(UNTITLED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP04T00367R000100260001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: January 12, 2017
• Document Release Date: March 30, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 20, 1984
• Content Type: REPORT

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I I
Central Intelligerxe Agency
Washiroon. Q C 20505
DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
20 January 1984
EL SALVADOR: DEALING WITH DEATH SQUADS
Summary
We believe efforts by the civilian government and
the military high command to crack down on rightwing
violence have made little progress and have been aimed
almost exclusively at placating. Washington. Salvadoran
officials understandably feel uneasy about openly
confronting rightwing extremists; death threats and
other forms of intimidation against national leaders
are commonplace, and often are carried out. Defense
Minister Vides--whose room to maneuver is
limited--appears both personally disinclined and
professionally unable to effect a major cleanup within
the armed forces any time soon.
Palliative Response
Since December, the response of the government and military
leaders to the problem of rightwing violence has been mainly
verbal. For the past several weeks, government officials have
publicly denounced death squads, and military leaders have
pledged in the local press to punish human rights offenders
This memorandum was requested by Vice-President Bush. It was prepared by
ALA, and was coordinated with the National Intelligence Officer
and the Directorate of Operations. It contains information available as of 20
January 1984. Questions and comments are welcome and should be addressed to
Chief, Middle America-Caribbean Division, ALA,
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within the armed forces. Subordinate officers also have received
lectures on avoiding involvement with rightwing terrorist
organizations.
policy meetings
were held by senior military officers on 12 December to discuss
"requirements" presented by Vice President Bush during his visit
to San Salvador. Consensus was reached that a few unsavory
officers identified by US officials would be transferred and that
a military committee would be appointed to investigate abuses
within the armed forces.
Concrete Action
Two mid-level police intelligence officers have been
transferred to diplomatic posts overseas. This gesture is
offset, however, by their replacement with ultrarightist
officers, one of whom is a documented leader of a police death
squad. Moreover, in the course of recent general orders, several
other notorious rightwing extremists have been assigned 'to
prestigious commands. These include Lieutenant Colonels Moran,
Zepeda, Zacapa, Ponce, and Staben--all close associates of
ultrarightist standard-bearer Roberto D'Aubuisson and his
F-- I
Nationalist Republican Alliance.
The military has reluctantly followed through on US demands
to detain Captain Eduardo Avila, suspected of helping to arrange
the murders of two US labor advisers in January 1981. Avila is
temporarily being held on charges stemming from his being on
self-impo for the past 18 months--a vague form
of AWOL.
Avila's uncle--a Supreme Court Judge--has manipu a egal
process to protect his nephew, and Salvadoran authorities claim
that more serious charges cannot now be legally brought against
Avila.
Nevertheless, the US Embassy in Costa Rica reports that the
government there has sent documentation to El Salvador charging
Avila with terrorist activities in 1982, when he served as an
attache in San Jose. US officials hope that these new charges
will enable Salvadoran authorities to hold Avila long enough for
the murder case against him to be developed or until he agrees to
testify against his accomplices.
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Meanwhile, an ad hoc investigative team has been set up by
Defense Minister Vides to oversee reports of abuses within the
armed forces. Nevertheless, the team leader, Captain Arango of
the National Guard, is a cohort of former Major D'Aubuisson. In
1979, Arango reportedly was a leader of the notorious White
Warriors Union--a death squad that specialized in eliminating
members of the Catholic clergy.
General Vides has requested US aid to help form a bona fide
commission to investigate both rightwing and leftwing terrorist
groups. He and other military officers also reportedly have told
some of D'Aubuisson's civilian aides to leave the country or face
future investigations into their alleged death squad
activities. For the moment, however, D'Aubuisson's civilian
henchmen have rejected such threats and have made clear that they
intend to remain in El Salvador.
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SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR: DEALING WITH DEATH SQUADS
DISTRIBUTION
Original -
1
Requestor
DCI - 7D60
DDCI - 7D6011
SA/DCI/IC - 7D60
Executive Director
Executive Registry
DDI - 7E44
ADDI - 7E44
DDI Registry - 7E12
NIO/LA - 7E62
NIC/AG - 2E49
C/DDI/PES - 7F24
D/ALA - 3F45
ALA/PS - 3F3
ALA/RD - 3F44
CPAS/IMC/CB - 7G07
DDI/CPAS/ILS - 7G50
C/MCD
DC/MCD
C/CA
DC/CA
C/CC
C/MX
C /R
1 -
1 - Division
1 - CA Files
DDI/ALA/MCD/CA
7D44
7E12
(20 January 1984)
1 - Cy cabled to Amb. Pickering
1 - Hugh Montgomery, State
1 - Constantine Menges, NSC
1 - Ambassador Motley, State
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SECRET
Directorate of Intelligence
Office of African and Latin American Analysis
23 January 1984
NOTE FOR: Mr. Hugh Montgomery
Director, Bureau of Intelligence
and Research
Department of State
Hugh:
Attached for your information is our
assessment of efforts by the Salvadoran military
government and high command to crack down on
right wing violence. Vice President Bush asked
us?to do this assessment for him. After reading
it, he asked that I send copies to Ambassador
Pickering and Tony Motley. I thought you would
be interested as well.
Attachment:
As stated
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Directorate of Intelligence
Office of African and Latin American Analysis
23 January 1984
NOTE FOR: Ambassador Langhorne A. Motley
Assistant Secretary of State for
Inter-American Affairs
Tony:
Attached for your information is our
assessment of efforts by the Salvadoran military
government and high command to crack down on
right wing violence. Vice President Bush asked
us to do this assessment for him. After reading
it, he asked that I send you and Ambassador
Pickering copies. I am also providing copies
to Hugh Montgomery and Constantine Menges. 25X1
Attachment:
As stated
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SECRET
Directorate of Intelligence
Office of African and Latin American Analysis
23 January 1984
NOTE FOR: Dr. Constantine Menges
Senior Staff Member, Inter-America
National Security Council
Attached for your information is our
assessment of efforts by the Salvadoran military
government and high command to crack down on
right wing violence. Vice President Bush asked
us to do this assessment for him. After reading
.it, he asked that I send copies to Ambassador
Pickering and Tony Motley. I thought you would
be interested as well.
Attachment:
As stated
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