862.20210/1262: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 11—3:27 a.m.]
1224. In view of the Department’s insistence on caution in connection with the intercepted messages the Embassy has not given copies of these messages to the local police: In other words although the local police are still holding the spies they have no evidence against them other than intimations and insinuations that we have given them; and they would like to release them.
[Page 195]In the meantime a report has been brought to my attention by the British Embassy from their agent at Recife containing the following statement:
“I have since received through my police contact copies of radio intercepts handed to the Army General Staff by the American Naval Observer, Recife. Intercept of January 18, from Worto, Germany, states (extract) ‘star (Fink) reports are held back on account of personal supervision’ which seems to be about this contention.”
In view of this does the Department still desire me to continue to withhold the messages from the police. As the Department is aware the police are holding the 30 principal spies whom we asked them to arrest; as the Department is also aware, since these men have been in jail German spy communications with this country have been practically interrupted.