CIA File on Ray, Manuel

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT: Meetings with Manolo Ray, San Juan, Puerto Rico 13 and 15 October 1966

MIG-21--Defecting Pilot--et al.

1. In lengthy discussions on this point it developed that Ray has been unable to obtain any more pertinent information since he first called the matter to AMBADGER's attention almost two months ago. The basis of the "Mig Plot" is a tip he received from an inside contact which was brought to him by someone exiting Cuba. Ray considers the inside contact reliable but prefers not to identify him. Ray has not been able to determine if the inside contact is personally in contact, or can arrange contact, with the Mig Pilot who reportedly is fed up with the situation in Cuba and plans to defect with his airplane whenever he has an opportunity. The "tip" Ray received was to this effect i.e., that there is a Mig Pilot who is disenchanted and plans to defect with his plane. One point Ray was specific on was that the plane was described as "one of the smaller Migs" and according to Ray it is not a Mig-21.

2. After Ray's original contacts with AMBADGER on this subject (wherein the plane was apparently erroneously identified as a MIG-21) Ray claims he sent a message to the inside contact requesting the complete details we had asked for. He has received no reply. In response to my request at the meeting on 13 October 1966 he told me at our subsequent meeting on 15 October that he attempted to reach his inside contact by phone but was unsuccessful. He was urged to continue until he reached the party and to obtain as much detail on this matter as possible so we could hopefully clarify the situation. He assured me he would follow-through on this and report to AMBADGER. (It seemed pretty obvious to me after two discussions with Ray on this subject that he has no direct means of reaching the original reporting source on the "Mig Plot" and consequently may never be able to verify the original "tip" and obtain further details.