CIA File on Ray, Manuel

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT: Manolo RAY / File

1. During a brief TDY stopover at Headquarters on 23 August 1966, QUSPORT-1 said he had talked with Manolo RAY in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 22 August. According to QUSPORT-1, RAY had no additional pertinent information concerning his alleged inside contacts or his recent meeting with Garcia Bango in Madrid, Spain. RAY continues to insist that he has inside support in Cuba and contacts who are anti-regime and prepared to assist him when needed. He did not reveal to QUSPORT-1, however, who the people were or where they are located.

2. RAY told QUSPORT-1 that he wanted very much to see the writer concerning a delicate operational matter. When pressed by QUSPORT-1 RAY said he had access to a MIG pilot in Cuba who was ready and anxious to leave Cuba and was willing to fly out a MIG aircraft. RAY did not mention the name or location of the pilot or the model MIG aircraft he was flying. Neither did he discuss his ways and means of communication with the pilot and how he had determined the pilot's intentions to defect with his airplane. RAY told QUSPORT he wanted to discuss the matter with the writer. He admitted that a MIG aircraft might not now have as much value to the U.S. because of the recent access to a MIG-21 in Isreal but that it would have tremendous propaganda value if a Cuban pilot defected and brought out a MIG. He said he particularly wanted to discuss the matter with the writer because if the operation were successful he did not want Manuel Artime and the MRR or any other exile group taking credit. He wanted to make sure that he and his group received all the propaganda advantage which he would in turn exploit internally as further evidence to his supporters inside that the JURE was active on the island. RAY in the latter part of the conversation on this subject when he learned QUSPORT-1 was coming to Washington the following day, asked him to check with the writer to determine if it was OK for him (RAY) to discuss this subject with AMBADGER. (AMBADGER is the man who was recently introduced to RAY in San Juan by Harry Mahoney as the man who would insure that any information RAY wanted passed to the Agency would reach them.) QUSPORT told RAY that if he did not receive a phone call from him before the evening of 20 August he should give AMBADGER all the details.

SECRET