7
ASSIFIED MESSAGE
TOTAL COPIES
SECRET
PERSON/UNIT NOTIFIED
REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED
FROM
ACTION
INFO
ADVANCE COPY
UNIT
TIME
BY
WH/C
1945
DD
S
E C R E T 302310Z
PRIORITY DIR CITE SJOS 7491
RYB TYPIC AMWORLD
REFS: A DEPT OF STATE A-44 TO AMEM 23 OCTOBER 1964
B. SJOS 7103 DATED 2 NOVEMBER 1964
C. DIR 63856 DATED 13 NOVEMBER 1964
D. SJOS 7107 DATED 3 NOVEMBER 1964
1. DISCOVERY OF ERQUIACA ARMS CACHE, ACCORDING HUMAP-9 THE SAME ARMS DISCUSSED IN REFS, GETTING FRONT PAGE TREATMENT LOCAL PRESS. PRENSA LIBRE ISSUE OF 29 MARCH CARRIED AP STORY QUOTING LOWELL KNUDSON OF ERQUIACA THAT HIS COMPANY WORKING WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE IN MAKING THE ARMS IN QUESTION. KNUDSON ALSO QUOTED AS SAYING THE ERQUIACA HAS A PURCHASE ORDER FROM THE COSTA RICAN GOVERNMENT FOR 500 AUTOMATIC PISTOLS THAT ERQUIACA IS MAKING FOR USE BY CUBAN PARTIOTS AGAINST FIDEL CASTRO. KNUDSON DENIES THAT ARMS WERE FOR RIGHT-WING PRIVATE ARMIES IN THE US. LA REPUBLICA OF 30 MARCH CARRIES AMBASSADOR FACIO'S DENIAL (ALSO AN AP STORY) THAT GOCR HAD ORDERED ARMS FROM KNUDSON'S COMPANY. WE ASSUME THAT IF PRESSED KNUDSON CAN PROVE GOCR INVOLVEMENT IN REF A ORDER BY SHOWING ORIGINAL LF LETTER SIGNED BY HUMAP-9.
SECRET
AG
30 MAR 65 IN 34342