CROWD FOILS CUBAN KIDNAPPING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000705940004-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 2, 2011
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: December 14, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STET
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/02 :CIA-RDP90-009658000705940004-6
~ NEW YORK TIMES
ARTICLE ~~'r ~ D
14 December 1985
Crowd Foils Cuban Kidnapping
By EDWARD SCHUMACHER
Sp~dal W Thy Pqw York Times
MADRID, Dec. 13 -Four Cuban
Embassy employees tried to kidnap a
former Cuban ottldal here today but
were toiled when about 30 bystanders
intervened, the police said.
The tour embassy employees. indud-
ins avice consul waving a pistol. were
arrested after the byatarrdera and a
passins tazi blocked the Cubans' car
and helped the former ottlcial to es-
cape. the police said.
The police identified the former offi-
cial as Manuel Mtonio Ssr-chez Pbrez
and said he had been a senior economic
otfidal in the Government of Pidel Cas-
tro. Spanish Interior Ministry otfidals
said that he had asked for poflticai asy-
lum 10 days ago durlns a stopover en
route to East Berlin and that it had
been provisionally grantees.
His exact positlon in the Castro Gov-
ernment, however, remained unclear.
Western intell ante sources here said
e appin attem t indicated that
Mr~t o was more
an etwrrom u exiles here
sal a een involved in political
intightinB inside the Castro Govern-
ment and may have bad delicate intel-
Spanish Foreign Ministry officials
said the attempted kidnapping had at1-
gered the Government of Prime Minis-
ter Felipe Gonzaslez, which until raw
bees maintained cordial relatiow with
Cuba.
The Cuban Ambassador to Spain,
Oscar Garcia Ferrigndez, was sum-
moned to the Foreign Ministry tonight,
moments after Foreign Minister Fran-
cisco Fernalndez . OM68ed returned
fIOIIl an Official visit LO Brwsels,
ministry offidals said. A formal pro-
test was being considered, ministry of-
ticials said.
[M Interior Ministry spokesman
said Spain plans to expel the four,
The Associated Press reported.]
"You can't walk around brandishing
pistols on the streets of Madrid," said
one spokesman. "We're taking this as a
grave inddent."
Cuban Embassy officials refused to
comment.
?I'bey're ~ Me!'
The police identified the tour fodled
kidnappers as Vice Consul Angel Al-
berto I.e6n Cervantes; Abelardo L.bpes
Herndndez and Rambn~ Burroto
Chgvez, clerks, and ventures Ventura
Torrientes, a teacher: The four were
said by bystanders to be young men.
According to the Cuban exile
sources, Mr. I.6pez worked as a press
analyst and Mr. Burroto and Mr. Ven-
tura worked for Cuban intelligence.
The police said Mr. Sgnchez emerged
at 10:0 A.M. from a bank branch on
the Paseo Castellano, a broad, tree-
lined boulevard, when he was assault-
Acxording to wi8resses interviewed
I~
S 6 Govermrent Angered ~ three of the would-be kidnappers began
Pis i beating Mr
Sdndrez as he resisted
.
being shoved into a car waiting at the
ea