Collection of Assorted Newspaper and Magazine Clippings: Jfk Assassination, Conspiracy Theories, Etc

# Colonel Claims Plot Against Castro

# Did CIA Fly Killers to Cuba?

## 1.00 1.00

The CIA aircraft a two man assaestimation team from Cuba in an unsuccessful attempt to kill Premier Felix Castro, a retired Air Force colonel says.

L. Fletcher Prouty said yesterday that in "late 1959 or early 1960," while serving in the Defense Department's Office of Special Operations, he handled a CIA request for a small, specially equipped Air Force plane that was used to land two Cuban exiles on a read near Havana.

The two exiles were "equipped with a high-powered rifle and telescopic sights" and "knew how to get to a building in Havana which overlooked a building where Castro passed daily." Prouty, row an official with Amtrak, said in a telephone interview.

THE PLANE, an L28 "heiocourier," returned safely to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Prouty said, but the "Cuban exiles as far as I know were picked up between where they were left off and town."

He said that one of the would-be assassins was named Oscar Spijo and that the plane had been flown by "mercenaries" on the CIA payroll.

Proulty added that he knew of "one or two" other assassination attempts to against Castro following the Bay of Pigs but said he did not know the details of those missions because he had not worked on them directly.

Prouty retired from the Air Force in 1963 and has since written a book called "The Secret Team," detailing his experiences as Air Force liaison with the CIA.

Asked why he had waited until now to come forward with his story, Prouty said he had become incensed at the verbal abuse directed at CBS newsman Daniel Schorr on Monday by former CIA Director Richard M Helms.

HAVING JUST arrived from 3 hours of questioning by the Bookeller Commission, Helms denounced Schorr with profanities and returned to him as "Killer Schorr" for reporting that the "CIA goes around killing people."

Schore has reported on a number of occasions that President Ford is concerned that an unlimited investigation of CIA activities could uncover agency involvement in foreign assassinations.

"It got me a little upset." Prouty said of Helms' attack on Schorr, adding that he was "positive" Helms knew about the mission.

At the time, Helms was an assistant to CIA Deputy Director of Plans Richard Bissel. But Prouty said Bissel was preoccupied with directing U2 flights over the Soviet Union, leaving Helms in almost total control of clandestine operations against Cuba.

Helms, who succeeded Dissell as head of the agency's so-called "dirty tricks" department and headed the CIA from 1966 to 1973, told reporters Monday that "as far as I know the CIA was never responsible for the assassination of any foreign leader," a statement which technically does not rule out the possibility of an unsuccessful attempt on Castro's life.

HELMS ALSO was asked if there had been any discussions of assassinations. He replied that "in government there are always some occasions of everything under the sun."

When a reporter responded that Helms didn't answered the specific question, Helms snapped back: "I'm not trying to answer your question."

in a recent interview that there had been hard level discussions about using Control but that plans had been vetoed by then-CLA Director Allen Dulles.

# WASHINGTON POST

30 APRIL 1975

## Held as Spy

WEST BERLIN - A 29 year old West German who worked as a chauffeur for the United States military authorities here has been arrested on suspicion of spying for an East European country, a Justice Ministry spokesman said.

The man, Werner Schallitz, was carrying plans of U.S. installations. Information about military personnel and a forged Swiss passport when police arrested him last Thursday, the spokesman said. Schallitz has reportedly denied the accusation.