The Miami Herald

March 19. 1976

Informant Says Cuban Spy Aided Terrorists in Ford Murder Plot

 

By RONALD KOZIOL

SAN FRANCISCO -Federal agents have received information that a spy for the Cuban government acted

as an adviser for a Bay Area terrorist group and allegedly took part in discussions centering on an assassination plot against President Ford and Ronald Reagan it has been learned.

Justice Department sources said if the allegations are true, they would be the first evidence that an agent for a foreign government has been directly involved with a domestic terrorist group on American soil.

DETAILS OF the Cuban involvement reportedly were supplied by Gregg Daniel Adornetto, 27, a terrorist-turned-informant, who is now in protective custody. Adornetto was a member of the Emiliano Zapata Unit, a terrorist band which came into existence a year ago, and which took responsibility for a dozen bombings.

Adornetto is reported to have told federal agents that the Cuban adviser was known under the code name of "Andres Gomez." Sources said that Gomez's name was found in a personal notebook kept by the admitted terrorist.

The CIA was reported to be attempting to learn if "Gomez" could have been in this country during the period in which Adornetto claims to have seen him. The Cuban reportedly fled to Mexico shortly after a police shoot-out Feb. 21 near Lagunitas, Calif. This incident led to the later arrests of Adornetto and six others, who the FBI has charged are members of the Zapata unit.

ADORNETTO said he was told by his underground comrades that "if Gomez dies, his body must be burned and his fingers cut off so he cannot be identified."

Adornetto also is reported to have claimed that he had traveled to Cuba with top leaders of the Weather Underground, who have been fugitives since 1970.

Members of the Weather Underground, responsible for scores of bombings throughout the country, have aided in organizing eight brigades of young Americans who traveled to Cuba to help harvest sugarcane and construct buildings.

It was Adornetto who told investigators of an alleged plot to kill Ford and Reagan at the Republican convention in Kansas City in August.