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2041326910022)
2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F_ KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
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MHFNO 97 - 9265318 SENSIND RYBAT PAGE
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STAFF
CONF : CE/BOGYA INFO : CE/BOGB_ CEDORECORD DCCE/ BA LIMITED MDSX ,
ODPD RYBAT _ FILE_ C/CE_ CE/BOG CE_ BOGBT CE_ BOGIS _ CED/ CIC (7 /P)
9 7 9265318 ASP PAGE 001
TOT 3016102 SEP 9 7 DIRECTOR 522218
S E C R E T
3016102 DIRECTOR 522218
STAFF
TO PRIORITY BELGRADE
FROM LIMITED DISSEM CE/ BOGYA INFO CE/BOGIS CE/BOG _ CED/ CIC ,
DCCE / BA
SLUGS WNINTEL RYBAT
SUBJECT TRACE RESPONSE NIKOLA KAVAJA
REF : BELGRADE 20520 97 9106046
TEXT :
1 ACTION REQUIRED : NONE FYI ONLY _
2 PER REF HQS HAS CONFIRMED THAT NIKOLA (KAVAJA) IS THE
SUBJECT OF 201 0 764698 PROVIDED BELOW ARE EXCERPTS FROM THE
[EXTENSIVE NVTAG SOURCE REPORTING COMPILED ON KAVAJA OVER THE
NYEARS BASED ON OUR REVIEW THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS THAT KAVAJA
HAS EVER BEEN IN CONTACT WITH TQHIGHROAD _ PER PARA 5 REF BELOW
[INFORMATION CAN BE SHARED WITH THE RSO AND COM
3 FOLLOWING IS DRAWN FROM DIRECTOR 824658 DATED 17 FEB 84 :
A NIKOLA (KAVAJA ) WAS BORN 3 OCTOBER 1933 IN ISTINIC ,
NUGOSLAVIA FFTER HIGH SCHOOL HE GRADUATED FROM THE YUGOSLAV
JILITARY ACADEMY BETWEEN 1947 AND 1952 HE SERVED As A FIGHTER
PILOT WITH THE YUGOSLAV AIR FORCE HOLDING THE RANK OF FIRST
LIEUTENANT IN THE COURSE OF THIS SERVICE HE BECAME DISENCHANTED
WITH THE COMMUNIST REGIME AND WAS COURT MARTIALED HE WAS ACCUSED
OF BEING A MEMBER OF A SECRET ANTI COMMUNIST TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION COMMITTED To OVERTHROWING THE COMMUNIST REGIME OF
YUGOSLAVIA AND WAS ALSO CHARGED WITH THE<ASSASSINATION-OF THREE
BORDER GUARDS KAVAJA DENIED BEING GUILTY OF THIS CHARGE) HE WAS
FOUND GUILTY AND SENTENCED: TO EIGHTEEN AND ONE HALF YEARS OF
IMPRISONMENT
B ON 15 AUG 57 KAVAJA ESCAPED FROM PRISON WITH ANOTHER
YUGOSLAV THE TWO MEN CROSSED INTO AUSTRIA ON 21 AUGUST 57 AT
DOLJNA RADONJA THEY PROCEEDED TO SALZBURG AND TURNED THEMSELVES
IN TO THE POLICE AFTER SPENDING 21 DAYS IN JAIL THEY WERE
GRANTED POLITICAL ASYLUM ~KAVATA-THEREAFTER_WORKEPZAS A PAINTER
AND JOINED A LOCAL ANTI_COMMUNIST ORGANIZATION IN AUSTRLA. HB
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MARR TED-MARTE ~(-(-MOSEe)-) ON 13 JUNE 59 FIVE DAYS LATER SHE LEFT
HIM AND MOVED TO BRITISH COLUMBIA HE HAS NEVER OBTA INED A
DIVORCE FROM HER THOUGH HE CONSIDERS THAT THEY ARE SEPARATED HE
REMA INED IN AUSTRIA UNTIL 15 AUGUST 61 WHEN HE DEPARTED FOR THE
U . S
C KAVAJA WORKED IN THE U.S_ As A PART TIME PAINTER FOR
VARIOUS EMPLOYERS IN THE PATERSON NEW JERSEY AREA FOR NEARLY
EIGHT MONTHS DURING NOVEMBER 1962 KAVAJA LEFT PATERSON FOR
CHICAGO WHERE HE TOOK A JOB WITH THE SERBIAN NATIONAL DEFENSE
COUNCIL (SND) HIS DUTIES INCLUDED SUPPORT FOR THE EMIGRE
PUBLICATION SLOBODA AND ACTING As CUSTODIAN AND WATCHMAN FOR
THE BUILDING HE SAID A WATCHMAN WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE
COUNCIL CONSIDERS THE YUGOSLAV CONSULATE IN CHICAGO TO BE AN
ENEMY As PART OF HIS SALARY KAVAJA WAS PROVIDED FURNISHED
QUARTERS IN THE BUILDING KAVAJA REMAINED WITH THE SND UNTIL
DECEMBER 1963 FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS_ HE_ SUPPORTED HIMSELF BY
TAKING-ODD-JOBS_PAINFENG .
D IN MARCH 1964ZKAVAJ DROVE WITH A FRIEND TO CALIFORNIA
AFTER THEIR_ ARRIVAL IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA THEY WERE ARRESTED
FOR POSSESSION OF A 45 CALIBER AUTOMATIC PISTOL WHICH KAVAJA HAD
LEFT ON THE BACK SEAT OF' THE AUTOMOBILE THE LOS ANGELES POLICE
DETATNED-KAVAJAF FOR TWENTY DAxs A LOCAL BUS INESSMAN WHO
INTERPRETED-AT THE HEARING FOR KAVAJA INDICATED THAT KAVAJA WAS
CRAZY AND A LOUDMOUTH _ WHO WAS INTENT ON KILLING CASTRO AFTER
HIS RELEASE FROM JAIL HE RETURNED TO CHICAGO _ AND THEN TO PATERSON
TO WORK ON OBTAINING HIS CITIZENSHIP
E IN OCTOBER 64 HE RETURNED TO CHICAGO SOMETIME BEFORE
THE_SUMER QF 1966 HLS_ LIVE_IN (MARRLED) GIRLFRIEND GAVE BIRTH TO
DAUGHTER IN PATERSON IN JUNE 1977 YUGOSLAV CONSULATE GENERAL ,
CONSULAR OFFICER TOMISLAV DJORDJEVIC _ CONSIDERED TO BE SDB OFFICER
BASED IN NEW YORK _ LEARNED FROM THE CHICAGO CONSULATE THAT KAVAJA
AND HIS GROUP OF RADICALS MAY BECOME ACTIVE _ AND AS A RESULT WAS
KEEPING CLOSE WATCH ON THEM IN NOVEMBER 1977 NEW YORK CONSULATEI
OFFICIAL PETAR G (BOZINOVIC) ) ALSO CONSIDERED TO BE SDB _ WAS
COLLECTING INFORMATION ON KAVAJA AND MENTIONED THAT HE HAD BEEN
ADvISED THAT KAVAJA WAS INSTRUCTING EMIGRES ON HOW TO MAKE BOMBS
ON 4 AUGUST 79 AT A MEETING OF YUGOSLAV OFFICIALS AT THE NEW YORK
CONSULATE GENERAL KAVAJA WAS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION DJORDJEVIC ,
Hljs SUCCESSOR (AND SDB OFFICER) NJEGOSLAV PANTELIC) CONSULAR
OFFICER NINO (KOPAC) ) OSMAN (GASI) AND CONSUL GENERAL VESELIN
(NVESKOVIC) ) DISCUSSED ACTIVE ANTI-REGIME EMIGRES IN THE AREA
TFEY INDICATED THAT KAVAJA HAD RECENTLY HIJACKED AN AIRPLANE
QUTTSIDE CHICAGO TO NEW YORK CITY AND THEN TO SHANNON IRELAND _
WERE HE SURRENDERED TO THE IRISH AUTHORITIES DUR ING THIS
MEETING THEY AGREED THAT KAVAJA _ WHO WAS AT THE TIME IN A U.S
PRHISON DESERVED TO BE PUNISHED DJORDJEVIC DISPLAYED A
SERBO-CROATIAN REPORT ON KAVAJA ENTITLED WHO ARE THE TERRORISTS
SOPo END OF ONE CONSPIRACY
F ONE SOURCE WHO TRAVELED TO YUGOSLAVIA IN APRIL 1981
RBPORTED HE WAS INTERVIEWED BY THE SDB HE WAS ASKED AMONG OTHER
THINGS TO IDENTIFY_YUGOSLAV= EMTCRES WHO VISITED KAVAJA INJAII
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IN 1964" KAVAJA TOLD ONE SOURCE HE IS UNALTERABLY OPPOSED TO
COMMUNISM WHEREVER IT IS FOUND HE PROFESSED GREAT ADMIRATION FOR
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY BUT FELT THAT MORE THAN MERE WORDS WERE NEEDED
IF AMERICA WAS TO WIN OUT OVER COMMUNISM _ (KAYAJA INDICATED THAT
HE WAS A MAN OF ACTION HE ADDED THAT HE HAS DEDICATED HIMSELF TO
THE ERADICATION OF COMMUNISM AND THAT AN OPPORTUNE TIME HE WILL
ACQUIRE AND CARRY A PISTOL _ As A PATRIOT NOT As A CRIMINAL FOR
USE AGAINST THE HEAD OF ANY COMMUNIST STATE INCLUDING CITQ
KHRUSHCHEV BND} CASTRO REGARDLESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES TO HIMSELF
OR HIS RELATIVES (KAVAJJA INDICATED_ THAT IN OCTOBER 1963 HE HAD
STALKED (ITQ AT(NEW YORK CITY WILLIAMSBURG AND WASHINGTON) FOR
* THE PURPOSE OF<ASSASSINATING>HIM _ HE WAS DRESSED IN THE BLACK
CLERICAL GARB OF A PRIEST AND HE WAS ARMED WITH A 45 CALIBER
PISTOL AND 4 8 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION HE SAID HE NEARLY SUCCEEDED
IN HIS EFFORT IN WWILLIAMSBLRG), BUT WAS THWARTED WHEN CTITQ LEFT THE
AREA BY HELICOPTER RATHER THAN BY CAR KAVAJA INDICATED THAT THE
*COMMUNIST PARTY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LATE< PRESIDENT KENNEDY S>
* <ASSASSINATION > SIT WAS ALSO HIS-OPINTON THAT THE COMMUNIST PARTY
WAS RESEQNSIBLE FOR THE FREQUENT BLACK RIOTS_IN_ THE EASTE KAVAJA
MENTIONED THAT HE AND HIS ASSOCIATES FELT THAT THE TIME HAD COME
WHEN FORCEFUL AND AFFIRMATIVE STEPS MUST BE TAKEN IF THE WORLD
WAS TO AVOID A COMPLETE TAKE OVER BY COMMUNISM
G (ANOTHER SOURCE REPORTED THAT KAVAJA ~APPEARED TO BE
SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT FROM THE AVERAGE MEMBER OF THE SND AND HE_
APPEARED TO HAVE MORE OF AN AGGRESSIVE NATURE THE SOURCE
LINDICATED_THAT KAVATA WQULD PROBABLY DO TFTNGS OTHER PEOPLE_WOULDS
{NQT_ DOJ ON ONE OCCASION IKAVAJAJCONFTDED TO THE SOURCE THAT HE HAD
BEEN PAID NEARLY USD 3 00 0 BY A {sERBLAN QRTHODOX BISHOP TO KILL
TITO- THE DEAL INVOLVED HIS KIDNAPPING A FORMER LEADER OF THE
CSTASET MOVEMENT RESIDENT IN THE (Los ANGELES AREAJTO AVENGE THE
CSERBS KILLED DUR ING WORLD WAR II BY THECUSTASH1J HOWEVER HE DID
*NOF} SUCCEED IN THIS<ASSASSINATION > PLAN BECAUSE WHILE HE WAS
STAKING OUT THE MAN S RESIDENCE HE WAS APPREHENDED BY THE POLICE
AND ARRESTED_ FQR POSSESSION OF A HANDGUN
H ANOTHER SOURCE REPORTED THAT KAVAJA FREQUENTLY PROMISED
TO COMMIT SOME ACT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST A COMMUNIST PERSON AND ON
THIS BASIS COLLECTED MONEY FROM THE SERBS HOWEVER BECAUSE HE
HAD NOT YET DELIVERED SERBS IN THE CHICAGO AREA WERE DISENCHANTED
WWITH HIM_
I ACCORDING TO ANOTHER SOURCE KAVAJA WAS DESCR IBED As AN
PPORTUNIST A BULLY_ AND AN UNTRUSTWORTHY TYPE OF PERSON WHO WAS
PRIMARILY INTERESTED IN HIMSELF WITH REGARD TO KAVAJA S CLAIMS
OF BEING AN ANTI-COMMUNIST THE SOURCE ADDED THAT HE HAD NO
#NFORMATION ON HIS POLITICAL SYMPATHIES EXCEPT THAT HE WAS
EXTREMELY PREJUDICED AGAINST NON - SERB SLAVS HE WAS REPORTEDLY
NOT LIKED BY FELLOW SERBS BUT FEARED BY THEM BECAUSE HE HAD THE
REPUTATION OF BEING A FIGHTER AND ONE WHO USUALLY PICKS ON MEN WHO
rARE EITHER_ SMALLER OR OLDER THAN HE HOWEVER THE SOURCE
~NICATED THAT SOME SERBS-VTEWED-KAVAJA-AS-A--HERO
4 CACCQRDING T0 CIA 82,3.841-,_DATED_02_SEP_ 84 TQHICHROAD
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RECE-TVED_A_REQUEST-FROM-AUSTRIAN LIAISON FOR INFORMATTON-ON-NFKOLA
KAVAJA THE AUSTRIANS CARRIED SUBJECT AS A TERRORIST WHO MAY TRY
TO DISRUPT THE SARAJEVO OLYMPIC GAMES USING AUSTRIA As A STAGING
AREA THEY PLANNED TO ENTER INFORMATION INTO THEIR COMPUTERS AT
BORDER CROSSING POINTS TO ENABLE THEM TO PREVENT KAVAJA FROM
ENTERING YUGOSLAVIA VIA AUSTRIA
5 ON 31 JUL 93 NVTAG PROVIDED AN ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL
FOR YUGOSLAVIAN TERRORISM IN THE UNITED STATES WHICH WAS SENT TO
SEVERAL TQHIGHROAD STATIONS THE ASSESSMENT WAS NOT PART OF THE
U S TERRORIST THREAT WARNING SYSTEM BUT JUST INTENDED TO
PROVIDED INFORMATION TO ALL RECIPIENTS IN THIS ASSESSMENT _ NVTAG
EVALUATED THE YUGOSLAVIAN DIPLOMATIC AND NON-OFFICIAL PRESENCE IN
THE UNITED STATES THE ASSESSMENT MENTIONED KAVAJA AS ONE OF THE
INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE BOMBING OF THE YUGOSLAV EMBASSY IN
WASHINGTON D. C _ KAVAJA WAS ALSO MENTIONED TO BE A MEMBER OF
SOPO
FILE: 201 -0764698 CL BY : 2184825 , CL REASON 1.5
(C) DECL ON X1 DRV FROM : HUM 4 -82
CABLETYPE GECO STAFF 4 . 0 . 1. >
RELNO DORELS0100792925
ORTG CE--BOGYAT(YDEBRUC,517-06-)--AUTH-_DC/CE KBOGYA (DEL_PRINCIPE);
INFO CE TRG FRREEMAN ) REL : C/CE_ BOGYA ( PIPKIN)
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