qapq80.5ql7 DEPARTMENT OF STATE Washinnon.0.c. 20520 [/63 i EMIIL De tof Margaret P. Gra (mph! Excise( Deny 0Q Dedassafy mam. amps. MEMORANDUM TO: - Jeffrey.H. Smith FROM: Carl Gettinger?zEg;. SUBJECT: The Secret Colindres Confession 1: may no 51m. gin.? ?i This memOrandum is an effort to come to grips with some of the questibns posed by a piece of information which is at once highly significant, enormously useful, potentially explosive and conceivably very damaging -- the April 1981 secretly taped Sgt. Colindres cenfession. I . BACKGROUND 3 On December 2, l980 four U.S. churchwomen were murdered in a rural part of El Salvador. In February 1981 I asked a member of the Salvadoran National Guard whom I knew to help us in National Guardsman chiefly responsible for the crime, Sub?sgt. Luis Antonio Colindres Aleman. The quality of the recording was uneven, with some portions readily understandable and others unintelligible. Nevertheless, on the tape Colindres clearly and willingly admits to the murder of the U.S. women four months before. The tape played a key role in Ambassador Chapin's decision to take Colindres' name and those of other Guardsmen implicated by him to the then Minister of Defense, Colonel Extraordinary secrecy surrounded the tape, the life of the source depending on it. No cable traffic between the Embassy and the Department referred to it and unusual pre- cautions were followed in transporting it to FBI Headquarters in May. Thus, aster only limited success in enhancing its quality, the FBI returned thelrecording to the Embassy with very few, it now seems that particularly few in the Department of State, becoming aware of its existence. The tape's sen- sitivity, its poor quality and frequent gaps, its unsubstan- tiated and uncorroborated allegations and doubts about .Colindres' honesty combined to limit its usefulness. It came where it was roused infrequently. .UHBLASSIHED July 19, 1983 . I . II. DIALOGUE In addition to the information contained on the tape on the circumstances of the crime itself there is also a window into Colindres' thinking_on several critical questions. Among these are: his attitude toward the churchwomen and the entire question of motive; his statements touching on the question of superior orders, if any, to carry out the crime; and, suggestions of his participation in an organized effort to cover up the crime. However, although the tape helps in answering some questions, it also raises others which, in part because of the poor quality of the recording, we are currently unable to answer. 3A. The Crime On the tape Colindres describes the murder of the four women in the following manner: "So then I did the little job . . . (unintelligible) . . . we lit their wicks over by Santiago." (The unintelligible word in the passage is very likely "decidi," that is decided.") The events leading up to that crime are not explicitly described but, if Colindres is to be believed, they include a conversation between himself and police agents at the airport about the women. It may be that those agents fueled suspicions about the Americans' activities which provoked Colindres to act against them. That is not clear but what happens sub- sequently is less mysterious: accompanied by five accomplices, Colindres stOps the four women, finds what he considers subversive propaganda, finds also a moderate to large amount of cash and three substantial checks, takes them to a remote area a few miles distant and then, after they are raped, has them all shot. On the tape Colindres admits to all of these actions except rape, which he ignores. He also admits to ruining the engine of his own vehicle during the course of the operation by mistaking diesel for gasoline, burning the women's van at a site different from where the killings took place and destroying the checks. B. The Motive The brutal animosity which Colindres displays toward the U.S. women on the tape goes a long way toward explaining why he killed them. A listener who understands the context of the conversation and the nuances of the trash heap language employed throughout the recording can comprehend the motive .for the murders. A remarkably savage human being, Colindres acted in response to information which -- falsely-- made these women out to be guerrilla sympathizers, gun runners, carriers of subversive propaganda and participants in the following day's (December 3) funeral of the murdered leftist FDR leaders. For the first two accusations he had suspicions generated by Guardsman Perez Nieto and information probably provided by loalevel police agents in the area of the airport; unfortunately, very significant portions of the tape which might identify the latter sources are currently unintelligible. For the second pair of accusations Colindres had his own determinations based on what he saw in the women's van after they were stopped. To Colindres, therefore, the women were acting in ways which made them the enemy and he decided to deal with them as he was accustomed to dealing with the enemy -- by killing them. The considerations about their nationality which had protected them up to that time seem to have occurred to him but his reaction was merely a crude attempt to cover his tracks. Additionally, the victims presented a target for robbery and rape. The inescapable conclusion, in my view, is that Colindres acted out of what forlumtwasaipersuasive combination of political, financial and sexual interests. C. Orders The confessional tape very strongly supports the conclusion that direct reSponsibility for the murders of the Americans rests with Colindres. Throughout his conversation with the source there is an understood presumption of his responsibility for the crime which he makes no effort to dispel. At no point does he indicate that he received orders to carry out the killings. However, Colindres does indicate that he received a tip from "a few police," also at the airport, who he claims had detained them on some unSpecified prior date. Colindres may or may not have been telling the truth; whichever the case, his allegations point up important unanswered questions on how and why the crime was initiated. Among these questions: -- Were there other security force personnel at the airport who knew the churchwomen or knew of their alleged subversive political involvement? -- If there were such personnel did they pass on infor- mation about-the women to Colindres? -- What, if any, action did they suggest be taken against the Americans? . -- How did the role of these other security forc personnel, if they existed, mesh with that of guards Perez Nieto who admits to notifying Colindres of the churchwomen's activities at the airport? Whatever the responses to these questions it is highly unlikely that they will alter a fundamental fact of this case: that the decision to kill the American churchwomen was made by Colindres and by no one else. D. Coverup If Colindres is to be believed, there are clear indications of an organized cover up of the crime beginning soon after it was committed. The sub-sergeant admits to telling three people about his responsibility for the crime, his immediate superior Sgt. Martinez, the in-house investigating officer, Major Zepeda, and the source. The admission which indicates a cover up is, of course, that to Major Zepeda. Colindres states that in December, the same month as the murders, he informed Zepeda of what he had done. The major reportedly told Colindres that he and the others involved could expect transfers but not immediately in order to avoid generating suspicions. In addition, Zepeda took declarations from at least some of those involved which indicated that they knew nothing of the crime. Zepeda included these in his January report knowing that they were false. Colindres also states that the major reappeared on the scene in April (the day before the recording was made) and ordered that rifles belonging to some of those involved be exchanged for others in order, says Colindres quoting Zepeda, to prevent any problems for them. Thus, if Colindres is truthful, within the National Guard there was a concerted effort from very early on to block the investigation into the murder of the Americans. Direction of that effort appears to have reached at least the level of Major Zepeda. COMMENT: A recent second effort to improve the quality of the subject tape recording has ended in failure. We have, thus, exhausted the possibilities of technical improvement which would allow us to understand the unintelligible portions of the tape. The only option left open to us if we are to understand the entire conversation is to locate the source and depend on his memory for an explanation. if. of reestablishing contaCt wi ource if all that will come of it is an understanding of a tape which is not usable in the prosecution of the case? Are the risks which would be run in such an operation worth the expected result? My view is that it is clearly very important for us to understand this tape in its entirety. The principal point is to fill in those incomplete passages which will help us in understanding the relationship between Colindres and those who he claims were aware of the Americans' presence at the airport. Should the existence of this recording?-or, worse, its contents-~become public knowledge, we must be able to explain that relationship if we are to successfully defend our longstanding?-and correct--belief that Colindres was the decision-maker in the events of December 2, 1980. The current condition of the recording, with its numerous windows of unintelligibility, means that our understanding of it, and thus our explanation of it in the event one is required, is unacceptably weak. Every effort should be made to see that this recording remains secret. However, every effort should also be made to see that we are prepared in the event that the effort to ensure secrecy fails. you,' or many _Sgt Colindres: Essa-s era are. 3M5. .ours d??i?der, I am not going to allow them to fuck other Guard. This nonsense having to do with Colindres: Didn't you like it? Source: I do not like it at all. I do not like it at all because I more or less know the about the problem. Yes. Source: iI do not like it at all because you know the changes implemented are pure shit? Do you understand what I am telling you? Therefor I am going to follow up on this nonsense because I do not like it. JUst like I don't want them to fuck me I don't want them to fuck any one working for me. Do you understand what I am telling you? Colindres: Yes, yes, yes, thank you. Source: But when I see they are covering for you and then go ahead and carry out the movement, it means the Directorate is shitting itself. With these same words. Do you understand what I am telling you? Colindres: Yes. Source: Now what I ask you is to please advise the Guards. Those who did it. Not to tell anyone. No one. Not any superior at the last minute. Do you understand what I am telling you? You can be in deep shit because the command can take you down if they're put in a bind. Do you understand what I am telling you? Colindres: Yes. Source: Now I'll say it again. The only recommendation 1111 give you is that I will provide you and drive you to the border if I see any shit go your way. I will even give you my car, gas. Do you understand what I am telling you? Colindres: Yes, thank you. Source: But I also want you to, how should I say this? Keep cool Colindres: Yes. Source: you because, damn, I see you are in danger when they are changing rifles and all that other nonsense. Do you understand what I am telling you? Colindres: Yes. Source: How many took part in that shit? a. B?wwgifl Colindres: Well, it was about six. Source: Yes. Colindres: Five Guards and I. But I, I I was with them, I didn't. Source:( Well no, yes right, at the last minute in remainder of phrase Cannot be figured out due to audio quality). Colindres: (Phrase cannot be figured out due to audio quality). Source: That is where they (poor audio quality). Colindres: There, is where Major Zepeda told us yesterday. This case, this is (poor audio quality) in order to avoid a problem, but this (poor audio quality) and that was when (poor audio quality) these students are the ones who've changed our --(poor audio quality). Source: Yes, but look. Did they change everyone's or just yours? Colindres: No. Everyone's. Source: Everyone's? Colindres: Everyone's. Because they wanted to, that's the problem.. It ended when they called . Lt Merino: Have they, have they, have they called the others? Colindres: No, --(poor audio quality). Source: Individually? Colindres: Yes individually . No. But. They haven't called us because we were still at work. Source: They haven't called you? Colindres: No. They called another six. Source: Another six? That's what I want to see. Did you make any statements or not? colindres: Yes. We stated that we didn't know anything. Scurce: You didn't know anything, aha. Colindres: Nothing about that. Source: But the Major, didn't you tell the Major exactly what had happened? Colindres: Yes, but I Source: No, that's correc Colindres: audio quality). Since he was around, the Inspector I mean. Source: Yes, yes, yes. Colindres: And I also told Martinez. Source: Which Martinez? Colindres: The one in the Air Force. Source: Who? Which Martinez? Colindres: Dagoberto Martinez. Source: Correct. Colindres: Then he told me, look ?-(poor audio quality) to tell you I said, any superior, he told me the day before yesterday. Source: Yes, yes, correct I agree. Colindres: Guard goes, Tell He only told me to make sure a superior in the goes investigate this case. That's what he told me. Source: Correct. Colindres: should be someone from the Guard. Source: Yes . Colindres: But not a superior from another branch, he said. Source: Correct. Colindres: ??(poor audio quality) pretend you know nothing about this case when asked by the superiors, and the very same day come to the Headquarters, he told me, speak to me, he said. Source: All right, correct, all right. Colindres: That's when Major Zepeda arrived and I told him how it was and the truth is they left me out to hang. Source:? They left you out to hang. H.3L .icoiindres: Yes. Some police officers. They had captured them days before. Source: The police had captured them? Colindres: Yes, yes because they had subversive prepaganda Source: Aha, aha. Colindres: they let them go because people saw it. Source: People saw it. People saw it. Colindres: Then, I, I, started to keep tabs on them and when I went they were not there. They had just left and we headed that way. Source: Where had they gone to? Colindres: To La Libertad Source: Aha, aha. Colindres: to San Salvador Source: To San Salvador, aha. Colindres: they went to San Salvador. They saw them audio quality) then they left he said, "Here are the letters they were going to send you", He told me. Sorry. I'm on my way I said? -s(poor audio quality). Yes, yes --(poor audio quality) another two who were there from, from, from Nicaragua. Source: Both came from Nicaragua? Colindres: And they were coming in for the burial of the PDR members and they had a telegram with them. Source: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Colindres: -*(poor audio quality) who kept them during the day, and there's the job, quiet easy. Source: Yeah, yeah. Colindres: We burned it with the flames --(poor audio quality) source: with normal flames? Ah, well how did they discover you then? Because that's what I can't believe. Who saw you then? How did they know it was you guys? Colindres: Well look, that's where they got us, Source: Who, who were the Colindres: The Guards from Rosario. We went there asking for Source: Help? Colindres: because the Source: And how many of you were there then? ??(poor audio quality) Colindres: Only six. Source: Ah? Only six? And why did you ask for help? Colindres: Well man, since the car wasn't working because it screwed us and I made a mistake by not putting in any gas. So we left in their car. Source: I who's car? Colindres: In the car belonging to, belonging to, belonging to them (Translator Comment: referring to the nuns). Source: Their car? Son of a bitch and you guys didn't have a car? Colindres: No, no. Source: That was the great screw up, the big one because that's the way it was. That's it. --(poor audio quality) have to help them --(poor audio quality) the bitches were audio quality). Colindres: Yes, yes, yes I found a large amount Source: Of propaganda. Colindres: propaganda? But look Lieutenant what I didn't really like, I didn't like believing they had a large sum of dollars but they didn't. They about 48 dollars and I --(poor audio quality) Source: 48 dollars? Colindres: I kept Source: Yes, yes. Colindres: then, ah yes, they had checks. Colindres: Small yellow ones.. Source: Yes, yes, yes. Colindres: had those type. Source: Yes, yes, yes, and how many did they have? :gt ig?indres: Well, they had two checks for 1,800 dollars and one or . Source: And did you keep them? Colindres: Hey, don't say those silly things. Source: What? Colindres: Yes --(poor audio quality) yes. Source: So is that all they had, any more? Colindres: Yes, checks. Source: And how much have they told you they had? Colindres: No but --(poor audio quality) Source: What? Colindres: No but audio quality) they didn't have -?(poor audio quality) they sincerely didn't have audio quality) Source: Son of a bitch audio quality). Look, do you trust those Guards you have been with? Are they going to let you down? Colindres: Look Source: Which ones, which ones do you consider more of a risk, so I can assess them. Don't tell me the ones who are good to go. Do you understand? Because I want to advise them so they are not brought to justice. You know? I am going to tell you, because- Colindres, when I tell you something like this it's because I am really macho. 1I am going to tell you a secret. But keep this secret. You hear? Keep this secret. There are approximately 50 FBI agents investigating this case. Do you understand? colindres: Yes. Source: And you know that as Guards we have weaknesses. ':_:Sgticolindres: Yes. Source: Someone can sell out. I know you won't tell anyone and they wonit get you. Some son of a bitch can sell out and that will put you in a bind. Do you understand I told you --(poor? audio quality) he's a bit stupid, I am going to put my foot up his to make him better because now I have three Guards coming from the hospital -?(poor audio quality) who are involVed in this case. Do you understand? Because there was an old dumbass, Colindres: Yes. Source: was leaving. The Major came and it really screwed things up. In order not to ?-(poor audio quality) because it- already started. The son of a bitch started naming Guards who were. there. Then, I called him shithead son of a bitch. Look son of a bitch you're not going to say anything else. You are giving up-and I am going to prosecute you --(poor audio quality) son of a bitch, I told him. I have that old dumbass as well. That's why I have gone down. Because of him, Colindres, and I called that son? of a bitch. Look son of a bitch I told him, shut up or I am going to shit on you, I told him. Do you understand what I am saying? Colindres: Yes, yes, yes. Source: But if I shit on you it's as if I were to shit on myself. Do you understand? Then if you suspect there are some, two or three dumbasses, so I can get a hold of them and tell them not to ever say anything. Do you understand. To make them aware. I know not to tell them directly they are the ones. But tell them, look son of a bitch, Don't tell and don't tell. Do you understand? (poor audio quality) Colindres: Yes. Go straight --(poor audio quality) Source: I am telling you again when I find out who --(poor audio quality) I'm warning you. Just listen to me. You hear? Because audio quality) I know. Do you understand? I. am protecting Colindres: No. Go straight. Source: will protect you in any way possible. Colindres: Yes, thanks. Source: I mean it from the bottom of my heart. colindres: I appreciate it. Yes, yes I have always trusted you. Because since we were, since I was a student there, where I met you. And I have always said you took care of me since I was at the school and you were always there for me. Then there was Captain Anaya (Transcriber Comment: Sounds like Anaya but not requested to be transferred to the when orders to go to Jacate. Mejia and --(poor audio quality) and I were there. That's better. It makes you work harder. And then- today they send me here. I knew you were here. VBut they were here. too. I realized I wanted to go to Jacate and the Lieutenant wantedr to come here. Look at Lieutenant Mayan, he sweats it. He sweatS? everything. And when he says do something he wants it done. And sometimes he's a bit fucked up. And they changed our rifles; all those of us who were at the airport. Source: They?ve changed your rifles? Colindres: Yes. Don't you know who's coming here to check them? Source: No, not yet. Colindres: ?-(poor audio quality) Canales is another one, Palacios another, Contreras whose in audio quality) Sanchez. and Conjura. -?(poor audio quality) are the on1y= ones I recall. It appears they were going to a woman's house at' the port (Translator Comment: Probably referring to Puerto. Libertad). And they were the ones taking weapons and I don't kno?sm what else to a place near Zaragoza. Source: Yeah, yeah1 yeah. No, they were the ones. No doubt about. that. And how were they dressed then? Colindres: Yes, both were dressed in civilian attire. Source: And what kind of car were they travelling in? Colindres: A white Hi-Ace. Source: A white hi-Ace? Colindres: Yes. source: And what did you do to the car? Colindres: Well --(poor audio quality)it would not start. It was diesel. That's the silly thing. I thought it was gas. Source: Bitch, hey, bitch. But didn't you burn it where it stalled? Colindres: No --(poor audio quality) it was on the road to La Libertad. Source: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Damn diesel Hi-Ace. Damn, you should have got --(poor audio quality). Colindres: Damn, it's a -?(poor audio quality) _.Y"oOr audio quality) Colindres: Well and didn't you hear anything? Source: About that night? Colindres: Yes, that's it. :Source: No. Not on the outside. That's what's dangerous, when one doesn't keep quiet as I was telling you. I think the silly thing is when the Headquarters changes rifles and stirs things up, that shit hurts me. Colindres: Look you Source: I am perplexed. Colindres: Look, the Major told me during those days to await a transfer. Everyone's transfer, but not right now he said . So as not to raise suspicions. Just wait until they transfer everyone else he said. --(poor audio quality) when --(poor audio: quality) Headquarters sends me here. The first ones must have.1ett in December. Source: Was it in December then? Colindres: Yes. Source: Which December? Colindres: Last year. Source: Well yes. Colindres: Yes. Source: Well yes, and the date: December, Sgt.Colindres: Well, Source: Yes. January, February, March, April. Four or five months. Colindres: That's what, that's what he told us. Source: And when did he do the report? Colindres: The same month of December. The same December. Source: Ah, he did the report the same month of December? Colindres: Yes. Source: Well yes. Then why didn't they order it this way? Why are they ordering changes and massive changes?now?iiaoW37I police isn't seeing the changes being made so suddenl are not dumbasses. Damn, this car is slow. Colindres: No. This car. It's slow, ha, ha, ha. Source: Well yes. That's what surprises me. All this shit. Bitch. Well I am telling you again as a friend from the bottom of my heart, Colindres: Yes thank you. Source: have known you since you were a kid. .1 remember you were disciplined --[poor audio quality) and today you were the first one ready for the operation. One sees all that shit. And I know you have done it for a special cause. It's everyone's cause and one day they'll still want to fuck you. I know so. I am telling you Colindres. Do you hear me? Colindres: Yes, yes thank you Lieutenant. Source: If you listen to me, if you listen to me as your Commander, I will not allow them to fuck you. I am not going to allow them to fuck you. Colindres: Yes thank you. Well look. Let's say I only told Lieutenant Martinez, Major Zepeda, and you here as well. I say again. Source: Don't tell this to anyone. I am telling you no one. I'm telling you again. If you think there is a dumbass Guard who can be caught, do you understand? See what I'm telling you? Advise him, you advise him. Did you hear? Eon can't right now (poor audio quality) see who -?(poor audio quality) the Guard. That's how things are. Do you understand what I'm telling you? Colindres: Look I believe those of us who spoke are the ones who will speak the least. The noose is around the rest. Ah, such as those old Source: Those old Guards; I'll take care of them myself. Colindres: Yes. Source: Really? Myself. Don't you trust them? Are they young? Colindres: No, the oldest one is Contreras. The one who is at the province there at Las Delicias. Orlando Contreras. But there is nothing there. Source: They won't get anything out of him? Colindres: No, Canales neither, not even a few words. Sanchez neither. Because they already asked Sanchez to speak. Source: Which Sergeant Canales? Which asked him to speak? Colindres: Tell me and they said audio quality) Source: Sanchez? Which Sanchez? Colindres: one who Source: Is where? Colindres: there --(poor audio quality) Source: Aha, and what did the Sergeant say? Colindres: --(poor audio quality) cannot be proven we saw --(poor audio quality) Source: To Colindres: Yes. Source: of a bitch --(poor audio quality) Colindres: Bitch he said. I'm surprised he said that because we're here. Source: Sanchez said that, no way! Colindres: And what have you done? Nothing I said. Nothing has happened I said. That's what the Sergeant told me. Source: That's good, that's good. Colindres: Don't tell him anything. Source: No never. Colindres: Don't tell him anything ?-(poor audio quality) but he realizes, because he's the one who was the secretary going around with the Major. Source: Ah yes. You must also tell that son of a bitch not to go around saying anything. He who says is a traitor. Colindres: Ah yes a traitor. Source: A traitor whoever says. A big traitor. Colindres: Car (end of tape) \kill the women by a superior, there was simply no reason for him apprehensively to confess his guilt to his immediate supervisor, a sergeant. Or, if he had felt the need to confess, we believe it likely that he would have explained that the "problem" he had created was ordered from above. In making this analysis, like our analysis of Perez Nieto's evidence, we necessarily treat as credible Sergeant Dagoberto Martines's testimony, and for like reasons. Fourth, the information obtained from the special Embassy evidence is consistent with the information from . Sergeant Dagoberto Martinez. According to the special Embassy information, Subsergeant Colindres Aleman confessed his guilt to Major Zepeda without.imp1icating any higher- ups. This, again, does not seem to us to be a likely course of events if Colindres Aleman's superiors were in fact involved. More definitively, the special Embassy revgdence also provided direct proof, which unfortunaEEly we - Exp? are unable to reveal without endangering lives, that COlindres Aleman has conceded acting on his own. Fifth, the evidence of the Zepeda/Monterrosa cover-up, which we have outlined above, shows, we think, a clear attempt to cover up a crime committed by lower-ranking soldiers, and no effort that we can discern to prevent the identification of higher-ups. Sixth, we are convinced that, in light of all the evidence, the polygraph results are worth crediting. 771 )6r pt: /5 . 6";ng I n: - - (w ?Lhz?i/JS; '7 - I37 1 Amourommorsm mom 1710:. In fork. Nu York 00:? 2. 1903 O. . 0 O.