Frederick P. Hitz

“ Blandon also says he met Contra leader Enrique Bermudez on four occasions from 1981 to 1983. Blandon states that onemeeting occurred in Honduras in 1982 while he and Meneses were traveling to Bolivia to conduct a drug deal. Blandon says that Bermudez told them that the Contras were having trouble raising funds and asked that he and Meneses help, stating that "the ends justify the means." Blandon adds that it is his belief Bermudez did not know that he and Meneses were engaged in drug trafficking, but was aware of Meneses' alleged Nicaraguan organized crime connections. ”

“ When I appeared before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in open session on October 23, 1996, I reported that, at the request of then-Director of Central Intelligence John Deutch on September 3, 1996, I immediately initiated an inquiry into allegations that stemmed from a three-part series called "Dark Alliance" that was published in the San Jose Mercury News in August 1996. ”

“ Ross, Blandon and Meneses are convicted drug dealers. Our investigation found no information to indicate that any past or present employee of CIA, or anyone else acting on behalf of CIA, had any dealings with Ross, Blandon or Meneses, or had any knowledge of their drug trafficking activities. Ross was a drug dealer who, by his own admission, says his sole motivation was to derive personal financial gain from the illegal trafficking of drugs During the 1980's, Ross was a major cocaine and crack trafficker who..says he made millions in the drug trade. ”