PLAN OF HAITIAN EXILES IN THE UNITED STATES TO OVERTHROW HAITIAN GOVT WITHIN AN APPROACHING TWO-WEEK TIME FRAME

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06604924
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: March 16, 2022
• Document Release Date: December 7, 2016
• Case Number: F-2016-02187
• Publication Date: April 22, 1976

C0844280 . Approved for Release: 2016/11/24 C06604924
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PAGE 01 STATE 095859
11
ORIGIN SS-05
INFO OCT-01 IS0-00 /006 R
66011
DRAFTED BY:ARA:CAR:MYOHN
APPROVED BY:ARA:VVHLUERS
S/S-0:MTANNER
045655
R 220532Z APR 76
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
----S-E-e-R-E-T STATE 095859
STADIS//////////////////
EXDIS FOR AMBASSADOR HURWITCH
FOLLOWING TELEGRAM FROM SECSTATE WASHDC DATED APRIL 20, 1976
SENT PORT AU PRINCE IS REPEATED TO YOU: QUOTE
--&-E-6-12.-F-1 STATE 095859
EXDIS
E.O. 11652: XGDS-2
TAGS: PINR, PINS, HA
SUBJECT: PLAN OF HAITIAN EXILES IN THE UNITED STATES TO
OVERTHROW HAITIAN GOVT WITHIN AN APPROACHING TWO-WEEK TIME
FRAME
REF: STATE 447701 (PREVIOUS)
FOLLOWING INTELLIGENCE REPORT REPORT
CLASS SECRET-WARNING NOTICE-SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES
AND METHODS INVOLVED-NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS--
NOT RELEASABLE TO CONTRACTORS OR CONTRACTOR/CONSULTANTS--
DISSEMINATION AND EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION CONTROLLED BY
ORIGINATOR/BACKGROUND USE ONLY) ON ABOVE SUBJECT IS REPEATED
SECRET
PAGE 02 STATE 095859
FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
SUMMARY: HAITIAN EXILE PLOTTERS IN UNITED STATES HAVE SET
A TWO-WEEK PERIOD, UNSPECIFIED BUT SOON, FOR THEIR ATTEMPTED
COUP D'ETAT IN HAITI. CHIEF OF 300-MAN COMMANDO UNIT IN
HAITI HAS ADVISED EXILE LEADERS THAT ALL IS IN READINESS
FOR PLANNED ASSASSINATION OF HAITIAN PRESIDENT AND THE
GOVT TAKEOVER. AN EMISSARY IS TO CARRY FINAL INSTRUCTIONS
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TO COMMANDO LEADER IN MID- OR LATE APRIL. LEADING EXILE
PLOTTER IS STILL SEEKING COLLABORATION FROM HEAD OF PRESI-
DENTIAL GUARD IN PERSONAL SCHEME TO BETRAY HAITIAN ARMY
CHIEF OF STAFF. END SUMMARY.
1 Q'OTE
2. WITHIN A TWO-WEEK TIME FRAME, OF UNSPECIFIED DATES BUT
IN NEAR FUTURE, HAITIAN EXILE PLOTTERS PLAN TO ATTEMPT A
COUP D'ETAT IN HAITI AND TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT JEAN-
CLAUDE DUVALIER AND AS MANY MEMBERS OF DUVALIER FAMILY AND
THEIR SUPPORTERS AS POSSIBLE. IN EARLY APR 76, LEADER OF
COMMANDO GROUP IN HAITI ADVISED ALPHONSE LAHENS, LEADER
OF PLOTTERS, WHO RESIDES IN NEW YORK CITY, THAT ALL WAS IN
READINESS TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT DUVALIER AND TAKE OVER
GOVT. LAHENS IS SENDING A TRUSTED EMISSARY WITH FINAL
INSTRUCTIONS TO COMMANDO LEADER, WHO WILL ADVISE EMISSARY
OF DATES OF TWO-WEEK ACTION PERIOD. EMISSARY, MIREILLE
FABIUS, A RESIDENT OF NEW YORK CITY SINCE ABOUT 1966, PLANS
TO MAKE A THREE TO FOUR-DAY VISIT TO PORT AU PRINCE,
TRAVELING VIA A DIRECT AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT AS SOON
AS SHE RECEIVES A RE-ENTRY PERMIT FROM HAITIAN GOVT,
EXPECTED ABOUT MID-APRIL. MIREILLE IS WIFE OF GERALD
FABIUS, A LIEUTENANT OF LAHENS IN NEW YORK CITY. SHE
KNOWS COMMANDO LEADER WELL, HAVING GIVEN THE LATTER ROOM
AND BOARD FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE FOR
HAITI IN ABOUT JUNE, 1975.
3. LAHENS CLAIMS TO HAVE COMMANDO UNIT OF 300 MEN IN
PAGE 03 STATE 095859
HAITI, MANY OF WHOM ARE ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS OF ARMY.
COMMANDO LEADER IS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER IN HIS MID-20'S
WHO PARTICIPATED IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND ARMS AT MOLE ST.
Nicol AS IN FAI I OF 1(174
COMMANDO LEADER'S FATHER HAS BEEN IN JAIL IN HAITI SINCE
ABOUT 1972. ABOUT 40 OF COMMANDOS HAVE SERVED WITH U.S
ARMY, SOME IN SOUTH VIETNAM. FRANTZ GABRIEL, JR., ROBERT
DOMINIQUE, AND LEROY (FNU) ARE FORMER MEMBERS OF US ARMY
SPECIAL FORCES WHO LATER WERE INSTRUCTORS FOR BOLIVIAN
ARMY. THEY ARE AFFILIATED WITH HAITIAN EXILE GROUP KNOWN
AS THE 12 NOVEMBER REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT (MR12N) WHOSE
LEADERS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE RAYMOND AND LEO JOSEPH,
VINCE;T TAVERNIER, CARL ROUZIER, AND FRITZ PARET. IN ORDER
TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE MR12N, LAHENS PRO-
MISED THE LEADERS POSITIONS IN NEW HAITIAN GOVT. HOWEVER,
HE HAS NO INTENTION OF HONORING THIS PLEDGE AND WILL, IN
FACT, REFUSE THEM ENTRY INTO HAITI. M412N LEADERS PLAN TO
ENTER HAITI AS PART OF NEWS TEAM FROM LARGE US BROADCASTING
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COMPAY IMMEDIATELY AFTER COUP.
4. PLOTTERS BELIEVE THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT SUPPORT WITHIN
HAITIAN ARMY AND THERE WILL BE NO EFFECTIVE RESISTANCE
AFTER THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT OF PRESIDENTS REMOVAL. LEOPARDS
BATTALION WILL BE ISOLATED AT ITS BARRACKS AT FRERE,
LOCATED ABOUT FIVE MILES FROM PORT AU PRINCE ON A VERY BAD
ROAD WHICH WOULD BE EASY TO INTERDICT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER
COUP AND ASSASSINATIONS, COMMANDOS WILL SEIZE A RADIO-
TELEVISION STATION AND PROCLAIM OVERTHROW OF DUVALIER
REGIME. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY WILL SET FIRES AND
CARRY OUT DIVERSIONARY ACTIONS TO CREATE CONFUSION. FOL-
LOWERS OF LAHENS IN PORT AU PRINCE WILL DISTRIBUTE
ARMS FROM MILITARY ARMORIES TO OTHER MILITARY SUPPORTERS.
IN FEB 76 EXILES INFILTRATED A SMALL QUANTITY OF AUTOMATIC
WEAPONS INTO HAITI BY BOAT NEAR ST. MARC, NORTH OF PORT AU
PRINCE. ALSO, COMMANDO LEADER HAS LOCATED SECRET CACHE OF
ARMS BURIED YEARS AGO BY PASQUAT (FNU) AND DOMINIQUE (FNU)
DURING AN ABORTIVE COUP ATTEMPT AGAINST FORMER
PRESIDENT FRANCOIS "PAPA DOC" DUVALIER. LAHENS GROUP
LEARNED ABOUT THE CACHE FROM A MEMBER OF ANOTHER EXILE
GROUP. COMMANDO LEADER HAS CONFIRMED THAT WEAPONS WERE
HEAVILY GREASED AND REMAIN IN WORKING ORDER. LAHENS HAS
PAGE 04 04 STATE 095859
TERMINATED NEGOTIATIONS TO PURCHASE MORE ARMS IN EITHER
US OR FRANCE.
5. ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON JEAN-CLAUDE DUVALIER WILL TAKE
PLACE AT ONE OF FOLLOWING LOCATIONS.
(A) PORT AU PRINCE ON RUE DEPRE AT PRIVATE HOME OF JEAN-
CLAUDE WHICH HE VISITS ALMOST DAILY.
(B) CROIX DES BOUQUETS, A VILLAGE ABOUT 13 KILOMETERS FROM
PORT AU PRINCE, WHERE JEAN-CLAUDE HAS FARM.
(C) CARRIEZ, A SEASIDE LOCALITY, WHERE JEAN-CLAUDE HAS
CHALET.
(D) PETIONVILLE, ON ROAD APPROACHING HOME OF HIS SISTER,
NICOLE DUVALIER, AT NARROW BRIDGE OR ON SHARP CURVE AT
ENTRANCE TO HOUSE.
(E) PETIONVILLE, AT HOME OF GIRLFRIEND WHOM JEAN-CLAUDE
VISITS OFTEN
6. NINE MEN WILL FORM ASSASSINATION GROUP, ARMED WITH
AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AND USING SEVERAL CARS. THEY WILL
ATTEMPT TO KILL EVERYONE IN PRESIDENT'S PARTY. OTHER
SPECIFIC NAMES ON DEATH LIST ARE FORMER GENERAL PIERRE
MERCERON, ROGER MERCIER, DADOU BERROUET, HENRI SICLAIT,
PIERRE ALBERT JEROME, COLONEL WILLIAM REGALA, COLONEL
GORCELL (FNU), COLONEL CARL NICOLAS, MAJOR ACEDIUS ST.
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LOUIS, GUILLAUME (FNU), CLOVIS DESINOR, LIEUTENANT COLONEL
SERGE COICOU, LIEUTENANT COLONEL JEAN VALME, AND MAJOR
FRITZ ADAM, PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL BODYGUARD. COMMANDO CHIEF
HAS ALREADY BEEN INSTRUCTED BY LAHENS, OR WILL BE BY HIS
EMISSARY TO KILL GENERAL GRACIA JACQUES, COMMANDER OF
PRESIDENTIAL GUARD, INSTEAD OF GENERAL JEAN-BAPTISTE
HILAIRE, ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF, IF JACQUES DOES NOT COOPER-
ATE.
7. SHORTLY AFTER COUP, A PROCLAMATION OF ESTABLISHMENT OF
MILITARY-CIVILIAN GOVT WILL BE BROADCAST, AND GENERAL
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PAGE 05 STATE 095859
HILAIRE WILL ASSUME CHARGE OF GOVT PENDING ARRIVAL IN
HAITI OF LAHENS. LAHENS WILL THEN BE PROCLAIMED PRESIDENT
AND GENERAL HILAIRE, VICE-PRESIDENT. ALTHOUGH HILAIRE
COMMANDS NO TROOPS BUT IS ONLY TITULAR HEAD OF ARMY, LAHENS
CLAIMS TO HAVE TAKEN CARE OF TROOP SITUATION. HILAIRE HAS
ACCEPTED A LEADING ROLE IN COUP PLANNING ONLY ON CONDITION
ERAL JACQUES BE ASSASSINATED ALONG WITH PRESIDENT.
[THAT-GE11COMMENT: LAHENS PRESUMABLY BELIEVES HE CAN COUNT
ON SUPPORT FROM TROOP COMMANDERS AT KEY DESSALINES BATTA-
LION BARRACKS AND PRESIDENTIAL PALACE. HILAIRE IS A
LONG-TIME ENEMY OF JACQUES AND KNOWS THAT LATTER HAS "DE
FACTO" CONTROL OF HAITIAN ARMY.)
8. LAHENS, AWARE THAT JACQUES WIELDS CONSIDERABLY MORE
POWER THAN HILAIRE, HAS BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT JACQUES'
REFUSAL TO TAKE PART IN PLOT. UNKNOWN TO HILAIRE, LAHENS
IS ATTEMPTING TO PERSUADE JACQUES TO AGREE TO TAKE CHARGE
OF GOVT IF AND WHEN PRESIDENT DUVALIER IS ASSASSINATED.
JACQUES WILL NOT BE ASKED TO PLAY ANY ROLE IN ACTUAL
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT. UPON ELIMINATION OF PRESIDENT,
LAHENS WOULD INSTRUCT JACQUES AS FOLLOWS:
(A) REMAIN AT HIS POST IN PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.
(B) DEMOBILIZE LEOPARDS BATTALION, TRANSFER ITS OFFICERS TO
OTHER UNITS, AND HAVE TRUCKS READY TO SEND OTHER TROOPS OUT
OF CAPITAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THIS ACTION WOULD BE DONE
IN NAME OF GENERAL HILAIRE.
(C) SEND TRUSTED OFFICER TO TAKE CONTROL OF HAITIAN NAVY.
(D) DECLARE CURFEW AND CLOSE AIRPORT.
(E) ADVISE US AMBASSADOR THAT COUP IS NOT OF COMMUNIST
ORIGIN.
(F) REQUEST AUTHORIZATION TO LAND AN AIRCRAFT OF HAITIAN
ARMY IN MIAMI OR KINGSTON, JAMAICA, TO SEND INTO EXILE ANY
SURVIVING MEMBERS OF DUVALIER FAMILY AND THEIR SUPPORTERS,
CIVILIAN AND MILITARY.
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(G) ADVISE LAHENS WHERE AIRCRAFT IS TO LAND SO THAT HE CAN
RETURN IN SAME PLANE TO PORT AU PRINCE AS NEW PRESIDENT OF
HAITI.
(H) DECLARE JOINT CIVILIAN-MILITARY GOVT AFTER COMMANDO
UNIT HAS ANNOUNCED OVERTHROW OF DUVALIER GOVT.
9. IN EVENT THAT LAHENS CANNOT SECURE COOPERATION OF
JACQUES, HE IS WILLING TO PROCEED WITH HILAIRE AS HIS CO-
CONSPIRATOR AND HAVE JACQUES ARRESTED OR KILLED.
COMMENT: LAHENS IS TOTALLY WITHOUT SCRUPLES AND, AS
PREPOSTEROUS AS HIS SCHEME MAY APPEAR, HE IS COMPLETELY
SERIOUS ABOUT IT. ALTHOUGH COMMANDOS FEEL THEY MAY WELL
SUCCEED IN ASSASSINATING JEAN-CLAUDE, LAHENS CHANCES OF
RETURNING TO HAITI AS PRESIDENT ARE ALMOST NIL, SINCE
GENERAL JACQUES WOULD PROHIBIT THIS. IN UNLIKELY EVENT
THAT GENERAL HILAIRE EMERGES AS MAN IN CHARGE AFTER
DUVALIER'S DOWNFALL, HE WOULD PROBABLY BETRAY LAHENS AND
PREVENT HIS RETURN TO HAITI. THUS, BOTH LAHENS AND HILAIRE
ARE PROBABLY USING THE OTHER FOR THEIR OWN ENDS AND WOULD
BETRAY EACH OTHER IF SITUATION WARRANTED.
ALTHOUGH LATTER REFUSES TO COMMU-
NICATE WITH LAHENS AND HAS NEITHER ACCEPTED NOR REFUSED
LAHENS' COUP PROPOSAL, JACQUES DOES NOT INTEND TO WARN
PRESIDENT DUVALIER ABOUT PLOT OR TAKE ANY STEPS TO PREVENT
IT. JACQUES IS DISGUSTED WITH THE DUVALIERS, PARTICULARLY
JEAN-CLAUDE, WHO HE FEELS HAS TREATED HIM BADLY. SHOULD
PLOTTERS SUCCEED IN KILLING JEAN-CLAUDE, JACQUES WOULD
IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO MAINTAIN ORDER AND FORM INTERIM GOVT
UNTIL ELECTIONS COULD BE HELD. HE WOULD REFUSE TO ALLOW
LAHENS TO RE-ENTER HAITI IN ANY CAPACITY. JACQUES WOULD
SEEK ADVICE AND SUPPORT OF US GOVT FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
IMPROVEMENT OF COUNTRY. UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT DUVALIER
GOVT SHOULD BE OVERTHROWN, JACQUES WILL CONTINUE IN HIS
PRESENT POST AND DO NOTHING EITHER TO PRESERVE OR DESTROY
PRESENT REGIME.) END QUOTE.
10
(REPORT CLASS SECRET-WARNING NOTICE-SENSITIVE
INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED-NOT RELEASABLE TO
PAGE 07 STATE 095859
FOREIGN NATIONALS--NOT RELEASABLE TO CONTRACTORS OR
CONTRACTOR/CONSULTANTS--DISSEMINATION AND EXTRACTION OF
INFORMATION CONTROLLED BY ORIGINATOR. CLASSIFIED BY
RECORDED REPORTING OFFICER. EXEMPT FROM GENERAL DECLASSI-
FICATION SCHEDULE E.O. 11652. EXEMPTION CATEGORY 5B(2).
IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE DATE OF AUTOMATIC DECLASSIFICATION.
SECRET
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ROBINSON
UNQUOTE KISSINGER
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