• ' Page 1 · Current Class Current Handling LIMDIS Document Number 1978BUENOS00166 Channel n a Lo 7 PAGE 01· ACTION H-01 INFO OCT-01 BUENOS 00166 SS-14 01 OF 02 101637Z 1 IS0-00 ARA-10 NSC-05 031 W ------------------106681 101711Z 45 R 101145Z JAN 78 FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4044 SECTION 1 OF 2 BUENOS AIRES 0166 LIMDIS E O 11652 GDS TAGS OREP SHUM AR SUBJECT CODEL REUSS CONGRESSMAN CONTE SEES JACOBO TIMERMAN REF 77 BUENOS AIRES 6326 ARGEm'INA PROJECT S200000044 U S DEPT OF STATE A RPS IPS SUMMARY DURING THE COURSE OF THE VISIT OF Margaret P Grafeld Director CODEL REUSS TO BUENOS AIRES LED BY REP Release f£xcisc Deny WILLIAMS MOORHEAD REP SILVIO O CONTE Exemplion s t- R MASS WJ S GRANTED PERMISSION TO INTERVIEW Declassify - 1-n P art-- - ln_Full _ _ _ _ __ FORMER LA OPINION PUBLISHER JACOBO TIMERMAN IN PRISON MR CONTE ALSO MET WITH TIMERMANS WIFE Clasmfy as_ Extend as_ Downgrade to_ AND BROTHER IN THE TIMERMAN HOME THE CONGRESSMAN Date _ _ _ Oedassifyon _ _ _ Reason_ TOOK COPIOUS NOTES OF BOTH CONVERSATIONS THE TIMDRMANS PROVIDED AMPLE INFORMATION TO SUPPORT THEIR VIEW THAT JACOBO WAS A VICTIM OF CONTINUING PERSECUTION AND PREJUDICE DESPITE THE FAILURE OF A MILITARY TRIBUNAL TO FIND SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT AN INDICTMENT TIMERMAN REMAINS INPRISON WITHOUT ANY CLEAR PROSPECT OF RELEASE THE TIMERMANS ARE BANKING ON CONTINUED PRESSlJRE FROM THE US AS THEIR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE MR CONTE PLEDGED THEM HIS SUPPORT MESSAGE WAS NOT CLEARED WITH MR CONTE BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE END SUMMARY PAGE 02 BUENOS 00166 01 OF 02 101637Z 1 ACCOMPANIED BY AN EMBOFF REP CONTE HAD A ROUGHLY 40 MINUTE MEETING WITH MR TIMERMAN JANUARY 6 IN AN ASSISTANT JAIL Current Class Page 1 UN lASSlfIEll current Class Current Handling LIMDIS Document Number 1978BUENOS00166 Page 2 Channel n a WARDENS OFFICE IN FEDERAL POLICE HEADQUARTERS IN BUENOS AIRES MR TIMERMAN HAS BEEN HELD IN THE DETENTION QUARTERS ALCAIDIA OF FEDERAL POLICE HQ SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN HE WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE MAGDALENA PRISON CURIOUSLY MINISTRY OF INTERIOR AND FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS MISTAKENLY BELIEVED THAT TIMERMAN WAS STILL AT MAGDALENA AND BEGAN TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONGRESSMAN TO BE RECEIVED AT THE MAGDALENA PRISON UNTIL WE ASKED THEM TO CHECK AGAIN THE CONGRESSMAN WAS COURTEOUSLY RECEIVED AT POLICE HQ AND ALLOWED TO INTERVIEW THE PRISONER ALONE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE -- ALTHOUGH AT ONE POINT THE CHIEF WARDEN ENTERED THE ROOM TO GREET MR CONTE AND THEN PROCEEDED TO CARRY ON A SEPERATE CONVERSATION WITH POLICE OFFICIALS IN ONE CORNER WHILE THE CONGRESSMAN CONTINUED TALKING TO TIMERMAN COKE REFRESHMENTS WERE SERVED EMBOFF DOUBTS THAT THE CONVERSATION WAS TAPED 2 TIMERMAN SAID HIS PHYSICAL CONDITION WAS OK AND HE NO LONGER WAS INDANGER OF BEING KILLED BUT HE WAS DEPRESSED BY THE FACT THAT HE HAD BEEN HELD SINCE APRIL 1977 WITHOUT ANY GOOD REASON OR FORMAL CHARGES PRESSED AGAINST HIM AND HE STILL HAD NO FIRM IDEA IF AND WHEN HE WOULD BE SET FREE HE WAS IN A CRAMPED CELL WHICH HAD NEITHER FRESH AIR NOR NATURAL LIGHT 3 CONTE ASKED ABOUT TIMERMANS CONNECTIONS WITH THE GRAIVER INTERESTS TIMERMAN RESPONDED THAT HE AND DAVID GRAIVER HAD BEEN PARTNERS IN 1970 IN THE NEWSPAPER -- SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE BRAIVER WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE ENTERED INTO A FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE MONTONEROS AFTER EXTENSIVE POLICE INTERROGATION IN WHICH TORTURE WAS EMPLOYED AND JUDICIAL PAGE 03 BUENOS 00166 01 OF 02 1016372 INVESTIGATION ALL CHARGES WERE DROPPED THEN THE GOVERNMENT PLACED HIM UNDER THE ACT OF INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY ACCORDING TO WHICH HE' NOW MUST PROVE THAT HE ACQUIRED HIS PROPERTY LEGALLY THE ONLY PROPERTY HE NOW OWNED WAS TWO APARTMENTS AND A CAR TIMERMAN THOUGHT IT WOULD NORMALLY TAKE AN ACCOUNTANT A HALF DAY TO DETERMINE THE LEGALITY OF THESE ACQUISITIONS BUT THIS DEVICE WAS INTENDED TO KEEP HIM IN JAIL INDEFINITELY AS FOR LA OPINION THE PAPER HAD BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM AND THERE WAS NO HOPE OF RECOVERING IT 4 TIMERMAN IMPLIED THAT HE WAS BEING PERSECUTED FOR HIS VIEWS HE WAS A DEMOCRAT WHO HAD OPPOSED THE FASCISMS OF THE Current Class Page 2 UNClASSIF EO Page 3 Current Class Current Handling LIMDIS Document Number 1978BUENOS00166 Channel n a LEFT AND RIGHT HE HAD INFURIATED HIS RIGHTWING INTERROGATORS WITH THIS PHRASE IE DARING TO SULLY THE GOOD NAME OF FASCISM BY INSINUATING THAT COMMUNISTS WERE LEFT WING FASCISTS CASTRO NNN PAGE 01 A' CTION H-01 INFO OCT-01 BUENOS 00166 ARA-10 02 OF 02 101640Z ISO-00 SS-14 NSC-05 031 W ------------------106714 101710Z 41 R l01145Z JAN 78 FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4045 SECTION 2 OF 2 BUENOS AIRES 0166 LIMDIS 5 HE DESCRIBED HIS TORTURE AT SOME LENGTH THIS TOOK PLACE IN AN OLD ABANDONED POLICE PRECINCT NEAR THE CITY OF LA PLATA WHEN HE WAS UNDER THE CUSTODY OF A MISED•UNIT OF THE ARMY AND PROVINCIAL POLICE KNOWN AS COTE PHONETIC WETTED DOWN AND TIED TO A BED AN ELECTRIC PROD WAS APPLIED TO HIS BODY WHEN THE SESSIONS WERE OVER HE FELT NEITHER PAIN NOR FATIGUE AND NO MARKS WERE LEFT BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE THE SHATTERING EFFECT OF THE ELECTRIC SHOCKS THEMSELVES WHEN THEY WERE BEING APPLIED A STEP DOWN DEVICE WAS USED TO REDUCE THE 220 VOLTS LEST THE PRISONERS BE KILLED INSTANTLY THERE WERE TWO PHYSICIANS IN ATTENDANCE TO CHECK THE HEARTS OF THE VICTIMS ONCE THROUGH A PEEPHOLE TIMERMAN SAW PILES OF CORPSES MEMBERS OF THE SAME FAMILY WERE TORTURED TOGETHER IN THE SAME ROOM Qa¥IOUSLY IMPRESSED BY-TIMERMANS ACCOUNT CONTE INTERJECTED WITH THE SAVAGES SEVERAL TIMES 6 THERE WERE OTHER RECOLLECTIONS SOME OF WHICH WE HAVE HEARD AND REPORTED BEFORE A HIS TORTURERS WANTED TO KNOW WHERE THE ELDERS OF THE PROTOCOLS OF ZION HELD THEIR SECRET MEETINGS IN ARGENTINA B IN THE OFFICE OF PROVINCIAL POLICE CHIEF COLONEL NOW GENERAL CAMPS THERE HUNG FROM THE WALL AN APOCRYPHAL ORGANIZATIONAL CHART OF THE US GOVERNMENT IT SHOWED A CHAIN OF COMMAND RUNNING FROM PRESIDENT CARTER TO BRZEZINSKI WITH JEW WRITTEN AFTER HIS NAME TO SOL LINOWITZ ALSO JEW OFF TO THE SIDE THERE WERE TWO LINES LINKING UP WITH Current Class Page 3 UNCl SS f ED Page 4 Current Class Current Handling LIMDIS Document Number 1978BUENOS00166 Channel n a THE DIAGRAM MARKED GELBARD AND GRAIVER THE IMPLICATION PAGE 02 BUENOS 00166 02 OF 02 101640Z SAID TIMERMAN WAS THAT CARTERS ADMINISTRATION WAS THE PRODUCT OF A COMMUNIST ARGENTINE JEWISH CONSPIRACY C IN ONE JAIL HE NOTED THAT A PRISONER HAD SCRATCHED OUT PART OF A SLOGAN WRITTEN ON A WALL SO THAT INSTEAD OF YANKEE GO HOME IT NOW READ YANKEE TAKE ME HOME HE THOUGHT THIS REFLECTED A VERY SIGNIFICANT TRUTH UNDER CARTERS HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY A TREMENDOUS TRANSFORMATION WAS TAKING PLACE IN LATING AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE US CARTER WITH HUMAN RIGHTS HAD DISCOVERED THE ULTIMATE PHILOSOPHY WITH WHICH TO COMBAT TOTALITARIANISM OF THE EXTREME LEFT AND RIGHT 7 TIMERMAN SAID THAT THE ONLY WAY THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT WOULD SET HIM FREE WAS VIA CONTINUED PRESSURE FROM THE US REP CONTE SAID THAT HE HAD PROPOSED TO ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER AIR FORCE COMODORO CURA THAT TIMERMAN BE RETURNED TO HIS HOME PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO HIS PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS A FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL HOWEVER HAD ALLEGED THAT THIS PROCEDURE WAS NOT AVAILABLE UNDER THE INSTITUTIONAL ACT WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE US CONTE SAID HE WOULD CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR TIMERMANS LIBERTY 8 TIMERMAN SAID THAT IF HE WERE SET FREE HE AND HIS FAMILY WOULD EMIGRATE TO ISRAEL HE HAD ALREADY TOLD INTERIOR MINISTER HARGUINDEGUY THAT HE WOULD NOT SPEAK OUT AGAINST ARGENTINA FROM EXILE ABROAD THE GOA HAD ALL THE GUARANTEES IT NEEDED HIS BROTHER AND SON HECTOR PLANNED TO REMAIN IN ARGENTINA 9 REP CONTES CONVERSATION WITH TIMERMANS WIFE AND BROTHER THE PREVIOUS DAY WiH-LE MORE EXTENSIVE ·isOVERED JIIUCH THE SAME GROUND MRS TIMERMAN CONFIRMED THAT HER HUSBAND WAS IN SATISFACOTRY PHYSICAL CONDITION BUT HIS MENTAL STATE WAS WORRISOME RIGHTWING NATIONALIST CIRCLES IN AND ON THE FRINGES PAGE 03 BUENOS 00166 02 OF 02 101640Z OF GOVERNMENT COULD NOT FORGIVE TIMERMAN BECAUSE HE WAS A DEMOCRAT AND PRO US -- AND A JEW TO BOOT THESE ELEMENTS WERE PRO-AXIS DURING WORLD WAR II THOUGHT FDR WAS A JEW AND Current Class Page 4 UNClASSlfIEO U«GLA ltltU Page 5 Current Class Current Handling LIMDIS Document Number 1978BUENOS00166 Channel n a HAD CELEBRATED ROOSEVELTS DEATH WITH CHAMPAGNE BUT THE GOA WAS SENSITIVE ABOUT ITS IMAGE ABROAD AND IT WAS PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE ABOUT CHARGES OF ANTISEMITISM IN ARGENTINA THE TIMERMANS WERE INDEBTED TO MS DERIAN CONGRESSMAN BENJAMIN GILMAN R NY AND NOW CONGRESSMAN CONTE AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS IN THE US FOR THE SUPPORT THEY HAD GIVEN CONTINUED PRESSURE FROM THE US WAS THE TIMERMANS ONLY HOPE OF SECURING JACOBOS RELEASE 7 -- _j 11 ASKED BY MR CONTE WHAT MORE HE COULD DO MRS TIMERMAN SUGGESTED HE TRY TO GET OTHER CONGRESSMEN TO JOIN HIM ON HIS VISIT TO HER HUSBAND SO THAT THE GOA WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT CONTES WAS NOT A PERSONAL INTEREST BUT RATHER A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE BROADLY FELT IN THE US CONGRESS AS INDICATED HOWEVER CONTE WAS THE ONLY CODEL MEMBER TO VISIT TIMERMAN THE FOLLOWING DAY 12 EVIDENTLY BASED ON FOREIGN MINISTRY SOURCES THE LOCAL PRESS REPORTED THAT MR CONTE HAD REQUESTED AUTHORIZATION TO SE MR TIMERMAN AND THAT THE FOREIGN MINISTRY HAD MADE THE APPROPRIATE ARRANGEMENTS THIS TREATMENT DIFFERS FROM THE GROUNDRULES OF SECRECY UNDER WHICH REP GILMAN WAS ALLOWED TO SEE TIMERMAN LAST AUSUST NEVERTHELESS JACOBO AND HIS WIFE ASKED MR CONTE TO PROTECT THE INFORMATION THEY PROVIDED HIM PAGE 04 BUENOS 00166 02 OF 02 l01640Z IN HIS AIRPORT DEPARTURE REMARKS TO THE PRESS CONGRESSMAN MOORHEAD DID NOT DISCLOSE THE SUBSTANCE OF MR CONTES CONVERSATION WITH TIMERMAN CASTRO NNN Current Class Page 5 NClASSlfIEO