SAC Houston to SAC Philadelphia re NORJAK suspect Alvin Benton Celcer with leads

FD-36 (Rev. 5-22-64)

FBI

Date: 10/27/72

Transmit the following in ___________ (Type in plaintext or code)

Via AIRTEL AIR MAIL (Priority)

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TO: SAC, PHILADELPHIA

FROM: SAC, HOUSTON (164-118)(P)

SUBJECT: NORJAK (OO SE)

(RE: ALVIN BENTON CELCER - SUSPECT)

Re SE airtel to DL, 10/4/72, Xerox copy of which is attached for Philadelphia.

Following investigation was conducted by SA PENROD W. HARRIS of the Houston Office:

AT CORPUS CHRISTI, TEX.:

On 10/26/72, [REDACTED] was interviewed at Naval Air Station, c/o U. S. Coast Guard, and he advised as follows: He first became associated with ALVIN BENTON CELCER at Brownsville, Tex., about 1970, and CELCER agreed to furnish assistance and information to [REDACTED] CELCER thereafter did furnish considerable valuable information to him. One case developed by CELCER resulted in prosecutive action against a number of subjects, with a trial being held in Philadelphia, Pa., in USDC. [REDACTED] and CELCER were both sub- penaed to testify in this trial, which was captioned as [REDACTED] [REDACTED]

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2 - Philadelphia (Enc. 1) 2 - Seattle (164-81) 2 - Miami (164-552) 2 - Houston

PWH:yk (8)

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Sub 4/6 164 PH 4087 SEARCHED.......... INDEXED............ SERIALIZED...[checked]... FILED...[checked]... NOV 1 1972 FBI—SEATTLE

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Approved: ___________ Sent ___________ M Per ___________ Special Agent in Charge U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1971-413-135

DB COOPER-51065

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Sub 4/6

HO 164-118

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[REDACTED] flew a small plane to Philadelphia, leaving Brownsville, Tex., on 11/9/71 and arriving there on 11/10/71. CELCER arrived by plane from Haiti a few days later, and they both stayed at a motel which [REDACTED] believed was the Fairways Motor Hotel in a suburb of Philadelphia. They were instructed to stay away from the trial until they were to be called to testify. [REDACTED] records reflect that he and CELCER flew in a small plane on 11/13, 11/15, 11/18, and 11/23/71, just "killing time." Both testified in the above titled case before USDJ WEINER, the U. S. Attorney being JEFFREY MILLER. CELCER finished testifying some time around 10/28/71, and left by plane to return to Haiti. [REDACTED] testified and left to re- turn to Brownsville on or about 11/30/72 or possibly a day or so before then.

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Accordingly, [REDACTED] was certain that on the date of instant skyjacking, 11/24/71, CELCER was in Philadelphia, and this can easily be verified through records of USDC inasmuch as he was a Government witness and was paid witness fees for his presence in Philadelphia from about 11/13/71 through about 11/28/71.

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[REDACTED] advised that during the summer of 1972 he was in Fla., and contacted CELCER who was still flying out of Haiti. Inasmuch as CELCER was no longer in a position to assist [REDACTED] since CELCER was not in the Corpus Christi or Brownsville area, [REDACTED] turned the handling of CELCER over to [REDACTED] whose office is at Eastern Union Bldg., 111 SW 3rd St., Miami, Fla., telephone [REDACTED] He said he is certain [REDACTED] can get in contact with CELCER and arrange an interview with him if this is de- sired.

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He described CELCER as follows:

Name ALVIN BENTON CELCER Race White Sex Male Age 39 Hair Short, worn straight back, short sideburns

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DB COOPER-51066

HO 164-118

Glasses Has never seen him wear glasses or sun glasses Smoking Has never seen him smoke Occupation Pilot, "soldier of fortune" type Height / 5'11" Weight 160 pounds

[REDACTED] observed the artist's conception of subject and said in his opinion the similarity to CELCER is not at all close.

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LEADS

PHILADELPHIA:

AT PHILADELPHIA, PA.:

1. Will check records of USDC Clerk and/or USM to ascer- tain exact dates in 11/71 when ALVIN BENTON CELCER was present in Philadelphia to testify as a witness for the Government in the trial of [REDACTED] et al.

2. Will advise the Miami Office of results of this in- vestigation, noting verification of CELCER's presence in Philadelphia on 11/24/71 would eliminate him as a suspect in instant matter.

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MIAMI:

AT MIAMI, FLA.:

In event investigation by the Philadelphia Office fails to verify CELCER's presence in Philadelphia on 11/24/71, will contact [REDACTED] Eastern Union Bldg., 111 SW 3rd St., phone [REDACTED], to make arrangements for interview with CELCER, who is working out of Haiti.

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HOUSTON:

AT HOUSTON, TEX.:

Will report results of other investigation conducted.

ARMED AND DANGEROUS.

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DB COOPER-51067

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