Operation Watchtower

 Operation Watchtower(CIA/Drug smuggling)

Exposed by	Edward Cutolo, Bo Gritz
Description	A project to streamline clandestine drug importation into USA
Perpetrators	The Enterprise, Tom Clines, Edwin Wilson, Edward Cutolo

Operation Watchtower was a project to streamline clandestine drug importation into USA. While the name is known mostly from an affidavit by Colonel Edward Cutolo, the operation- The Enterprise - is known from several other sources.

Purpose

According to the affidavit of Colonel Edward Cutolo: "The purpose of Operation watch Tower was to establish a series of three electronic beacon towers beginning outside of Bogota, Colombia and running northeast to the border of Panama. Once the Watch Tower teams (Special Action Teams) were in place, the beacon was activated to emit a signal that aircraft could fix on and fly undetected from Bogota into Panama, then land at Albrook Air Station", in the Panama Canal Zone.

"Had to remain secret"

The affidavit told how: "Edwin Wilson explained that Operation Watch Tower had to remain secret and gave these reasons: (1) If it became public knowledge it would undermine present governmental interests as well as those in the future. (2) There are similar operations being implemented elsewhere in the world. Wilson named the "Golden Triangle" of Southeast Asia and Pakistan. Wilson stated in both areas of the world the CIA and other intelligence agencies are using the illegal narcotics flow to support forces fighting to overthrow communist governments, or governments that are not friendly towards the U.S."

Money laundering

"Edwin Wilson explained that the profit from the sale of narcotics was laundered through a series of banks. Wilson stated that over 70% of the profits were laundered through the banks in Panama. The remaining percentage was funneled through Swiss banks with a small remainder being handled by banks within the U.S. Wilson indicated that a large portion of the profits are brought into the banks of Panama without being checked. I understood that some of the profits in Panamanian banks arrived through Israeli couriers. I became aware of that fact from normal conversations with some of the Embassy personnel assigned to the Embassy in Panama. Wilson also stated that an associate whom I don't know also aided in over seeing the laundering of funds, which was then used to purchase weapons to arm the various factions that the CIA saw as friendly towards the U. S. The associates name is Tom Clines. Wilson indicated that most of Operation Watch Tower was implemented on the authority of Clines."

Israeli participation

Cutolo stated that: I was informed that Michael Harari is listed as a senior Mossad agent. Harari was the unidentified male Israeli national that met the aircraft which flew into Albrook Air Station during Operation Watch Tower..... I was told from Pentagon contacts, off the record, that CIA Director Stansfield Turner and former CIA Director George Bush are among the VIPs that shield Harari from public scrutiny. Those Pentagon contacts further indicated to me their knowledge that Operation Watch Tower was implemented and of my involvement in that operation. This was the first time that U.S. military authorities confirmed to me that the Operation occurred and gave their approval. I also learned that Harari was a known middleman for matters involving the U.S. in Latin America. Harari acted with the support of a network of Mossad personnel throughout Latin America and worked mainly in the import and export of arms and drug trafficking.

Operation Orwell

A side-operation informally named "Operation Orwell" included the surveillance of top politicians, 1,370 churches, and approx. 17,900 US citizens to have advance warning and "prepare a defense" in case Watchtower became known.

Exposure

Operation Watchtower was exposed by Bo Gritz and Edward Cutolo, who shortly after died in a "car accident".

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