Gary Webb
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j corlett
Nov 9, 2005, 12:54:07 AM11/9/05
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Subject: Who killed Gary Webb? FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, US STYLE www.granma.cu
Date: Thursday, February 17, 2005 9:58 PM
Date: Thursday, February 17, 2005 9:58 PM
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
Havana. January 4, 2005
Havana. January 4, 2005
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, US STYLE
Who killed Gary Webb?
Who killed Gary Webb?
BY JEAN-GUY ALLARD—Special for Granma International—
LIKE no other journalist before him, he exposed the CIA’s evil
schemes in the drug world and revealed to the US public how the country’s
black neighborhoods were inundated with crack as part of drug trafficking
designed to supply the Nicaraguan Contras with money and weapons.
schemes in the drug world and revealed to the US public how the country’s
black neighborhoods were inundated with crack as part of drug trafficking
designed to supply the Nicaraguan Contras with money and weapons.
He denounced narco-terrorist Luis Posada Carriles and his accomplices
who were involved in that criminal transaction. And he ended up being shot
in his home with two bullets in his face. A suicide, reported the judicial
authorities.
who were involved in that criminal transaction. And he ended up being shot
in his home with two bullets in his face. A suicide, reported the judicial
authorities.
US reporters are in mourning. Gary Webb, who was discovered dead on
Friday, December 10, in his Carmichael home in California, was for many a
model of professionalism and integrity. He was 49 years of age.
Friday, December 10, in his Carmichael home in California, was for many a
model of professionalism and integrity. He was 49 years of age.
In August, 1996, when he worked at the San José Mercury News, Webb
disclosed how the CIA sold tons of crack in Los Angeles neighborhoods and
afterwards used the money from this trafficking to finance the operations of
the Nicaraguan Contras who were then trying to overthrow Nicaragua’s
Sandinista government.
disclosed how the CIA sold tons of crack in Los Angeles neighborhoods and
afterwards used the money from this trafficking to finance the operations of
the Nicaraguan Contras who were then trying to overthrow Nicaragua’s
Sandinista government.
His revelations were published in all the Knight-Ridder papers. All
of them… except the Miami Herald, the paper that has ties with the
Cuban-American drug-trafficking terrorist mafia.
of them… except the Miami Herald, the paper that has ties with the
Cuban-American drug-trafficking terrorist mafia.
His investigation, impressive for its seriousness and scope, caused a
national stir.
national stir.
In their book Whiteout: the CIA, Drugs and the Press, Alexander
Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair, journalists from the well known web site
Counterpunch.com, detailed how Webb was the victim of a veritable campaign
aimed at destroying his reputation.
Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair, journalists from the well known web site
Counterpunch.com, detailed how Webb was the victim of a veritable campaign
aimed at destroying his reputation.
The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times
distinguished themselves in this dirty work.
distinguished themselves in this dirty work.
“The attack on Gary Webb and his series in the San Jose Mercury News
remains one of the most venomous and factually inane assaults on a
professional journalist’s competence in living memory. In the mainstream
press he found virtually no defenders, and those who dared to stand up for
him themselves became the object of virulent abuse and misrepresentation.”
remains one of the most venomous and factually inane assaults on a
professional journalist’s competence in living memory. In the mainstream
press he found virtually no defenders, and those who dared to stand up for
him themselves became the object of virulent abuse and misrepresentation.”
Webb resigned from San José Mercury News in 1997. You could no longer
read his work in any well known newspaper.
read his work in any well known newspaper.
In 1990 Webb was among a group of reporters selected for the Pulitzer
Prize, the most prestigious in the world of US journalism, for a work on the
Loma Prieta earthquake, but according to his relatives, he never recovered
from the scandal caused by his series denouncing the CIA.
Prize, the most prestigious in the world of US journalism, for a work on the
Loma Prieta earthquake, but according to his relatives, he never recovered
from the scandal caused by his series denouncing the CIA.
In 1999 he defended his famous investigation by publishing a book
entitled Dark Alliance: the CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine
Explosion, which made a strong impact.
entitled Dark Alliance: the CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine
Explosion, which made a strong impact.
POSADA, DRUG TRAFFICKER
Among the most interesting revelations is the case of Luis Posada
Carriles.
Carriles.
In Dark Alliance, relying on some of the CIA’s declassified documents,
Webb revealed how in January 1974 the CIA rejected Posada’s request for “a
Venezuelan passport” for one of his buddies because, the author wrote in all
seriousness, “a control agent could not be allowed to get involved in drug
trafficking.”
Webb revealed how in January 1974 the CIA rejected Posada’s request for “a
Venezuelan passport” for one of his buddies because, the author wrote in all
seriousness, “a control agent could not be allowed to get involved in drug
trafficking.”
That same year, the CIA was advised by the Drug Enforcement Agency
(DEA) that Posada was exchanging arms for cocaine with a person “involved in
political assassinations, “ a reference to Félix Rodriguez Mendigutia, a CIA
agent who ordered the assassination of Che.
(DEA) that Posada was exchanging arms for cocaine with a person “involved in
political assassinations, “ a reference to Félix Rodriguez Mendigutia, a CIA
agent who ordered the assassination of Che.
As a secret element of the Bay of Pigs invasion, the CIA organized
Operation 40, in which Posada and dozens of Cuban Americans participated
together with hired assassins from the Italian-American mafia.
Operation 40, in which Posada and dozens of Cuban Americans participated
together with hired assassins from the Italian-American mafia.
Operation 40’s network was used for terrorist activities against Cuba
until 1970 when one of its planes crashed in southern California with a huge
quantity of heroin and cocaine on board. This same year, the FBI arrested
150 suspects in the “biggest anti-drug operation in the history of the
federal police.”
until 1970 when one of its planes crashed in southern California with a huge
quantity of heroin and cocaine on board. This same year, the FBI arrested
150 suspects in the “biggest anti-drug operation in the history of the
federal police.”
At that time Attorney General John Mitchell indicated that the network
controlled 30% of the country’s heroin trade and 70 to 80% of cocaine sales.
But he did not mention the fact that several of those arrested belonged to
the gang of Juan Restoy, a former Batista politician, distinguished “alumni”
of Operation 40 with ties to the Havana capo Santos Traficante.
controlled 30% of the country’s heroin trade and 70 to 80% of cocaine sales.
But he did not mention the fact that several of those arrested belonged to
the gang of Juan Restoy, a former Batista politician, distinguished “alumni”
of Operation 40 with ties to the Havana capo Santos Traficante.
Two of the Restoy’s most entrusted hired assassins were…Ignacio and
Guillermo Novo, “members” of the Cuban Nationalist Movement, a terrorist
group with cells in Miami and Union City, New Jersey. These two assassins,
who served four years in prison with Posada in Panama, recently returned to
the United States with the blessings of the CIA and the FBI office in Miami.
Guillermo Novo, “members” of the Cuban Nationalist Movement, a terrorist
group with cells in Miami and Union City, New Jersey. These two assassins,
who served four years in prison with Posada in Panama, recently returned to
the United States with the blessings of the CIA and the FBI office in Miami.
In June 1976 Guillermo Novo and Posada participated in forming the
terrorist organization CORU, whose ranks were comprised of the likes of
Félix Rodriguez, Frank Castro and other criminals involved in drug
trafficking operations authorized by the Reagan administration in support of
the Nicaraguan Contras, which Gary Webb had covered.
terrorist organization CORU, whose ranks were comprised of the likes of
Félix Rodriguez, Frank Castro and other criminals involved in drug
trafficking operations authorized by the Reagan administration in support of
the Nicaraguan Contras, which Gary Webb had covered.
In 1983, Frank Castro was accused of importing 500 tons of marijuana
“then, as if by magic, the charge disappeared following his establishment of
a Contras training camp in 1983.” Fortunately, Rodriguez left George Bush’s
father’s office, which had appreciated his ”talent.” And Posada, illegally
pardoned by the former president of Panama, Mireya Moscoso, has preferred
“to disappear” with the “protections” that were left to him.
“then, as if by magic, the charge disappeared following his establishment of
a Contras training camp in 1983.” Fortunately, Rodriguez left George Bush’s
father’s office, which had appreciated his ”talent.” And Posada, illegally
pardoned by the former president of Panama, Mireya Moscoso, has preferred
“to disappear” with the “protections” that were left to him.
After the assassination of the Chilean foreign minister Orlando
Letelier, the Novo brothers were hired as "public relations officers" with
the Cuban-American National Foundation, while the life-appointed ”chairman”
of that organization, Jorge Mas Canosa, paid $26,000 for the “release” of
Posada when he was imprisoned in Venezuela following an explosion on board a
Cubana passenger airline, which killed 73 people.
Letelier, the Novo brothers were hired as "public relations officers" with
the Cuban-American National Foundation, while the life-appointed ”chairman”
of that organization, Jorge Mas Canosa, paid $26,000 for the “release” of
Posada when he was imprisoned in Venezuela following an explosion on board a
Cubana passenger airline, which killed 73 people.
THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IS OUTRAGED
Webb’s series in the San José Mercury News explains in detail how the
CIA network sold tons of cocaine to criminal gangs and demonstrates how the
White House’s anti-communist fanaticism was so fervent that it was willing
to engage in the propagation of the most hideous drug epidemic of modern
times.
CIA network sold tons of cocaine to criminal gangs and demonstrates how the
White House’s anti-communist fanaticism was so fervent that it was willing
to engage in the propagation of the most hideous drug epidemic of modern
times.
The African-American community in the United States was shocked by the
news disseminated by Webb’s articles.
news disseminated by Webb’s articles.
His role in disclosing the CIA’s sinister plot made Webb a very famous
figure in the black community.
figure in the black community.
When the House of Representatives finally agreed to take up the issue,
after a report was issued by the CIA inspector general concerning drug
trafficking by the agency, Porter Goss, who had directed the Intelligence
Committee since the previous year, decided at a preliminary hearing that the
allegations were “false.”
after a report was issued by the CIA inspector general concerning drug
trafficking by the agency, Porter Goss, who had directed the Intelligence
Committee since the previous year, decided at a preliminary hearing that the
allegations were “false.”
Goss, a former CIA agent who in 1972 participated in operations at the
JM/WAVE base in Miami including terrorist operations against Cuba, ended up
being named director of the CIA by George W. Bush.
JM/WAVE base in Miami including terrorist operations against Cuba, ended up
being named director of the CIA by George W. Bush.
Ricky Ross, one of Gary Webb’s most reliable sources, spoke with him a
few days before his death. Webb told him that he had seen some men examining
the pipes outside his house, and that it was evident that they were not
thieves but “government people.” He added that he had received death threats
and was routinely followed.
few days before his death. Webb told him that he had seen some men examining
the pipes outside his house, and that it was evident that they were not
thieves but “government people.” He added that he had received death threats
and was routinely followed.
It was known that Gary Webb was working on a new investigation on the
same subject concerning the CIA and drug trafficking.
same subject concerning the CIA and drug trafficking.
On December 10, Webb’s corpse was discovered in his home in
Carmichael. Two bullets from a Caliber .38 revolver had destroyed his face.
Carmichael. Two bullets from a Caliber .38 revolver had destroyed his face.
Coroner Robert Lyons was the judicial official who carried out the
investigation into Webb’s death. He quickly announced his conclusion: Gary
Webb committed suicide.
investigation into Webb’s death. He quickly announced his conclusion: Gary
Webb committed suicide.
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