Caulfield at DEA had uncovered involvement of the brothers Omar Torrijos in narcotics trafficking.
The military dictator of Panama, General Omar Torrijos, was an early target of the White House/Special Operations Group. In March 1972 a rift between the two countries arose over the involvement of the brothers of Omar Torrijos in narcotics trafficking. Omar Torrijos maintained ties with Fidel Castro and Colonel Qaddafi of Libya.
Nixon ally Artime told the Miami States Attorney’s Office: “Artime reiterated that he had in fact been approached by HOWARD HUNT to recruit a band of Artime’s former associates to, to quote HUNT, ‘take care of the situation in Panama.’ The undersigned informed Artime that a source had told the State’s Attorney’s Office that one of the duties or functions of the recruited group was to be the assassination of the Panamanian President. Artime denied that HUNT used the word, or ever made reference to assassination, but again repeated that HUNT had used a ‘key phrase,’ that he, Artime, had related to the Watergate Grand Jury, and also to the Ervin Committee investigators.” [Dardis interview with Artime]
Manuel Artime stated that BARKER assembled the usual crew, including STURGIS. John Dean revealed that members of the White House/Special Operations Group traveled to Mexico and arranged the details of the plot. STURGIS had obtained a Mexican Tourist Card valid from January 7, 1972, to April 6, 1972. The plot allegedly entailed shooting Omar Torrijos at a race track that he frequented. BARKER’S associate, Miguel Suarez, had set up a Panamanian company that would serve as a command center. [All State Investment Fund cited by Ewing]
When HUNT was paroled from prison in 1977, he confirmed that members of the White House/Special Operations Group planned to assassinate Omar Torrijos: “I did not know any of the people asked to take part other than people in the White House/Special Operations Group. They had that as part of their brief.”
Q. Did you ever make a statement to the press in the recent past that the White House plumbers had in fact plotted to assassinate General Omar Torrijos of Panama?
A. Well, I probably did.