862.20235/8–145: Telegram
The Ambassador in Argentina ( Braden ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 1—9:19 p.m.]
1720. ReEmbtel 1632, July 24, 8 p.m.38 Because he fears state of siege will soon be lifted, Major Contal states he is faced with two alternatives regarding disposition of 71 Axis espionage agents, namely (1) turn over some 2400 pages of evidence to Justice Ministry committing them to trial, in which case agents would no longer be available for questioning or deportation to U.S. or (2) recommend internment as dangerous enemy aliens to keep them available for questioning and possible deportation to U.S. Contal believes his superiors would favor his recommendation of second alternative, but to make such proposal he must have support of this Embassy and indication that American Govt, is interested in obtaining agents for questioning.
I am planning submit earliest possible to Foreign Office list of Germans recommended by U.S. and British for internment and eventual repatriation, and will include Germans on Contal’s list.
[Page 473]I strongly recommend Embassy be authorized immediately to inform Contal and Foreign Office we will send plane to take ringleaders to U.S. including such men as Becker, Burkhardt, Chantrain, Juan Harnisch, Seidlitz, and Utzinger, whom Contal indicates Argentine Govt, would willingly deport.
- Not printed.↩