CIA SAID TO KNOW OF BAY OF PIGS LEAK

by The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - The CIA was aware that the Soviet Union found out the date of the failed U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba more than a week before it took place, but went ahead with the operation anyway, newly declassified intelligence documents show.

Previously released Soviet documents indicated that Moscow had learned some details of the operation ahead of time, but the report from the Taylor Commission shows for the first time that the CIA knew about the leak and proceeded with the invasion, said Peter Kornbluh, a senior analyst with the nonprofit National Security Archive.

Portions of the Taylor Commission report had been released in 1977 and 1986. The latest release, which shows newly declassified information, was supposed to be made public in 1996, but was only released recently following a bureaucratic snafu.

``There was some indication that the Soviets somewhere around the 9th (of April) had gotten the date of the 17th,'' Jacob Esterline, the CIA operations official who headed the task force responsible for coordinating the invasion, said during a May 1951 meeting.

``But there was no indication at any time that they had any idea where the operation was going to take place,'' Esterline added.

It is unknown exactly how the Soviets found out, but Esterline said it was not from the Cuban exiles since the exiles were not briefed on when the invasion would take place until April 12.

Kornbluh said there also was no indication that the CIA informed President Kennedy of the leak before the invasion took place.

The documents show that CIA director Allen W. Dulles, three weeks after the failed operation, questioned the agency's role in future paramilitary operations.

``I'm the first to recognize that I don't think that the CIA should run paramilitary operations of the type in Cuba,'' Dulles told the commission. He added that ``the Cuban operation has had a very serious effect on all our work'' and ``I think we should limit ourselves more to secret intelligence collection and operations of the nonmilitary category.''

According to Kornbluh, the report also shows that CIA official Frank Egan, who was in charge of the training camps in Guatemala, told the commission Castro had infiltrated four double agents into the camp.

Although CIA officials limited mail going into and out of the camp in the weeks leading up the official, Egan said the double agents apparently got information out to Castro.

The Taylor Commission report is the second government report made public on the Bay of Pigs. Kornbluh said he filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the third document, by a CIA historian, but it has yet to be released.

END

Associated Press
April 29, 2000

Logo

Organización Auténtica