DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE IEEHCT DIAIAPPR 189- 8 INTELLIGENCE APPRAISAL LATIN AMERICA COUNTERTERRORISM AND TRENDS IN 11 AUGUST 1978 DECLASSIFIED IN FULL Authority E013525 DIA FOIA a Declass 'r cation Services Of ces Dater Oar 13 2013 Warnmg Not-cc SWIM I 5m and WOW Nation annalmn Umnulhanzec Diguo ec u Cram-um Sanminns Page determined to be nulassi ed Reviewed DIAFCIAB Dedassi cation Services Of ces IAW E01353 Section 3 5 Date Oct 13 2013 In PP Appraisal LATIN CO UN TER TER CRISP AND TRENDS IN TERRORISM U 53' I I i1 U'a il iT USC 424 DECLASSFIEDIN FULL Authority E013526 DIA OIA 8 Declassi cation Services O 'lces Date Oct 13 2013 BIL-1 l i R THE INFLUENTIAL 3N CONDOR HRitrtn I1l 11 t i Hall Ull r Hf-rE -N H t DECLASSIFIED IN FULL Authority 5013526 DIA FOIAE Declassi cation Services Of ces Data 06t18_2013 DECLASSIFIEDIN FULL Authority E0 13525 DIA FUIAS Declassi oation Services Offnee Date Oct 13 2018 TRENDS IN TERRORISM COUNTERTERRORISM AND THE REVOLUTIONARY COORDINATING JUNTA U Summon Operation Condor is an agreement established l _v the intelligence services of Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Ecuador Paraguay Peru and li rugua to promote intelli- gence exchange among their respective services and to provide for long- range cooperation in countering terrorist and subversive activities in Latin America Operation Condor is moving to set up a single computerized data bank in Santiago Chile to act as a central registry for biographic cards and files contributed by each of the participating intelligence organizations and to operate a Condortel communications network designed to facilitate the exchange of intelligence information among participants - in a separate agreement consistent with Condor objec tive s the Argentine llrugua an and Chilean intelligence services have agreed to participate in cooperative covert operations in Europe against the Revolutionary Coordinating Junta and prominent Latin American terrorists and insurgents such as Argentine Hontonero leader Mario t'irrnenich Althoagh thoroughly dominated from its formation in 1974 until recently by the Argentine People s Revolution- ary Army the JCR also includes the National Liberation Army of Bolivia the woveinent of the Revolutionary Left of Chile and the National Libera tion tiovernent-Tupamoros of Uruguay as charter members of the organi- zation From its inception the JCR was envisaged as a source of strategic planning for the Latin terroristx insurgent movement in general and as a supranational logistic organization 1which would tend assistance training expertise and encouragement to the various national terrorist insurgent groups The JCR established headquarters for its organization in Europe alternating between Paris and Listn most of the time During the 191-4 19 76 period the JCR frequently supperted el'forts to initiate and encourage terrorist activities in Bolivia Chile Paragua and Uruguay Then in April the Latin American connection in Europe took on an element which in general terms it had previously loci-ted a European target focus This development raised concern that eventually the JCR might become involved in European terrOrist operations it it were frustrated in Latin America Signs of the advent of such frustration have already begun to accumulate Despite rather active support and propaganda efforts through the fall of t9 o' JCR activities in both Europe and Latin America have tapered off significantly tl g 8 DIRK Intelligence Appraisal Page I SEER-ET DECLASSIFIED IN FULL Authority E0 13526 DIA Poms Dachssi ca m Services Of ces D3133 as 13 2018 r r I 5 J 3 i- 511 NE I I I'rll 'f Ix k RI HR r ll i W Non-2 5 HiKraft find-I Um I RLri' I SENIOR INTELLIGENCE SERVICE CHIEFS 1 IN CDNDOH 3 I 2 Currently Brazll mamtams oniy an observer status Ei i - - I -4 SEER-E DECLASSIFIEDIN FULL Author' y E01352IE DIA FOIAE Dachssi calicn Services O 'ices Date Oct re 2015 In early 1978 during JCR sponsored meetings in liiadrid and Paris the organization apparently began a major effort to reinvigorate itself by broadening its base of operations through increased cooperation with terrori'stfinsirrectionist groups active in European opera- tions Although the JCR intends to continue its efforts in Latin America it may feel the need to diversify in the hope of achieving operational successes elsewhere to bolster its reputation Meanwhile the internal security operations of the Condor caimtries and others in Latin America have apparently for the present largely stymied the JCR revolutionary exiles' dream of returning to reinvigorate insurrectionist operations on a large scale Basically it appears that the national groups which have worked with the JCR lack the ability to seriously threaten the stability of their reSpeetive countries while the JCR for its part loci-ts the means to tip the balance in the groups favor Discussion Operation Condor During the first six months of 19% a series of 1were held between representatives of various Latin American intelligence organizations which culminated in establishment of the system known as Operation Condor Condor was set up lollowing discussions among representatives of the intelligence services of Argentina Boliwa Brazil Chile Paraguay and Uruguay to promote intelligence exchange among their respective services and to provide for long-range cooperation in countering terrorist and subvers'lve activities in Latin America in late 1977 both Ecuador and Peru were also incorporated into the Condor network However no sooner was the group established than BraZil chose to severely limit its participation after some fellow Condor members apparently resisted BraZilian efforts to dominate the groupThe agreement establishing the Condor network envisages establishment of a single computerized data bank in Santiago Chile to act as 1 central registry for biographic cards and files contributed by each of the participating intelligence organizations The Arger'itint intelligence Semice also agreed to donate equipment to permit establishment of a Condortel communications net work designed to facilitate the exchange of intelligence information among participants In a separate agreement ronsistent with Condor objectives the Argentine Uruguayan and Chileiin intelligence services agreed to participate in cooperative covert operations in Europe against the JCR and prominent Latin American terrorists and insurgents such as Argentine Montonero leader Marlo - Additional lly the Argen tine and Chilean intelligence services have agreed to put instructional 1 Aug 7 3 DIA Intelligence Appraisal Page 2 DECLASSIFIED IN FULL SEW Authority EO13526 DIA FOlAii Dechssi ca on Services Of ces Date om 13 2918 facilities ol their respective intelligence training schools at the disposal of Condor so that instructors and students from other Condor countries may LiSt them Furthermore in late 1977 Argentina provided Hagehn H4605 equipment to Condortel to enhance the security of its teletype nets Argentina has also agreed to host the Condor Editing Center in Buenos Aires where facilities are being assembled to handle limited edition publication of intelligence documents required by Condor members Condor s operations against subversive targets are controlled out of an operations Center in Argentina and are executed by teams Composed of members from partici- pating services According to regulations the operations will intercept their targets carry out their missions and escape Communications for operations in Latin America are to be provided by Condortel facilities Operations conducted elsewhere are to rely upon coded messages trans mitted by public cable or telephonic facilities while documentation and operational equipment are to be provided either by diplomatic pouch or via courier Subversive targets outside Latin America appear to be confined to exiled Latin American terrorists and insurrectionists many of whom are associated in one way or another With the JCR The Revolutionary Coordinating Junta i i The JCR was the brain child of the late Mario cSanttit ho then leader of the Argentine People's Revo lutionary Army Although thoroughly dominated from its formation in 19734 until recently by the ERP the JCR also includes the National Liberation Army of Bolivia the Movement of the Revolutionary Left MIR of Chile and Liruguay's National Liberation s-loveinent-Tupamaros as charter ineliibers of the organization trout its inception the JCR was envisaged as a source of strategic planning for the Latin terroristfinsurgent movements in general and as a supranational logistic organization vvhich would lend assistance training expertise and encouragement to the various national terroristi insurgent groups For example beginning in April 19 5 the JCR set up workshops principally in Portugal in order to save money for member gi'oups by training them to manufacture their own weapons Eventually JCR workshops in Argentina and Europe reached the point where they were producing a not too durable submachine gun rocket grenades in very small quantities baaookas and rocket launchers The JCR has established head- quarters for its organization in Europe alternating between Paris and Lisbon most of the time The extensive Latin American community of expatriots living in Paris about 25 000 people of whom 2 000 are students and the complex revolutionary network which has been established in that ll Aug 73 l iIA Intelligent 1 Page 3 DECLASSIFIED FULL Authority E0 13526 DIA FOIAE Declassi cation Services Off nes Data Oct 18 2013 community with the aid of the Cuban Embassy continue to make Paris a natural hub for JCR activities The JCR has also been well represented in Stockholm Lisbon and various cities in Italy through the large left-wing Latin American exile communities residing there During the l9i'ti to 1976 period the JCR conducted its activities in Europe from behind a complex network of front organizations and sympathetic left-wing groups it maintained contact with organizations such as the Chile Solidarity Committee the Bertrand Russell Tribunal the Latin American Students Association AELAJ and others The JCR's principal front organization in France was the Argentine Solidarity and information Center which was established with the assistance of the Argentinian ERP and the Montoneros The CAIS conducted a wide variety of propaganda activities on behalf of the JCR and even went so far as to produce its own propaganda films with the help of leftist Italian filmmakers The JCR also operates through a front organization in Sweden called the Latin American Front FRELA as well as a FRELA subsidiary front organization called the Latin American Fund for Refugees At one time the Swedish Government contributed an annual appropriation of about $2#0 000 to FRELA a large part of which was reportedly channeled by the JCR into support of its insurrecttoniSt activities Additionally the JCR worked through such Latin American-based organizations as the Latin American Press agency in Caracas the Argentina House and the Mexican Solidarity Committee with the Argentina House which is in Mexico City and the Movement Against imperialism and for Socialism in Argentina which maintained offices in Los Angeles San Francisco and Miami Additionally the JCR has maintained contact With several West European and Arab terrorist groups to include the Basque Fatherland and Freedom Movement the Irish Republican Army the West German Baader MEinhofl Gang one Red Army Faction and the various Palestinian groups such as and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Considerable funding support for the JCR at least initially came from the ERP which in turn received financial support from Cuba to supplement its income from bank robberies and kidnapings According to information provided by Patrisio Biedrna a member of the Chilean Milt and a high-ranking member of the JCR ERP support to the JCR was supplemented with funds received directly from Cuban sources during the BEL-1976 time frame Additionally Frederico Chevas reputedly onetime chief of JCR operations in Europe maintained direCt contact with officials from the Cuban Embassy in Rome The JCR is known to have also received finanmal assmtance from the Argentine Mon- toneros and in 19% from Romania in reciprocation for favorable publicity the organization gave Romania 11 Aug 2'8 om Intelligence - ippraisal Page ii SEER-E SEER-H DECLASSIFIEDIN FULL Authority E013526 DIA FDIAS Declassi cation Services Of ces Date Oct tit 2013 The JCR repeatedly attempted to induce other Latin American terrorist organizations to jom with it In 19714 various terrorist groups in Mexico Peru and Venezuela were approached In 1975 the Paraguayan National Liberation Front FREPA- UNA joined the JCR The latter has also wooed various grOups in Brazil Colombia El Salvador and Guatemala in mid-l9 6 the JCR was discussing incorporation of the Dominican Popular Movement which has been moribund in the Dominican Republic Since the late 19605 and licaragua's Sandinista National Liberation Front Between I9 ii and 197 6 besides its activities in Argentina the JCR frequently Supported efforts to initiate and encourage terrorist activities in Bolivia Chile Paraguay and Uruguay in l97ii the JCR contributed in an attempt to revitalize the Boliv'ian National Liberation Army which had been largely inactive since 1972 because of its inept leadership lack of popular appeal and government suppression in Chile the JCR sponsored Operation Red Boomerang which nvolved an unsuccessful attempt to infiltrate about 300 Chileans from Argentina into Chile to mount a terrorist campaign against the government of Gen Pinochet In Paraguay the JCR sponsored an operation by a group of terrorists who planned to assassinate President Stroessener and other prominent Paraguayans That country's security forces frus- trated the plot but in early April 926 Paraguayan sei iiritv forces accidentally discovered another group the Organization which was trained in exile by the ERP under JCl-t auspices to infiltrate and mount terrorist operations The ltTR maintained links on a continuing basis with various groups of Paraguayan terrorist exiles living in Argentina partitiularly Irieitibers of FREPALINK and the li-loveinerit in Defense of the Fatherland - be'tween 19M and H 715 the badly batteiri 1 Movement of National Libet'ation Tupainaros MLN- T in Uruguay was Is gel sustained with it support Honey personnel and weapons have been smuggled into the country - by the JCR in the Tupainaros had been badly rt'iauled by Uruguayan security forces and became heavily dependent first upon the Elli-i and then upon the JCR for support and safe havens in Burnus hires The safe haven status of Buenos iires until win-i - rgeiitine and l ruguavan securityr forces mounted a series of highly suti'i-sslui operations against Uruguayan terrorist exiles livmg in ar'gentina In the wake of these actior'as large segments of the exiled Tuparnaro fled to Europe particiilarlv Paris Lisbon and various cities in Sweden and italy - - - It has during this period of al- erupted expansion that the ber tune a truly international organization boasting of representatives in Rome Paris Stockholm Lisbon Frankfurt and Berlin Approximately 100 members of JCR affiliated groups took up residence in Sweden alone another at were living in ltalv Aug 3 l ili- i iriti'liigt-iite Appraisal Page 5 SEER-H DEC LASBIFIED IN FULL Authority 50 13525 DIA FOIAE Deelassi cation Services Of ces Date Oct 13 earn Wt Despite the wide perspective oi the JCR's terrorist campaign plan for Latin America its most crucial campaign was fought and lost in the country of its birth by the terrorist organization upon which it was most dependent -- the ERP which was severely battered by Argentine security forces The June l9 6 death of Mario Santucho was a severe blow to the it deprived the organization of one of its most imaginative and dynamic leaders In April the Latin American connection in Europe took on an element which it has previously lacked a European target focus A plot involving a mixed Latin American-West European terrorist group planning the kidnaping of a former Swedish Government minister was exposed when terrorists were arrested by Swedish security police The group had planned to kidnap the former minister and to hold her for ransom to force release of Baader Memhofi gang members imprisoned in West Germany The Latin Americans introlved had established residence in Sweden as political reiugees had been involved in terrorist activities in their home countries and had spent ian in Cuba The European terrorists and their Latin American counterparts apparently became acquainted through the Stockholm Refugee Council an ultraleft organization which assists in the resettlement oi Latin American political refugees The kidnapping plot raised concern that eventuallv the JCR itself might become involved in European terrorism if it were traistrated in Latin America signs of the advent of such frustration were already beginning to accuiriuiate There was a high level of activity through the toll of 19% but since then activities in both Europe and Ldtil l Allie-rice have tapered oil With the exception of the JCR propaganda ettort bv the Latin American Press Agency which was run by MLN-Tuparnaros in France little a- tivitv has been visible By the end of the JCR appeared to be expending much of its efferts on propaganda mechanisms maintaining intact With an estimated 16 Organi zations -- many of them small Latin exile groups in France including such groups as the Solidarity for the qitruiggle of the Ecuadorean People the Corriinittet' lot the Support of the Struggle of the Argentine People and the holidarlty Group The only other recent JCR involvement of auv reportedly included provision of documentation safe havens and other support for militants of the i-Bolivian Army of National Liberation who were scheduled to be sent to Europe iollowmg their traii'iing in Cuba to prepare for ultiiusze infiltration has it in It Bolivia Although Jtih efforts to proselvtize among the Latin American esile i-ornsziunities in France c ii eden and ltaiv continued few new members joined up During the Congress in November 193'6 internal si'hisins developed when opposing factions began vying to gain control of the organization El 9mg 73 DH Inn-Herr Page 6 FULL Authority E01352E FOJA 8 Declassificati on Services Of cer Date Oct 18 2013 The JCR fell to a particularly dismal state in ltaly where members of the ERP and the Chilean broke away from the group and began utilizing the services of the AntieFascist Comrruttee Against Repression in Argentina which enjoys the support of the Italian Coin- munist Party CAFRA also provided an alternate contact point for Mario Firinenich's Montoneros as well as the ERP the two prInCIpal insurgent terrorist groups in Argen tina In a further tragi'nentation of the Latin American eitile community in Italy the Monto- neros while maintaining norriirial n'ieinbership in the CAFRA have continued to conduct their activities largely independent of not only the JCR but of the ERP and often CAFRA as well because of obiections to that organi- zation's close association with the PKTI The tlontoneros' feud with the PCI is in response to the latter's unwillingness to endorse the Mon toneros the ERP and other groups in as legitimate political alternatives to the present Argentine Government Finally another member in Europe the Tuparnaros organization in ltaljr betarne disinterested In the opt-rationally moribund JCR in Italy1 while Bolivia's National Liberation r irinv was no longer even actively represented in mm csouthern Eurapmr country NIH-tut i far In mini- h has undermined the lkiR in Ital appears to be the lar'gesse of Libyan Strongiriaii Muarnrnar Qadhafi who has reportedly been providing funds to various Jen wing leaders of the Party kill for their own use and for transmittal to Palestinians and Latir Ariit-riran eitiles and revolutionaries in that Country PHI tniiriers reportedly traveled regular- ly to Malta to pick-up large siiriis provided by Qad iat some of which are passed to Italian ber'ator Lelio Basso who in turn forwards a portion of the funds to the The relative financial independence which this subsidiary funding has git-en the Tiiparnaros has been another factor in the group's lack ot interest n JITH activities and in risky Insur- rectionist operations at home in Uruguay WW During ieetings iH' id in Madrid rt Par in early 1973 the JCR apparently btgan a ii-a tir ig-llort to re g irate itself by broadening its base of operations through intrtased cooperation terrorist nsurrectioriist groups a4 tit-e in a'ctl'lDUS parts of the world anvi by involved at least indirei tly in operations steamer European targets Organizations in tl it-se l'ii'illdt t i the Popular Front for the Liberation of l alesrii'ie the Algerjam sponsored ll Aug 73 Wt- i intelligence autipraisa Page If SEER-BF BEG-RE DECLASSIFIEDIN FULL Authoriy E013525 DIA FOIA 8 Declassi cation Services Of ce Date Oct 13 2015 Polisario the Loiiationiiniia of Italy revolutionary leftist groups from Colombia the Dominican Republic Puerto Rico the US West Germany Japan and Singapore the Argentine ERP and Montoneros which were represented together for the tirst time the Chilean the Bolivian Army of National Liberation the Liruguavan MLN-Tupamaros and the Bandera Roja and the Liga Socialists of Venezuela The JCR has established regional working groups composed of Latin American Iberian European North American US and Mexico and Asian sections In addition policyr decrsions were reportedly taken involving plans to execute Western European political figures for publicity purposes Italian political leader Aldo Moro was not one of those considered establish a scientific committee to study atomic weapons and increase armed struggle especially in the Condor countries of Ar- gentina Brazil and Chile The JCRIS new attention to aCtivities outsrde Latin America taken together With the April 1977 inCident in Sweden indicate developing interest on the part of career Latin American terrorist exiles in European operations This altered operational focus may be in part a reflection of its general lack of recent success against the Condor countries Although the JCR intends to continue its efforts in Latin America it may feel the need to diversity in the hope of achieving operational suci' esses elsewhere to bolster its reputation Outlook i- While operation Condor may have some problems integrating the financial and human resources of participating countries and may from time to time experience difficulties as the more powerful members with greater resources tend to pursue their own terrorists and somewhat neglect the mteres of other countries the organization nevertheless is likely to vmain in an advantageous position with regard to the Latin American revolutionary exile community The internal security lorces of the various participating nations have largely stymied the revolutionary ex iIc-sT dream of returning to reinvigorate insur- rectionist operations on a large scale The high hopes of the exiled revolutionaries that lt R would becoitit a terrorist organization of transcontinentai operational impact which would succeed in breathing new vigor into many of the more hardpressed Latrr Ariierican extremist movements have yet to be Insofar as Operation Condor improves its operational capability problems of the TIER Will be that much more accentuated However current efforts appear to be under way to integrate JCR activities with those of other tcrroristfinsurrectionist groups thus giving the JCR an operational locus in Europe as well as In Latin hitterica JCH preoccupation ltll activities outside its area of II Aug Fit DH lrtelligenCe Appraisal Page 8 necmssunenm FULL Author'ty E013526 DIA FOIAE- Declassi catim Services Of ces Date Oct 13 20 3 principal focus in Latin America Arnie r be in part a reflection of its general lack of recent success against the Condor countries and may be expected to continue as a refleCIion of the group's need to bolster its reputation through successes scored elsewhere WW II Aug 78 DIA Intelligence Appraisal Page 9 DECLASSIFIEDIN FULL Authority ED13525 DIA FOIA Declassi cation Services Of ces Date Oct 13 2018 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu