In this HSCA memo, Belford Lawson describes his brief contacts with Fred Claasen, John Martino's longtime friend and business partner. Martino died of cancer in 1975, after spending much of his adult life as a propogandist trying to blame the assassination on Castro. With only weeks to live, Martino admitted to both Claasen and Newsday reporter John Cummings, that the Cuban exiles were actually behind the crime, and had duped Oswald to believe he was working for communist agents. (quote on) Memorandum TO: Ken Klein, Cliff Fenton FROM: Belford Lawson DATE: August 29, 1977 RE: Cuban Connection-John Martino 1. Source of Information In This Memorandum The source is an anonymous informant now living in Fort Worth who telephoned several times from there. He identified himself only as Fred. Fred's source is John Martino, who died in 1975. Fred did not disclose the exact nature of his association with Martino except to indicate that it was through the import-export business. Fred did not say when he last spoke with Martino before Martino's death. Fred was extremely nervous about disclosing his identity but was anxious to help to the point of frequently expressing regret that he could not remember more information. Fred called four or five times and spoke with me twice. But it was not possible to return his calls because he would only make contact through different pay telephones. He wanted to know what he could do to assist in following up on his information, but since no active investigation was being undertaken at the time (early Spring 1977), and since no schedule for investigation could be given to him, he ceased calling. 2. John Martino: Basic Information Martino's career prior to the Bay of Pigs included working in Cuba for Meyer Lansky as an electronic surveillance agent. Martino was captured during the Bay of Pigs invasion and held in a Cuban Prison for two years. Subsequently he was released from prison "in exchange for some spies from a South American country." After his <----------------------- Page Two -------------------------> release he was closely associated with "people from Guatemala" and worked for the CIA. Martino served as personal affairs secretary for Meladandro/Meldonado while in Guatemala. Subsequently upon returning to the United States, Martino worked for H. L. Hunt and other Texas oilmen by going on speaking tours to condemn Castro. 3. Martino's Information About the Assassination (a) JFK was killed because he betrayed Cubans by giving the Free Havana speech at Miami Stadium with- drawing support from the Bay of Pigs invasion. RFK was killed for the same reason as the go-between who negotiated with the Cubans for JFK. (b) (1) LHO thought he was working for pro- Castro Cubans, but in fact he was working for anti-Castro Cubans. (2) LHO's murder of Tippitt was not part of the plam. (3) LHO was acting in accordance with the plan when he went to the Texas Theatre, but unknown to LHO, it was planned that LHO would be murdered at the theater. (4) The assassins knew the motorcade route long before thay came to Dallas. (5) Martino's wife knows specific information in the above areas. 4. Living Witnesses to Whom Fred Directed The Committee - Mrs. John Martino 305-531-3696 (Miami) - Vincent Martino, son of John Martino - Jorge Maldonado or Melanandro, a vice president in the national government in Guatemala City, Guatemala; close friend and confidante of John Martino - Allen Ross & Son (in charge of First National Import and Export, Miami, Florida, 305-573-3610. Martino's business activities included contact with this firm and with Capsardson's (Capsanson's?) (Caps and Son's?) in Magoon, Virginia. Persons in each place may have information that comes from Martino himself. The Virginia firm traded in bulletproof vests with Guatemala and lined up contacts in Guatemala for Paraquay. <---------------------- Page Three ------------------------> - Fred said to use his name to establish contact with Mrs. Martino. <------------------ Document Notes ------------------------> NARA-180-10105-10172 HSCA 002199 -- The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie-deliberate, contrived and dishonest-but the myth-persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. (John F. Kennedy 6/11/62) JFK Assassination Home Page: http://users.southeast.net/~bgoldman/jfk.html FTP site: ftp://ftp.southeast.net/private/bgoldman/