AMCLEVE-S and AMCLEVE-T...he had been working with CIA since April 1965. His supervisor was "Dewey". He was at that time a maritime training instructor. He was communicating with Herminio Diaz Garcia and Manolito LNU who were working with Comandos L. See 104-10178-10050: He was working in a junta with Comandos L, RECE, November 30 Movement and the 2506 Brigade to infiltrate people and conduct commando attacks, while informing to the CIA using the alias "Pete".

180-10145-10324: 180-10145-10324

In 1969, Reinaldo Pico/AMICE-31 and AMCLEVE-15 are described as "mutual friends".

10/18/76 State Department memo, pp. 4-5.

Luis Posada was now chief of counterintelligence of Venezuela's intelligence organization DISIP. Posada, Orlando Bosch, and three others were arrested for the bombing of the Cubana airliner carrying 73 people. http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB153/19761018.pdf

124-90158-10011: No Title

1976: Posada is working in Venezuela with DISIP as a commissioner or informant...several wealthy Cubans are in Venezuela funding action groups such as FLNC and Accion Cubana. "The persons who are contacted by Orlando Bosch Avila and Frank Castro are...Dr. Gustavo Ortiz Faz (note: possibly the man who killed Manolo Castro, according to Ilan Ehrlich's book "Eduardo Chibas: The Incorruptible Man of Cuban Politics", p. 46)...and Luis Posada. Posada, aka "El Bambi", has a private investigative agency..." See pages 2-8 of 46...report on Posada's background. In 1964, he was the chief trainer at Weir Williams' land in Polk County, Florida, running the Campo de Insurugencia Jose Marti for JURE. Prior to his recruitment by Rogelio Cisneros, he had been active with MRP. During 1964 he worked with CIA trainers Jose Benito Clark and Delfin Pio Martinez, while claiming he had no contact with CIA.

National Security Archive, "The CIA File on Luis Posada Carriles": http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB334/

Posada escaped from prison during the trial for the death of the 73 people killed by the bombing of a Cubana airliner. Orlando Bosch/AMDITTO-23 has been implicated in that bombing. Posada was in prison facing the bombing charges from 1976-1985 until his escape. Following his escape, Felix Rodriguez set him up with a new job in the contra supply operation headed by Oliver North: https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/13/world/bomber-s-tale-decades-intrigue-life-shadows-trying-bring-down-castro.html

Contributors:
Bill Simpich

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