----- -2- Unless we are prepared to accept the somewhat general denials by the Agency we Text should go back to them If one concludes -- as I do -- that the GOC was directly responsible for Herman's and Teruggi'sJ death it is difficult to believe that the GOC would have felt sufficiently secure in taking such drastic action against two American citizens without some reason however unjustifiably inferred or inadvertently given to· believe that it could do so without sub stantial adverse consequences vis-a-vis the USG - I do not believe that any further approaches ·tO the GOC on Gonzalez or otherwise on the Herman - - - case are called for at least at this time The GOC appears cemented into its posp tion on the Horman case including all aspects of it I also do not believe -•·• that we should at this time pursue the Sandoval lead ··--- ·To-do so might seriously endanger lis source apparently -- -his brother and ·confirmation of Horman' s presence at the National Stadium or other information we might obtain from him would seem at this point to be mar' ginal to our main concern -' -- ·- - - i i• I 11ri1rifD f %5 U f'I I r Ui i ' _ ' 1 DEPARTMENT OF STATE ' V Wu incton O C 20520 J - MEMORANDUM - TO ARA - Mr Harry W Shlaudeman FROM ARA - Frederick Smith Jr SUBJ Death in Chile of Charles Horman f' You asked that I make· a thorough examination of the Department's files regarding the death in Chile in 1973 of American citizen Charles Horman in the aftermath of the coup of September ll and make recommendations as to what further steps if any shbuld be taken in view of the un·•--·-··· · resolved questions surrounding Horman' s _death and par- ticularly the recent statements of Rafael Augustin Gonzalez former Chilean intelligence officer now in asylum _ in the Italian Embassy in Santiago implying that the USG -···· · -- - i e CIA played a role in Herman's death at the hands of the GOC Although my examination of the files focussed on material relating to Horman it inevitably touched on the case of Frank Teruggi the other American citizen killed at about the same time in Santiago whose case is in many ways linked with and pertinent to Ho man's and with respect to whose death there exists an almost equal number of unresolved questions I have not attempted to make any evaluation as such of the allegations that the Embassy inadequately discharged its responsibility for consular protection of and assistance to American citizens during the coup period That appears to have been sufficiently hashed over Nor haver· attempted to reach any conclusion on how when where and by whom Horman was killed except to the extent that those questions are pertinent to the credibility of the GOC' s denials of · responsibility and the question of any USG involvement The files I have examined are those in ARA-LA BC SCA SCS which include the Embassy's consular files on Hor an and Teruggi_shipped to the Department on March 30 1973 the Visa Office and one in INR I am not aware of the contents of any oral communications that may have taken place on this case e g between the Department and the Agency between the Embassy and the GOC except to the extent that these may be reflected in the files I have examined v nr1fflWIED d 1-- · _ i II '· It should be noted that particularly with respect to the circumstances of the death of Horman and to the extent that I examined relevant material of Teruggi the files are replete with fragmentary second or third-hand often contradictory reports and statements as well as gaps in information It is therefore difficult to try to piece together a coherent chronology that one can feel confident is reasonably accurate Nevertheless I have tried to do so because it seems to me essential to an understanding of the case I have also footnoted sources although realizing this makes it somewhat tedious for both reader and writer I - ·· - ·-- I Ui l i JrlED -_ _- · · --· · '-' · ·-·· ·-· ·-·· · - - - -_ _ - · -- · ' ' ' ° ' - - _- - -c -_·- · · ·_· · • -· _•· '·-·· '·-- - ' ' l S· EnU - llUir Background and Chronology Charles Edmund Horman was born in New York City on May 15 1942 and graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and from Harvard magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa He apparently worked at a number of jobs largely involving writing and filmrnaking 1 prior to travelling in Latin America in 1971-72 2 He is described by family and fri ends as a highly intelligent liberal mild-mannered gentle individual who while fervently· believing in the Allende experiment was not a political activist 3 - -· · In Chile he is variously reported to have been working on an animated children's cartoon apparently at Chile Films headed by Eduardp Coco Paredes Barrientos former intimate of Allende Director of Investigaciones under Allende and suspected MIRista who wa51··killed in La Moneda with Allende 5 -•·--· _____ writing on the history of Spanish and American imperialism in Chile and doing research for a book on Chile's transition to socialism 11 6 writing a short study on the Schneider ·-··- --- ·••'•• ass ssina-tion which showed a CIA role in the Schneider· kidnapping 7and working with Frank Teruggi as a part··-·-·•·······-·- time translator for Professor Richard Fagen of Stanford who was in Chile in 1972-73 as a consultant to the Ford Foundation a Along with Teruggi he was associated with North American News Sources a clipping service that also reportedly published a small leftist pro-Allende rnagazine 9 Accord-· ing to Mrs Horman Sr she and her husband would clip stories on Chile from U S newspapers and mail them to Charles She said Charles reported receiving them resealed ll0 Presumably during this period he participated in the production of in collaboration with others e g Don Bray of California State University a film -- Chile With Poems and Guns -- that dealt with xploitation of Chile by Spain and the U S and with the achievements of the Allende regime 1 1 On September 10 Horman travelled from Santiago to Vina del Har with Miss Terry Simon a friend of the Hermans visiting from New York to show her the seaside sights 12 On September 11 they met Lt Colonel Patrick J Ryan USMC of the U S Naval Mission at Valparaiso appearing to be tourists stranded by the coup They discussed the general situation with him on several occasions including their de sire to return tO Santiago particularly Miss Simon's desire to return to New York 13 Colonel Ryan and other U S military in Vina extended vari·ous courtesies to them and advised Horman and Miss Simon against returning to Santiago TIED r 0tilr S - -- - - - - But they persisted in their wish and on September 15 were given a ride back to Santiago by MilGroup Commander Captain Ray E Davis USN who was· on a regular v·isit to Vina and who left them at the Embassy at about 1700 14 Horman and Miss Simon apparently inquired at the Embassy that afternoon regarding ways to depart Chile and were referr1g to the Consulate but did not go to the Consulate that day They apparently checked into a otel and did not join Joyce at the Horman house at 4126 Vincuna MacKenna to which the Hermans had moved on September· 7 16 until the next dav 17 There the three discussed the situation and Joyce and Charles examined their books and other material for items that might be considered 4s casting suspicion on them _ --·--· Joyce• implies that they destroyed any such material but indicates that the study on the Schneider assassination was not · among those destroyed 1 8 ········-••• ' cinthe morning of September 17 Joyce went food shopping - ···· ···· while Charles and Miss Simon went to the Embassy and then to the Consulate although Charles apparently waited outside the Consulate while Miss Simon registered herself but not Charles and made inquiries about leaving Chile Subsequently · Miss Simon and Charles parted Miss Simon returning to her hotel Charles to the house on Vicuna MacKenna 19 Joyce was prevented by the curfew from returning to the house and stayed with a friend · When she did return the following morning she found the house ransacked and Charles missing along with many of their books and other belongings 20 · According to neighbor ' between 1600 and 1700 on September 17 a private non-military truck came to 4126 Vicuna MacKenna Ten to 15 men in Chilean Army not Air Force or Carabinero uniforms led by a man wearing Captain •·s or Lieutenant's insignia got out tried the gate and finding it locked jumped the fence and broke the lock They· entered the house removed Horman and a box of books and papers from the house and loaded them on the truck The truck left in the direction of downtown Santiago not in the direction of the National Stadium At about 2300 the same day the same truck and two other trucks returned to 4126 Vicuila MacKenna carried out some suitcases and a large box from the house departeo towards downtown one neighbor said that he woman who stated that she loaded them on the trucks and Santiago 21 On the other hand had talked to an unidentified happened to be entering a taxi near i r n rrEa • on 1 --- a ··· ' ······-· · -_·_ d a ' 2 I • a• Bil • -3- _ 4126 Vicuna MacKenna at the time Horman was picked up that the taxi happened to follow the truck toward the National Stadium and that she later aw what she believed to be the same truck near the Stadium 22 - At 0800 on the ·foll wing mo ing September 18 a· former neighbor of the Hermans in the area where they lived prior to moving to Vicuna MacKenna received a telephone call from a man who identified himself only as a Chilean intell igence officer He stated that SIM had detained a gringo with a beard and asking why the gringo_had her name and telephone number The neighbor responded -that she assumed he was referring to Charles Horman who had her telephone number because he and his wife frequently used her telephone She was also asked if she kne that the gringo worked in pictures -·-- - yes and if she was aware that the gringo was a leftist extremist no 23 On the same morning a call was received · _at _a house owned and previously occupied by Warwick Armstrong • ·•···•·· ···-·a friend of the Hermans from someone who did not identify hilself but who suggested that Armstro g go to the nearest police station where they were holding a friend of his who makes films He did not go 24 but later that d y he called the Consulate reporting that Horman had been missing since late the previous day and possibly had been detained 25 On September 25 Chilean Military Intelligence specifically denied the calls had been made by them 26 · On the following day September 19 Joyce Horman reported her husband's disappearance to the Consulate Later that day the Consul visited the National Stadium and had the list of detainees checked for Herman's name with negative results On September 20 Chilean Army •Intelligence responded to the Defense Attache's inquiry earlier in the day by stating that military intelligence had no knowledge whatsoever of Horman and that he was not at the National StadiUlt or other detention centers On his visit to the National Stadium that same day the Consul could not find Herman's name or variation thereof on the list of detainees None of the eight Americans de- tained at the National Stadium and released September 26 had seen or heard of Horman 27 On September 24 our Embassy was notified by the GOC that a body that had been brought to the morgue on September 22 appeared from fingerprints to be that of Frank Teruggi It was identified as Teruaai bv a friend_ Steven Volk oh Octo- ber 2 Terugqi and his roommate David Hathaway had been arrested at their apartment of September 20 o 2 EDening - a _ 4 -™ __ · -- •- - rnu - ' ··- - · c_ -·--- S ____ c _____ • _ - --C- - EJ • • s ·Cf 5£62 -4- by Chilean carabineros and taken to the National Stadium for questioning According to the GOC Teruggi was arrested on September 20 for curfew violation released the evening of September 21 and his ·body found in the street September 22 Death was attributed to multiple gunshot wounds 28 - In the weeks that followed various elements of the Embassy continued to make inquiries through various channels and at all levels of the GOC concerning Horman None was productive all responses from the GOC being to the effect that it had no record of Horman and that he was not detained by the GOC On October 3 the Ministry of Foreign Relations advised the Embassy that Horman had been detained at the National Stadium on September 20 for violation of curfew but released on September 21 J Subsequently the GOC retracted this assertion 29 The Embassy tried to track down various leads some from anonymous callers virtually all second or thirdhand without success Some indicated that Horman or at least an American had been killed at the National Stadium ··•--··al though some appear to be as or more likely related to ·· Teruggi 30 Among the leads was a statement made on or about September 30 by Enrique Sandoval Jefe de Gabinete in the Ministry of Education during the last six months of the Allende regime to the Acting Director of the A I D Mission Judd Kessler Sandov·a1 who had been briefly detained at the time of the coup told Kessler who had previously mentioned the ·Horman and Teruggi cases to him that someone he knew in the Chilean military had said that Horman and been in the National Stadium and either that he had been killed there or 11 was dead 11 31 This lead appears not to have been· pur- sued It now ·appears four years later that Sandoval's s·ource was his brother a hilean Army Colonel who is said to have been a top official at the National Stadium during this per od32 and who may now himself be detained by the GOc 3 3 On October 18 the Embassy was informed by the GOC that a previously unidentified body that had been picked up on the street by the military and delivered to the morgue at 1335 on September 18 had been identified through fingerprint records as that of Charles Horman Death was attributed to bullet wounds 34 The failure tc ea lier identify the body which had been interred in the Santiago cemetery on October 3 as that of Horman was attributed to an error in classification of the fingerprints taken from the corpse 3 5 3£2 --y 1 r1·1·_· H ·-· · r - • _ ''· - ·Di · i··· o t s nnwr s ET · ·-· ·J ii -5- ' Even prior to the identification of Herman's body the GOC in a communication to the Embassy's Defense Attache took the position that most likely Horman was abducted by extremists posing as Chilean military and reiterated that neither Chilean armed forces nor Carabineros had conducted any search operation at 4126 Vicuna MacKenna on Se2ta'l ber 17 and that in any event all such forces conducted such operations with at least two vehicles pursuant to regulations 36 On October 15 General Lutz Director of Chilean Army Intell gence introduced another theme when he orally advised the Embassy's Deferse Attache that the GOC had knowledge that Teruggi was in thile to spread false rumors to the outside world about Chile and the situation there 37 This theme·was reiterated in an unaddressed unsigned memorandum - - on Horman and Teruggi delivered to the Defense Attache on October 31 from General Lutz' office wh i ch while concluding that both Horman and Teruggi were killed while out of military control possibly by extremist sniper or guerrilla action noted that there was evidence of an organization to which North Americans were linked whose objectives were to help extremists and to discredit the Junta and the Embassy in its relations with the Junta The memorandum stated that there was evidence that Teruggi at least belonged ·· • ' -· to this organization 38 The same note was struck by an· official of the Foreign Ministry in a conversation with an Embassy political officer when he stated as he apparently had hinted to the officer before that Horman and Teruggi had been deeply involved in leftist activities in the Communist industrial areas and suggested that they had been killed by their own leftist comrades 3 9 _ In its note of December 13 responding to the Embassy's previous request for a full investigation and report on the deaths of Horman and Teruggi the Foreign Ministry reported that an exhaustive investigation had failed to disclose the circumstances of Herman's or Teruggi's death but speculated that his death was caused by snipers or extremists using military uniforms The note quoted from the report of the autopsy stated to have been performed on September 25 that estimated that death resulting from multiple bullet wounds occurred at 0945 on September 18 The note also quoted from the report of a ballistics expert who was stated to have examined the body on December 5 unbeknownst to the Embassy the body was apparently exhumed on October 18 and concluded that the six bullet wounds all corresponded to shots fired from a long distance In Ehe note the words larga distancia are underlined 4 II ' tD i -· V« i y _ -6- '· Numerous further requests by the Embassy for a more complete and satisfactory explanation of the deaths of Horman and Teruggi finally elicited the response from the Foreign Ministry by note of February 6 1974 that it had exhausted all its resources and was unable to provide apy further explanation than that contained in its December 13 note 41 · · The GOC had informed the Embassy in late October that regulations prohibited the shipment of Henna n's body because of its condition noting that it had remained at the · morgue for 15 days without preservation and had been buried for 15 days before exhumation and took the position that it would either have to b cremated or reduced to a skeleton 42 Despite Embassy requests on many occasions and at many levels - ·- -•- ---···the GOC refused to grant an exception to the regulations Finally on March l3 a Chilean Navy counterintelligence · officer approached a MilGroup officer and in the course of ·- __ _their conversation emphasized the importance to Chile of ---· - - the acquisition from the U S of TOW missiles When the MilGroup officer mentioned the problem of the return of Herman's remains the Chilean officer indicated he might be able to help He called the following day to advise that he had authority to effect the return 43 Less than a week later the Got informed the Embassy tha t an exception to the regulations had been granted and that Harman's remains could be returned to the ·u s 4 4 On March 2l a man identifying himself as Lt Colonel Rafael Gonzalez Chilean Air Force came to the Consulate urgently seeking a consula officer to accompany him in making the necessary arrangements for the shipment of Herman's remains - Vice-Consul James Anderson accompanied Gonzalez to the Registro Civil the cemetery where Horman had been reinterred January 2 and to which Gonzalez gave Anderson papers which he permit the exhumation and return of the body Gonzalez said · the morgue after said would to the u s 4 5 The return of Herman's remains was accomplished stiortly there- after In September 1975 a Chilean identifying himself as Rafael Agustin Gonzalez entered the Italian Embassy in Santiago seeking and obtaining asylum Gonzalez told the Italians he was an officer of the Chilean Air Force and had worked for many years in Chilean intelligence Since the 22242_1 t rn · ·_ Jt tu e mo -• -• ---•• µ sq c z e · •-·--· 0 _4 J s __ Q_ ·· C il __ _ __ ____ '· coup he had become disillusioned with intelligence work because of the many abuses-committed by DINA Because of his protests against such abuses he had been threatened with death by DINA and thus decided to seek asylum His wife and son entered the Embassy the following day In the ensuing months the Italian Embassy contacted several other embassies to see if they would grant visas to the Gonzalez family without success On two occasions the Embassy thought that it had arranged with the GOC for safe conducts for the Gonzalez family but both times something intervened to prevent their issuance 46 Initially Gonzalez i dicated a desire to go to some country other than the U S However in late 1975 our Embassy learned probably in connection with the application of Mrs Gonzalez for a U S immigrant visa that Gonzalez had the status of a permanent resident alien of the U S It also became known that the Gonzalez' six-year old son Sergio - was a U S citizen on the basis of his birth in the U S during one of Gonzalez' numerous stays in the U S subsequent to his initial entry in 1964 He stated he had been employed in the U S by the GOC primarily as an intelligence agent under various covers until his recall to Chile in April 1973 In March 1976 the presence of Gonzalez hiS wife and'son became public knowledge through stories in the press _ · - -- u - • Gonzalez was interviewed by our Embassy in March concerning his permanent resident status During the interview Gonzalez claimed he had information including documentation linking •·-the CI th DINA o_Eerations against subversive elements in Chile I flatly 1denied such involvement noting Jpl it ha record of ironzalez' approa_ches to CIA in early and mid-60' s with offers of collaboration with t he CIA · Accord-' 0-1 J ing t o r I nothing materialized L J indicating it had' qi estiorts a t Gonzalez' mental stability 49 _ J Numerous further approaches by the Italian Embassy to the GOC in late 1975 and early 1976 for a safe conduct for Gonzalez and his family one in connection with an offer of Italian visas to them were rebuffed by the GOC the latter taking the position that since no charges were pending against Gonzalez - he should apply for a passport and an exit permit like any other Chilean citizen 50 The Ital-ian Embassy then turned to our Embassy urging that the U S ask the GOC to grant safe conducts to the Gonzalez family to travel to the u s 51 In April our Embassy advised the Chilean Foreign Ministry informally that if the GOC decided to permit Gonzalez to leave Chile the U S would accept him and his family The Foreign Ministry gave no indication Gonzalez would be allowed to leave Chile 52 _ - ·' i T- · • 2 •• • 'H h J C1 IHI -8- - Apparently in an attempt to publicize the plight of Gonzalez and his family and thus to pressure the GOC to grant them· safe conduct out of Chile the Italian Embassy permitted Washington l ost reporte Joanne Omang and CBS · stringer Frank Manitzas to interview Gonzalez in the Embassy on June 7 1976 Approximately half-way through the interview which was conducted in English and which to that point dealt with DINA ·Gonzalez' background and his reasons for seeking asylum he was asked if he had heard about the two Americans that were killed in Chile Gonzalez replied that he knew that Charles Horman was killed Because he knew too much And this was done between the CIA and the local authorities In his somewhat rambling responses to the questions that followed Gonzalez stated that he had seen the uys that brought Horman from Valparaiso to Santiago lie had been called to the office ·of - - · ·-·-· General Lutz Army intelligence director several days after the coup at which t•ime he had seen a bearded man outside General Lutz' office in the custory of two·chileans who · •- '·identified the prisoner to Gonzalez as Charles Horman in General Lutz' office were Colonel Barria Lutz' deputy and an American in addition to General Lutz and Gonzalez in their presence Gonzalez heard General Lutz say that Horman knew too much and had to disappeare Gonzalez also stated he was involved with Horman again in early 1974 in connection with the return of his body to the U S He said he had heard nothing about another American being_killed 53 In the follow-up interview the next day Gonzalez reiterated to the reporters his description of General Lutz' statement He also stated that he assumed the civilian in General Lutz' office was an American CIA agent by his non-Chilean clothes and 1his manner although the man did not speak In connection with the decision of the GOC to retu rn Harman's body allegedly because Senator Javits was blocking the transfer of equipment for the Chilean Army until the GOC agreed to its return Gonzalez said that he sought out James Anderson whom he considered a CIA agent to accompany him to obtain Horman' s body 54 Upon learning of the press interview an Embassy Consular officer interviewed Gonzalez on June 8 Gonzalez generally• confirmed his statements concerning General Lutz' order regarding Horman He indicated that he assumed he had been called to Lutz' office as a potential interpretere He also indicated that he was assigned in March 1974 to handle the '•si rj UliULnv iLl ··- return of Honnan's body because of his knowledge and experience and because he could recognize Hannan having seen him outside General Lutz' office In this interview Gonzalez was -··•- --· · - vague as to the precise date of the meeting in General Lutz ' office ·cas he had been in the press interview stating only that it was several days after the coup He did not mention nor was he asked about the presence of Colonel Barria and the American agent But in the latter part of the interview as he rambled on about his past his and his family's current plight and his anti-communism and antifascism he indicated that he had worked with American intelligence in the past mentioning a Mr Wilson in the Political Section of the Embassy in the iate 1950's who was succeeded by a Mr Wrigh He also mentioned a Rudy Gomez On two occasions during Olis part of the interview he asked that someone from the Political Section be sent 'to talk to ' • 55 h un _ - •·· - -·•-·To clarify p rceived discrepancies between his press interview reported in a June 10 article in the Washington Post and his interview with the Consular officer Gonzalez wasreinterviewed by the Consular officer on June ll He told the Consul he did not want to discredit the press in any way because the press had helped make his plight known to the U S public thus possibly pressuring the USG to obtain his safe conduct out of Chile With respect to the presence of others in General Lutz' office Gonzalez qualified the statements in his press interview stating to the Consul that he was not positive but almost certain of the identity of Colonel Barria Colonel Victor Hugo Barria and that he only guessed that tht other man was an American agent by his manner and American-style shoes With respect to why he had been chosen to assist in the return of Harman's body he stated merely that he had been ordered by his superior to do so but he declined to name the superior He also stated in response to the Consul's query that he had not mentioned the Hontan case in his several previous inter- views with the consul on visa matters because the subject never came up 56 The Italian·charge had informed the Consul on June 8 that Gonzalez had never mentioned ·the Horman case to him or his staff 57 In the course of another interview by the Consular officer on June 22 Gonzalez was asked' how he knew it was Horman he had seen outside General Lutz' office Gonzalez replied that as he walked through the anteroom he saw a prisoner being guarded by two Chilean soldiers in camouflage uniforms He asked them who the prisoner was and they replied that it was an American named Horman 1 Gonzalez also stated that he was 1 lFlfD --· still not certain that the other Chilean officer in General Lutz' office was Colonel Barria or that the civilian was an American intelligence agent He also stated he knew nothing about an American named Frank Teruggi 58 At some point during this interview Gonzalez indicated that he had k 9wn Vice cpnsul Jame_s Anderson socially_s_ince 1972 that hei _Qeliev J ·Anderson·l t have a dual rol -' and to ha 'e- had frsquent contact wi£li Chileans active·in causing the economic collapse of Chile • He also mentioned knowing without elaborating further 1 ·While public and Congressional interest in the U S was heightened by a June 20 rticle in the Washington Post The Man Who Knew Too Much on the Horman case incorporating -- · -- ··-- ·· · the Gonzalez accusations and a shorter ·story on Frank Teruggi's death 60 the Embassy pressed the GOC both by formal note and oral demarches by the Ambassador and others - -----··· '·-- •·for· comments on the Gonzalez charges 61 In its oral responses and finally in its note of July 2 the GOC noted that conveniently for Gonzalez General Lutz was dead he died of natural causes in 1974 that Colonel Barria categorically denied that any conversation or meeting such as that alleged by Gonz8 lez ·ever took place· and questioned -Gonzalez I mental stability 62 Shortly thereafter by way of a formal note and oral demarches by the Ambassador the GOC was requested to grant safe conducts to Gonzalez and his family sq that they could depart Chile for the u s 63 By this time after several changes of mind the Gonz_e lezes had decided that Mrs Gonzalez and the child would not leave the country without Gonzalez A simil ar approach was made to the Chilean Ambassador in - Washington 64 In its formal reply the GOC stated flatly that Gonzal ez woul d not be permitted to l eave Chile that the GOC was seeking suitable employment for Mrs Gonzal ez so that the family need not be separated ·and that the GOC was initiating a complete investigation into Gonzalez' activities 65 In his conversation with the Ambassador Foreign Minister Carvajal advised that he had himself met Gonzalez the day after the coup at which time Gonzalez volunteered a l ong list of communists and terrorists that he thought should be -°' ' - _ 1 ''· - - ' ' -• -' • '··' · l ' -' '' ' z ' _··- - '- 'W '_ · ' ' ' - -- _ · ' i_ ·- ' ft ' - - ' _ - ' · -'-·· · i- __ -• -' · _ • _ _ _ - ' ·· -' - ' •- a ' '· ·' ·- - · · ' ' '- ' - '·- '·· - ' - _ µ _· ' § _· ™°'· ' -11- ' detained offering his help to the intelligence services Carvajal noted that Gonzalez had exhibited such aberrant tendencies e g strong· fix11 tions 11 gainst homosexuals and Jews that he was turned down by the Air Force Carvajal also stated that he had known General Lutz well as a man of careful correctness who would never have made the statements attributed to him by Gonzalez 66 Gonzalez' ·credibility Gonzalez' Claims Regarding His Background -- In his •larch 31 l 976 interview with our consular officer concerning his visa status C-onzalez stated that he entered·service with the 1chilean Air Force FACH in 1954 as a civilian covert agent in the intelligence branch that he first entered the U S in 1963 on a student visa beca e a permanent resident in 1964 was on leave from - FACH 1964-65 was employed in Chile by the governmentoperated Chilean Development Corporation CORFO 1966-69 was assigned to Chilean Consulate General in New York 1970-71 worked at the Chilean Consulate General in New York 1971-72 returned to Chile in 1973 and remained there exce t for two brief stays in the U S primarily to perserve his permanent resident status He-states he maintained his status as a civilian covert agent until January 1974 when he was named a captain in FACH He says that because of his actions in uniform at the time of the coup he could no longer perform covert activities He retired from FACH in January 1975 after 20 years service ents presented to the consular officer by Gonzalez apparently substantiated h is military service 67 Visa Office records confirm seVeral aspects of his claimed status and presence in the U S do not contradict any of Gonzalez• statements in this regard Although the GOC whiie confirming Gonzalez' employment with CORFO took issue with the Embassy's description of Gonzalez as a retired FACH officer 68 our Embassy con- sidered this largely a technical distinction and concluded from official documents produced by Gonzalez that he worked in the U S and other countries in a covert capacity and in a similar or somewhat more eublic capacity for the r the GOC in Chile b9 Information on Gonzalez' background J L Jon him is not inconsistent with his I •C ' ''1 ' '' ' d --d·q _12 _ ii L• ' claims of employme_nt by the GOC 70 Gonzalez' statements in his press interviews of June 7 and 8 regarding his past employment by the GOC including with CORFO and the Chilean Consulate General in New York are generally consistent with his March 31 statements to our consular officer 71 Gonzalez' Claimed Connection with the CIA - In his June 8 -9 press interview Gonzalez stated that he never worked for received money from the CIA but that he had contacts with them If I ever have a contact with the CIA it was because my superiors sent me to deliver something or ljlick up something In various· statements in the interview he claims that a CIA-controlled group in Chile followed him and tapped his phone He also claimed that in the U S the CIA sought information about him through his wife by hypnotizing her 72 In · -- his June 8 interview with our consular officer he vol unteered the information that over the years he worked with Wilson ight and Rudy Gomez implying they were-r-- · J I 73 In his June 22 interview with the consular office onzalez claimed ha ing known J mes Anderson and that he had a dual role 74 In his pr ess interviews he indicated that he had s pecifically sought out Anderson to accompany him to obtain the release of Herman's body 75 Anderson's memorandum for the record on this incident implies Go lez was previousl y unknown to him 76 However J a recentjl__ _ · -states that Anderson says he met Gonzalez twice -- once in late 1971 or early 1972 when Gonzalez applied for a toµrist visa at the consulate which Anderson denied because Of Gonzalez' past residence in the U S and once when Gonzalez came to the Consulate in nection with the return of Herman's body in early 1974 I Gonzalez said he did not knOw how Horman was killed arui' that he Gonzalez was picked to deal with the Embassy on the return of Herman's body because he spoke English an explanation that Anderson understandably found curious 77 · With respect to Gonzalez in the June r 22 - J referred to by interview with the consular officerµ _n J J 2 2 -13- XEU • only as_JW embassy· officer with a short beard whom he knew r __ __ J _____ - _- cGonzalez' Mental Stability - - f The· fi·les reflect numerous statements by Chilean officials to the effect that Gonzalez is mentally unbalanced Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs Valdez described Gonzalez to Ambassador Popper as a man of unstable mentality BO Foreign Minister Carvajal told our Ambassador that Gonzalez displayed such aberrant tendencies that he was turned down by the Air Force and he could be expected to invent stories such as that about General Lutz' alleged order regarding Horman He also cited Gonzalez' taking asylum in the Italian Embassy as e idence of paranoia 81 Foreign Ministry Director Lavin told our Ambassador' that'the GOC was awaiting he arrival of a medical certificate showing Gonzalez was a psychopath for inclusion in their reply to our note on the General Lutz incident 8 2 He later told the Ambassador that the GOC had decided not to allude to Gonzalez' mental state in the note since it would probably be interpreted as self-serving 83 Our Embassy's attitude on the question of Gonzalez' mental state appears somewhat ambivalent The Embassy states that it believes that Gonzalez probably has some-kind of mental imbalance Or fixation although he has shown a sharp intelligence and lucidity in his interviews with consular officer and on July 6 he showed him a letter from two psychiatrists attesting to his mental - ··-· ·- ·· -· __ - -• - kW £2122 C' i - _ii- i -14stability The Embassy notes his reputation in Chilean military circles is one of high unreliability and concludes that any statement from him should be treated with care 84 ' the Embassy's conclusion is· A principal basis for a long letter dated April 26 1976 from Gonzalez to President Pinochet the burden of which is that Gonzalez' troubles stem from his attempt to combat a homosexual mafia in the Chilean Armed Forces that includes many senior officers in various forces and government departments 85 The Embassy notes that apart from the general incredibility of the letter one of the senior Army· generals named as a hcmo exual is well known for his intense and exclusively lietercsexual activity 86 - ·•·' -- The files contain three verbatim texts cf interviews with Gonzalez -- the June 7 and 8 press interviews and the June 8 interview with the consular officer Gonzalez frequently rambles far afield in his responses in some instances ruminating rnolologues sometimes bordering on the incoherent His statement concerning the CIA hypnotizing his wife at least if taken literal ly appears incredible But apart from the latter-- and_putting aside his accusation regarding General Lutz -- his statements are g nerally consistent and intelligible They do show a man Under great stress and one who is not entirely at home in the English language in which all the interviews were apparently conducted In the interviews Gonzalez keeps returning to his plight and that of his family his ill son thei1 living for nine months in a 12' by 12' room displaying what seems to be some reluctance at discussing matters relating to _Horman Although it is not known what discussions may have taken· place between'Gonzalez and the reporters before the interviews were recorded it should be noted that the Horman case was raised by the reporters not Gonzalez Al though in the press in ' erviews Gonzalez doe s not elaborate on why he was so fearful of DINA he explains that he chose the Italian Embassy because they received morE asylees than any other and because a year before a woman was killed by DINA and dropped inside of the Embassy garden -- Gonzalez reasoning that they couldn't do a murder again in the same Embassy When asked why he couldn't leave the country clandestinely Gonzalez replied -- that he could if ·he were single but not with his wife and child referring to an apparently unsuccessful attempt that he knew of He states he did not seek asylum in the U S Embassy because the Al lerican Embassy are supporting this government But despite his fears of tlle CIA he said he would not be afraid to go to theU S if his case is publicized in the U S because theh I don't think that they •• will have the guts to touch me there citing the interest of Senator Church and others in CIA activities 87 ' ACH considered that Gonzalez had serious mental pr ms or was mentally unbalanced and were concerned because of his knowledge of intelligence activities ·as - In connection with possible sponsorship of the Gonzalez family the Department ORM got in touch with C Jwho was a neighbor nd close friend and his parents in Santiago J_ of lo Gonzalez · -Jexpressed the view that Gonzalez is not mentally unstab e 89 I e £5221 n · - ·' - -- - -- ··- ' ·• m · ' - ·s ·z -· J- · - • ZZ · s - ' c ' ' - ' -- • • - - - •-' • - - ' ' GOC's Credibility Although direct GOC responsibility for the death of Horman would not in 'itself indicate any USG role in his death or prove Gonzalez' accusations the GOC's credibility is a pertinent issue with respect to both matters And its discla illler of responsibility for Herman's death is in many respects difficult to credit The GOC states that after an exhaustive investigation it has concluded that no elements of the GOC were involved in the abduction and killing of Horman and that it can only surmise that he and Teruggi were killed by random gunfire or deliberately by their fellow extremists because they did not join the fight or were otherwise considered to have betrayed the caupe While the information in · the files is not totally conclusive nor entirely uncontradictory the weight of the evidence in the files quite apart from Gonzalez is to the contrary - · --•· ·Horman appears to have been sought cut at a residence he and his wife had occupied for only a week by some 1015 armed men dressed in Chilean Army uniforms who took him and some cf his belongings away in the truck in which they had come The same or a similar group returned l_ater that afternoon in two trucks and tock away other material from the Horman residence but left two bottles cf Scotch 90 The following morning calls clearly relating to Horman and indicating he had been ctetained were received by a former neighbor and by a friend whose telephone numbers Horman presumably had in his possession Others can comment more knowledgeably on the frequency of extremists disguising themselves as soldiers and how the pattei n of their activities compares to the above scenario · Although the Sandoval information indicates Horman may have been at some point in the National Stadium · his name appeared on no list of American detained there I'ior did any of the Americans detained there see or ·hear of him Nor did Teruggi's name appear on any such list although there is ample evidence -- and the GOC admits -- he was detained in the Stadium In any event less than 24 hours after his abduction Horman was killed and· hi·s ·body delivered to· the morgue 'according to GOC rec·crds -- One might conclude - 17that he like Teruggi was in Gonzalez' words case u 91 11 a Special The GOC report on Harman's death raises serious questions of credibility It purports to place the time of Harman's death at 0945 on the ll Orning of Septerober-18 on the basis of an autopsy performed after the body had been lying unpreserved in the morgue for a full week Moreover it purports to establi•sh that Horman died as a result of multiple bullet wounds inflicted by shots fired impliedly by automatic weapons from a long distance - this based on a ballistics report prepared after exa11U nation of the body eleven weeks after death during which time the body had been interred in the ground and had lain in the morgue for extended periods without _ - - • preservation both before and after burial and exhumation In many respects the GOC report on ·Teruggi' s death is even more difficult to believe According to the - GOC Teruggi was arrested for violation of 2000 curfew on September 20 Yet according to Teruggi's roommate David Hathaway he and Teruggi were both arrested without an order of arrest at 2015 in their home presumably not a violation of any curfew taken with some books found in Teruggi 1 s room to a temporary holding area and later that night ta the National Stadium where they were interrogated separately by an Army officer Hathaway was asked little about himself but mainly about Teruggi including about Teruggi's membership in a leftist but unspecified political party 92 But Teruggi was not asked similar questions about Hathaway Teruggi was taken from their cell around lSbO on September 31 for a second · round o'f questioning according to others detained at the National Stadium an unusual procedure and not seen agairi alive by Hathaway According to the GOC Teruggi was cleared of suspicion and released that night and apparently later shot presumably for violation of curfew or by marauding extremists His body was found in the street and delivered to the morgue on September 22 Hathaway states that no foreigners were released within one day of their arrest this is consistent with the statement of detained Maryknoll priest Joseph Francis Doherty 93 nor in the evening before curfew 94 Finally the GOC report says that Teruggi died of some seventeen bullet wounds - e ··- ass • -18- According to Steven Volk a friend of Teruggi's who fied his body in the morgue on October 2 Teruggi's body which Volk says he examined closely had only wounds - two gun-shot w6unds both in the head and open slash on the neck 95 · identinude three an It is not evident from the files that there is any disparity between any visual observation of Herman's body that may have been made by Embassy representatives and the GOC autopsy report Indeed the files indicate that no copy of the Horman autopsy report has been received despite numerous Embassy requests for it One could speculate that the real reason for the long delay by the GOC in releasing Herman's body was to insure that no such disparity could be obseryed rather than a reluctance to · ' make an exception to Chilean health regulations In any event the dubious validity of the GOC's version of Herman's and Teruggi 1 s death raises serious e ··-·· •···•···•···questions about the credibility of their refutations of Gonzalez-' allegations I ssarw 'JJJ -19- • ' USG Role in Herman's Death Apart from Gonzalez' statements and accusations there is no evidence in the files that any element of the USG played a responsible role ·directly or indirectly in the death of Charles Horman The CIA in clearing • a letter to Senator Kennedy stated through INR that the Agency did not at any time supply information concerning Horman or Teruggi to the Junta or to any of the Chilean security forces 96 'l'ltr ough INR the DIA and FBI state that they have no information on Horman 97 INR files contain two 1972 FBI reports relating to Teruggi and his attendance at a national conference of the Committee of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers whose subject was •conference qn Anti-Imperialist Strategy and Action and his membership in the Chicago Area Group on the Liberation of the Americas 98 The files contain no information supporting Gonzalez' assumption that the individual that he claimed •·•··• - -•guess' or to have seen in General Lutz' office was an American intelligence agent Nor do the files contain any infer mation supporting his statements concerning CIA involvement such as tha t Horman I s death was engineered be_tween the CIA and local authorities In the consular inter- views subsequent to his press interviews Gonzalez was not asked al out his claimed relations wi thC J personnel 'i 1 or what was the basis for his statement that the CIA was involved in Herman's death Why Horman and Teruggi ·' twenty and thirty American It appears that between citizens were detained by the GOC at the time of and immediately after the coup of September 11 Yet only Horman and Teruggi were killed and the evidence in the files strongly indicates that they were delibera ely killed by the GOC There is little information in the fileS regarding Herman's or Teruggi's activities in Chile much less the activities of the other Americans that were detained Nor is there any evidence in the files what it was about which Homran 11 knew too much 11 It is therefore not possible to say to what extent Horman' s and Teruggi' s a·ctivities may have set them apart in the eyes of the GOC as special threats It - n·· -' ' - I1·' 3 - - JJ -20- appears Marxist literature was found in both their homes Harman's film and research and writing activities have a common pro-Allende thread and his and Teruggi's political inclinations are clear And a vigilant intelligence service could presumably have gathered ample information in this regard without help from foreign sources The files do not indicate to what extent an anti-Allende intelligence or security force may have been functioning before the coup But the Junta clearly had or quickly acquired derogatory information on Horman and Teruggi and frequently mentioned it to Embassy personnel as a justification - Perhaps such information was enough to convince the Junta that they were 11 s ecial cases Nevertheless it appears strange that given the obvious and important political considerations involved the GOC would believe it could kill Horman and Teruggi without serious repercussions in its relations with the U S Pe -·sumably· as Gonzalez stated the GOC wouldn't go and race to kill an American because here they have been very careful of the lives of an American citizen 99 If an explanation exists it does not appear in the files and must be sought elsewhere ' 'I- ' · - ' Recommendations l That Rafael Augustin Gonzalez be interviewed with a view to obtaining further information regarding the alleged order by General Lutz that Charles Horman be killed and the presence at the time of the persqn Gonzalez assumed to be an American intelligence agent Gonzalez should also be asked if he knows of any information furnished to Chilean intelligence pre or post coup by U S sources 'regarding Homran or Teruggi or other American citizens · · 2 That high-level inquiries be made of intelligence agencies particularly the CIA to try to ascertain to what ext nt if any actions may have been taken or information may have been furnished formally or informally to representatives of the forces that now constitute the GOC either before or immediately after the coup that may have led the Junta to believe - ··- _ _it could without serious repercussions kill Charles Horman and Frank Teruggi I FOOTNOTES l Information provided to Embassy by Joyce Horman #193-SCS file 2 Joyce Horman quoted in Chilean newspaper article #211-SCS file 3 Diuguid article Washington Post June 20 1976 Steven Volk Anderson memo of October l 1973 il86-SCS file Marvine Howe article New York Times November 5 1973 Cong Rec November 27 1973 p 521141 4 Steven Volk Anderson memo of October l 1973 Diuguid article _ _ - - A - • J 5 ' 6 Marvine Howe article op cit 7 Joyce Horman in Chile Under Military Rule · Diuguid article op cit 8 Professor Richard Fagen letter to Senator Fulbright October 8 1973 9 Howe article op cit 10 Diuguid article op cit ll Lister to Shlaudeman·kerno April 12 1974 12 Terry Simon article Senior Scholastic December 6 1973 part of i237-SCS file 13 Lieutenant Colonel P J Ryan USMC memo November 16 1973 part of #237-SCS file 14 Captain Ray Davis USN memo summarizing MILGP contacts with Horman October 1973 15 Simon article op cit -u FOOTNOTES 16 Joyce Horman Chil Under Military Rule op cit 17 IBID 18 Joyce Horman op cit 19 Simon article op cit 20 Joyce Horman op cit 31 Anderson McNally memo October 18 1973 il85SCS file 22 · Santiago 5668 of November 18 1973 23 - - Carvajal statement #199-SCS file 24 •• Santiago··s668 of November 18 1973 25 Embassy's November 30 1973 summary re Horman 26 Santiago 5668 of November 18 1973 27 Embassy's November 30 1973 summary re Horman 28 Santiago 4859 of October 5 1973 29 · Embassy's November 30 1973 summary re Horman 30 Anderson memo October l8 1973 214-SCS file • 31 Judd Kessler memo July 19 1976 32 Kessler letter to Purdy July 1976 33 Fimbres letter to Poppser August 4 1976 34 Santiago 5088 of October 18 1973 35 Santiago 5128 of October 19 1973 36 Colonel W M Hon memo October 16 1973 #207SCS file • 37 IBID · • L i · - 'ii ' 1-·r- @2' HI -_ L FOOTNOTES - 38 Attachment to Colonel Hon memo November 2 1973 #246-SCS file 39 R S Stevens memo to Charge Thompson December 6 1973 i233-SCS file 40 FonMin note tl8557 of December 13 1973 41 FonMin note f2364 of February 6 1974 42 Santiago 5272 of October 27 1973 Santiago 66 of January 4 1974 43 Santiago 1325 of March 18 1974 44 Santiago 14_53 of March 22 1974 45 - - Anderson memo March 21 1974 • • -r-1 · - •• • ·-··•·•--·· --·· - -- •• • - •'• ·•· • 46 Santiago 0713 of January 28 1976 47 Santiago 2941 of April 2 ·1976 48 Santiago 2813 of March 21 1976 49 Santiago 1738 of March 5 1976 50 Santiago 5296 of June 3 1976 51 Santiago 1738 of March 5 1976 52 Santiago 3719 of April 23 1976 53 Transcript cf press interview of June 7 1976 54 Transcript cf press interview of June 8 1976 55 Santiago 5663 of June 11 1976 as amended by enclosure to ADCM Stourts letter of August 3 1976 to ARA BC - Mr Fimbres 56 Santagio 5736 of June -14 1976 57 Santiago 5677 of June 11 19_76 58 Santiago 6112 of June 23 1976 59 Santiago 6111 of June 23 1976 ' -- -Ti a J - ---- FOOTNOTES - 60 Diuguid article Washington Post June 20 1976 61 Santiago 5745 of June 14 1976 Embassy note number 173 of June 14 1976 Santiago 6159 of June 24 1976 62 Santiago 6472 of July 2 1976 FonMin note number 6 · of July 2 1976 Santiago 6562 of July 7 1976 63 Santiago 6870 of July 14 1976 Embassy note number 219 of July 13 1976 64 State 184455 of July 26 1976 65 Santiago 7077 of July 21 1976 FonMin note number 31 of July 13 1976 66 Santiago 7386 of July 29 1976 67 Santiago 2941 of April 2 1976 68 Santiago 6159 of June 24 1976 69 Santiago 6562 of July 7 1976 70 J 71 Transcript of press interview June 7 and 8 1976 72 IBID 73 Santiago 5663 of June'll 1976 as amended by enclosure to ADCM Stout's letter of August 3 1976 to ARA BC - · Mr Fimbres 74 Santiago 6111 of June 23 1976 75 Transcript of press interview June 7 and 8 1976 76 Anderson memo of March 21 1974 77 Deptel 161734 1a of June 29 1976 C 79 - B iil • -j - - ' ' 2 2 ' _ i 80 Santiago 6870 of July 14 1976 81 Santiago 7386 of July 29 1976 82 Santiago 6159 of June 24 1976 83 Santiago 6562 of July 7 1976 84 Ibid 85 Gonzalez-Pinochet letter of April 26 1976 86 Santiago 6562 of ·July 7 1976 87 Transcript of press interview June 7 and 8 1976 fa I 88 89 · J Memo ARA-LA BC - W Lowenthal to ARA BC - R V Fimbres July 8 19 76 -•·- - •--· --•· ·•·· -• -- - - 90 Captain Ray E Davis USN memo September 1973 SCS - Embassy file 91 Santiago 5663 of June 11 1976 92 David Hathaway memo of telephone interview undated SCS - Embassy file 93 Joseph Francis Doherty statement November 16 1973 SCS - Embassy file 94 David Hathaway letter January 23 1974 to Department Charles Anderson - SCS 95 Steven Volk letter January 9 1974 to Senator Gale McGee 96 INR DDC - Mr Gardner memo July 23 1976 _to ARA BC - Mr Fimbres 97 INR - J J Hitchcock to ARA - F Smith phone November 1976 - 98 FBI Report of Frank Teruggi December 14 1972 FBI Report on Andrews Berman October 25 1972 99 Santiago 5663 of June 11 1976 -----· -· - • •