' ·Current - lifjij HP •l l' fl ---•nf lf uuh LU Class · ' current Handling · Document Number 1977BUENOS06326 Page 1 h_ '71 f Channel n a Case Number 200000044 - PAGE 01 ACTION SS-25 INFO OCT-01 BUENOS 06326 ISO-00 01 OF 02 252101Z SSO-00 026 W ------------------058899 252138Z 72 R 251930Z AUG 77 FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1935 --------- ·--- -- -- SECTION 1 OF 2 BUENOS AIRES 6326 E O 11652 XGDS-2 AND 4 TAGS SHUM AR SUBJECT INTERIOR MINISTER SEES JACOBO TIMERMAN CONGRESSMAN GILMAN ALSO PERMITTED INTERVIEW WITH TIMERMAN REF BUENOS AIRES 6173 BUENOS AIRES 6137 1 SUMMARY CONGRESSMAN GILMAN'S RECENT MEETING WITH TIMERMAN IS SUMMARIZED BELOW THERE IS ALSO CONTAINED A SUMMARY OF AN ALLEGED CONFESSION MADE BY TIMERMAN DURING HIS CAPTIVITY UNDER GROUND RULES ESTABLISHED BY THE GOA MR GILMAN AGREED NOT TO GIVE ANY PUBLICITY TO HIS MEETING THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MESSAGE WOULD PLACE TIMERMAN IN IMMEDIATE JEOPARDY AND COULD ALSO ADVERSELY AFFECT US-ARGENTINE RELATIONS END SUMMARY 2 DURING THE VISIT OF CODEL YATRON TO BUENOS AIRES AUGUST 17-20 REPRESENTATIVE BENJAMIN GILMAN ASKED FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS FOR PERMISSION TO INTERVIEW JACOBO TIMERMAN THE PUBLISHER OF LA OPINION UNTIL HIS ARREST LAST APRIL IN CONNECTION WITH THE GRAIVER INVESTIGATION UNTIL NOW THE ONLY INDIVIDUALS ALLOWED TO VISIT TIMERMAN HAVE BEEN CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS AND HIS RABBI WHO IS A UNITED STATES CITIZEN WITHIN 24 HOURS OF PAGE 02 Current Class BUENOS 06326 01 OF 02 · 252101Z ARGENTINA PROJECT S200000044 U S DEPT Of STATE A RPS IPS Margaret P Grafeld Director Release Excise Deny p Exemption sl _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - - Declassify J In Part P J In Full Classify as_ Extend as _ Downgrade to _ Date _ _ _ Declassify on _ _ _ Reason Page 1 H 1 r n· u ' ' • · I J riUUL iL He _'_ R_ c • ' P ' •c - ' 'I Current C l a s s Current Handling Document Number · 1977B ENOS06326 Page 2 Channel n a Case Number 200000044 MR GILMAN'S REQUEST THE FOREIGN MINISTER OBTAINED A GOVERNMENT DECISION TO PERMIT A CONFIDENTIAL INTERVIEW WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE EVENING OF AUGUST 19 IN GOVERNMENT HOUSE MR GILMAN INTERVIEWED TIMERMAN IN THE PRESENCE OF A FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL AND AN EMBOFF AS A PRECONDITION FOR THE INTERVIEW MR GILMAN AGREED TO GROUND RULES LAID DOWN BY THE FOREIGN MINISTRY THAT HE WOULD NOT PUBLICIZE THE MEETING OR THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CONVERSATION ON A CONFIDENTIAL BASIS HOWEVER THE CONGRESSMAN WAS AUTHORIZED TO INFORM HIS COLLEAGUES WHICH LATER WAS DEFINED TO INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE THE FOREIGN MINISTRY SOURCE BELIEVED THAT PRESIDENT VIDE_LA WAS AWARE OF THE DECISION TO PERMIT THE INTERVIEW BUT IT WAS BEING HELD CLOSELY WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT 3 TIMERMAN WALKED UNHANDCUFFED AND ALONE INTO A ROOM WHERE HIS VISITORS WERE WAITING HE CONVERSED WITH THE CONGRESSMAN IN ENGLISH HE WAS DRESSED IN CASUAL STREET CLOTHES AND AN OLD SPORT JACKET WHICH APPEARED TO BE HIS OWN HIS MANNER WAS SUBDUED BUT HE APPEARED TO BE REMARKABLY IN CONTROL OF HIS MENTAL FACULTIES IN FACT HE DEMONSTRATED CONSIDERABLE ACUITY AND WIT AND HIS CONVERSATION WAS LACED WITH BITTERSWEET IRONY AT TIMES EXCEPT FOR A DISCOLORED BLACK SKIN AREA UNDER ONE FINGERNAIL THERE WAS NO OUTWARD SIGN OF BRUISES 4 MR GILMAN ASKED HOW HE WAS BEING TREATED AND HOW HE WAS FEELING TIMERMAN REPLIED THAT A PRISONER IN HIS CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD NOT ANSWER THAT KIND OF A QUESTION BUT HE WAS ALLRIGHT NOW -- WITH EMPHASIS ON THE NOW HE SAID HE HAD LOST WEIGHT WHICH WAS A MIXED BLESSING HE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY UNDERWEIGHT BUT IT IS - ----- - - - - --- - --------- PAGE 03 BUENOS 06326 01 OF 02 2521012 POSSIBLE THAT HE HAS BEEN GRAINING AGAIN IN RECENT WEEKS AS A RESULT OF IMPROVED TREATMENT 5 TIMERMAN SAID HE DID NOT KNOW WHY HE WAS BEING HELD AS NO FORMAL CHARGES HAD BEEN LODGED AGAINST HIM HE HAD NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO SEE THE MILITARY JUDGE'S INVESTIGATING REPORT WHICH WAS SECRET FROM THE NATURE OF THE QUESTIONS ASKED OF HIM HOWEVER THE MILITARY OFFICIAL'S HANDLING OF Current Class Page 2 ClASSlf ltD I Current Class ·current Handling Document Number 1977BUENOS06326 Page 3 Channel n a Case Number 200000044 THE INVESTIGATION WAS NO SOURCE OF COMFORT FOR HIM THE FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL ADMITTING THAT HE TOO HAD NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO SEE THE PRELIMINARY JUDICIAL REPORT STATED THAT ACCORDING TO COMMON KNOWLEDGE MR TIMERMAN WAS SUSPECTED OF ECONOMIC SUBVERSION IN CONNECTION WITH THE GRAIVER AFFAIR THE OFFICIAL DOUBTED THAT TIMERMAN COULD BE GRANTED THE RIGHT OF OPTION OF SELF-EXILE ABROAD AS HIS CASE WAS NOW IN THE JUDICIAL PROCESS TIMERMAN SAID HIS INTERROGATORS N VER ONCE ASKED HIM ABOUT GRAIVER INSTEAD THE BULK OF THE QUESTIONS HAD TO DO WITH A PRESUMED WORLD JEWISH CONSPIRACY AGAINST ARGENTINA HE WAS TOLD THAT SOVIET PREMIER KOSYGIN WAS A JEW HIS INTERROGATORS ASKED WHAT HE KNEW ABOUT NNN PAGE 01 ACTION SS-25 INFO OCT-01 BUENOS 06326 ISO-00 02 OF 02 2520472 SSO-00 026 W ------------------058610 2521372 72 R 2519302 AUG 77 FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1936 - SECTION 2 OF 2 BUENOS AIRES 6326 SECRET MEETINGS BETWEEN ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BEGUIN AND THE MONTONEROS AND A SECRET PLAN OF THE ELDERS OF ZION IN THE LAST CENTURY TO TAKE OVER PATAGONIA PLAN ANDINA AT ONE TIMERMAN SAID HE ALMOST GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION TO PLAY ALONG WITH THE ANTISEMITIC PARANOIA OF HIS CAPTORS AND INVENT A STORY ABOUT SECRET MEETINGS OF THE ELDERS OF ZION IN ARGENTINA HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE HAD ASKED HIS JAILER A SIMPLE MAN WHICH WAS THE EAST WALL OF HIS TINY PRISON CELL SO THAT HE COULD SAY HIS DAILY PRAYERS BUT THIS INFORMATION LUDICROUSLY WAS DENIED ON SECURITY GROUNDS 6 TIMERMAN WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO EXPLAIN TO THE CONGRESSMAN THE GOVERNMENT'S NEED TO TAKE EXTRAORDINARY ACTION AGAINST Current Class Page 3 Page 4 Current C l a s s ·current Handling Document Number 1977BUENOS06326 Channel n a Case Number 200000044 TERRORIST SUBVERSION AND ASKED FOR THE CONGRESSMAN'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUBVERSIVE THREAT FACING THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT WHEN IT TOOK POWER TIMERMAN SAID HE WAS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE VIDELA ADMINISTRATION AND HOPED THAT THE U S WOULD DO EVERYTHING IT COULD TO SUPPORT VIDELA HE COMPLAINED THAT THE U S CONGRESS AT TIMES NAIVELY HAD APPROACHED THE ARGENTINE QUESTION AND RECALLED THAT HE HAD OFFERED LATE LAST YEAR TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE FRASER SUBCOMMITTEE ABOUT THE TERRORIST CONNECTIONS OF GUSTAVO ROCA AND GARZON MACEDA WHOSE TESTIMONY FRASER HAD TAKEN EARLIER SHAKING HIS HEAD SADLY LOOK WHAT HAPPENS TO A MAN WHO WAS TRYING TO DEFEND THE GOVERNMENT HE SAID PAGE 02 BUENOS 06326 02 OF 02 2520472 7 TIMERMAN WAS VERY GRATEFUL FOR MR GILMAN'S EFFORT TO SEE HIM AND ALSO FOR MS DERIAN'S INTEREST IN HIS WELFARE GILMAN EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT JUSTICE WOULD BE DONE IN THE TIMERMAN CASE IMPRESSING UPON THE FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL THAT TIMERMAN'S CAPTIVITY HAD EARNED ARGENTINA ENORMOUS NEGATIVE PUBLICITY ABROAD TIMERMAN WAS THEN ESCORTED WITHOUT HANDCUFFS TO A JEEP WAITING OUTSIDE AND DRIVEN AWAY 8 COMMENT WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT TIMERMAN MAY HAVE BEEN GIVEN SOME COACHING BEFORE THE MEETING THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE TIMERMAN DID NOT SAY ANYTHING WITH RESPECT TO U S POLICY AND THE NEED TO SUPPORT THE MODERATE VIDELA FORCES THAT HE HAD NOT SAID BEFORE PUBLICLY IN HIS OWN NEWSPAPER WHEN HE WAS A FREE MAN GOVERNMENT'S MOTIVE IN ARRANGING THE INTERVIEW APPARENTLY WAS TO APPEAR TO BE RESPONSIVE TO A PRESUMABLY FRIENDLY U S CONGRESSMAN WHO OPPOSED SANCTIONS AGAINST ARGENTINA AND WHO PRESUMABLY WAS INFLUENTIAL IN AMERICAN JEWISH CIRCLES ARGENTINES HAVE INORDINATE IDEAS OF INFLUENCE OF JEWISH THINKING ON U S DECISION-MAKING AND PURPOSE PRESUMABLY WAS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT TIMERMAN WAS IN REASONABLY GOOD HEALTH AND RECEIVING GOOD TREATMENT NEVERTHELESS AUTHORITIES APPEARED NERVOUS ABOUT RISK THEY MIGHT BE RUNNING WITH HARDLINE MILITARY AND SO AVOIDED LENDING HUGE PROPAGANDA SHOWCASE QUALITY TO THE EVENT WE BELIEVE IT PREMATURE TO DRAW ANY CONCLUSIONS AS TO THE FINAL OUTCOME OF THE TIMERMAN CASE FROM THIS EVENT END COMMENT 9 EMBASSY ALSO HAS BEEN CONFIDENTIALLY TRANSMITTED A SERIES OF DOCUMENTS FROM NAVAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCES THAT WE ORIGINALLY Current Class Page 4 UNClASSIFltD Current Class Current Handling Document Number 1977BUENOS06326 Page 5 Channel n a Case Number 200000044 WERE TOLD WOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT TIMERMAN HAD CONFESSED TO BEING A COMMUNIST AND SOVIET SPY HOWEVER THE DOCUMENTS WE INCLUDE COMMENTS PURPORTEDLY MADE BY THE POLICE PAGE 03 BUENOS 06326 02 OF 02 2520472 C IEF OF THE PROVINCE OF BUENOS AIRES COL CAMPS IN A BRIEFING ON MAY 3 1977 REPORTEDLY ACCORDING TO CAMPS TIMERMAN DEFINED HIMSELF AS A MARXIST SINCE HIS YOUTH WHO HAD BEEN ACTIVE IN STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS HE ADMITTED PATTERNING HIS NEWSPAPER ALONG THE MARXIST LINES OF LE MONDE SIC HE ALSO ADMITTED THAT DAVID GRAIVER HAD PROVIDED ALL THE CAPITAL FOR THE NEWSPAPER AND THE PRINTING PLANT AND TIMERMAN ORIGINALLY HAD BEEN ACCORDED A 45 PERCENT INTEREST AS THE FRUITS OF HIS LABOR ON THE DEATH OF GRAIVER TIMERMAN ALLEGEDLY THREATENED GRAIVER'S WIDOW WITH DEATH UNLESS SHE TURNED OVER TO HIM HER LATE HUSBAND'S SHARES HE ALLEGEDLY ADMITTED HAVING RECEIVED A $200 000 BRIBE TO WRITE A FAVORABLE STORY ON THE ALUAR DEAL AND ANOTHER $175 000 ON ANOTHER OCCASION BY ITT ACCORDING TO COL CAMPS' REPORTED STATEMENT TIMERMAN ADMITTED ALL OF THESE THINGS IN A SIGNED CONFESSION ANOTHER DOCUMENT INCLUDED IN THE PACKET CITES MEDIA ARTICLES AS REPORTING THAT TIMERMAN HAD BEEN A MEMBER OF A COMMUNIST YOUTH FRONT GROUP IN 1942 HAD ADMITTED BEING A LEFTIST ZIONIST HAD BEEN FRIEND OF FORMER PERONIST ECONOMY MINISTER JOSE BER GELBARD WHOSE POLICIES HE UNCONDITIONALLY SUPPORTED IN HIS NEWSPAPER HAD PURSUED A CONFUSED EDITORIAL INE WHICH AT ONE TIME SUPPORTED TERRORIST SUBVERSION AND SUBSEQUENTLY ATTACKED IT AND WHO WAS A SELF-CONFESSED SUPPORTER OF EUROCOMMUNISM AS OPPOSED TO THE SOVIET LINE THERE IS ALSO A HODGEPODGE OF OTHER CHARGES SUCH AS THAT HE HIRED WELL-KNOWN LEFTISTS AND ALLEGED TERRORIST SUPPORTERS ON HIS NEWSPAPER STAFF CHAPLIN NNN Current Class Page 5 - CCfO J _ ' L '- · ·•·- ••·»»UU t I I