Alpha 66 (also known as Alpha-66, Alfa-66, Alfa or Alpha) is described by a report as "the biggest and best-known of Cuban paramilitary groups exiled in Florida" (AP 21 Jan. 1992). The attached reports indicate that the group consists mostly of Cuban exiles who conduct propaganda activities and train militarily for overthrowing the existing Cuban government. One source indicates that the name was selected by the original members of the organization, who chose the first letter of the Greek alphabet to signal a new beginning while 66 was the number of members making up the organization (Chicago Tribune 26 May 1991). One report states that Alpha 66, set up after the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961, has the long-term aim of destabilizing Fidel Castro "through selective guerrilla action aimed at economic targets" (The Sunday Times 4 Mar. 1990).

Alpha 66's secretary-general and founder or co-founder is Andrés Nazario Sargen, 70, former member of the Cuban army who later took part in the Bay of Pigs invasion (Calgary Herald 3 Aug. 1991). Various attached articles name different members, commanders and military leaders within the organization including Antonio Tang, who reportedly is the Montreal representative of the group (The Washington Times 17 July 1991).

According to a 1990 report, Alpha 66 "was a movement of old men," but recently one-third of its members were under 20 years of age (Los Angeles Times 19 Aug. 1990). Alpha 66 is based in Miami, and its members reportedly practice with live ammunition in the Everglades outside the city on Sundays. The group claims to have 5,000 members across the United States and to have tried to kill Fidel Castro four times, staged raids in Cuba and infiltrated teams of undercover agents (Chicago Tribune 26 May 1991).

In 1989 an illegal radio transmitter in Miami broadcasting Spanish-language programs to Cuba was shut down by United States authorities. The unlicensed transmitter, broadcasting as La Voz de Alpha 66 in a frequency reserved for aircraft, was operated by Diego Medina, who claimed to be secretary of the "Alpha 66 Organización Revolucionaria Cubana" (Reuters 23 May 1989). Administrative fines were reportedly imposed on the group in 1982 and 1983 by the Federal Communications Commission for previous unlicensed operations (Ibid.).

A February 1992 report states that "paramilitary organizations such as Alpha 66 and Brigada 2506 use radio to exhort Cubans to organize sabotage or military uprisings" (Notimex 2 Feb. 1992). The same source adds that Radio Miami International (RMI) transmits the programs of 12 exile paramilitary groups in shortwave. A BBC report states that Alpha 66 is one of several "anti-Castro" groups in the United States that hire airtime on commercial shortwave stations (BBC 28 Mar. 1992).

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reportedly confiscated a speedboat, semi-automatic weapons and ammunition from Alpha 66 while investigating an alleged gunfight that the group claims took place off the coast of Cuba (AP 4 Jan. 1991). Members of Alpha 66 reportedly approached Cuba to distribute "anti-Castro leaflets" (Ibid.). Three armed men who were recently apprehended after landing on a Cuban beach were not members of Alpha 66 but reportedly trained with it (AP 21 Jan. 1992).

The most recent document available to the IRBDC mentioning Alpha 66 is a TASS report of 3 February 1992. The news agency reports that, according to the group's leaders, Alpha 66 had trained some 27,000 Cubans (TASS 3 Feb. 1992). According to the report, the organization currently "numbers as many as 2,700 men" and plans to "step up its secret war against Fidel Castro's regime if no rebellion breaks out in Cuba within the next five or six months" (Ibid.).

The Associated Press (AP). 21 January 1992, AM Cycle. Richard Cole. "Cuban Exiles Angered by Execution." (NEXIS)

. 4 January 1991, PM Cycle. Dan Sewell. "Anti-Castro Militant Says Shot Off Cuban Coast." (NEXIS) BBC Summary of world Broadcasts. 28 March 1992. "Irregular and Clandestine Broadcasts." (NEXIS)

Calgary Herald. 3 August 1991, Final Edition. John Hughes. "Cuban Exiles Long Plot Castro's Ouster." (NEXIS)

Chicago Tribune. 26 May 1991, Final Edition. Jorge Casuso. "Cuban Rebel Without a Pause: After 30 Years, Exile Still Awaits His Chance to Topple Castro." (NEXIS)

Los Angeles Times. 19 August 1990, Bulldog Edition. Jeanne DeQuine. "Young Exiles Train Their Sights on Cuba." (NEXIS)

Notimex Mexican News Service. 2 February 1992. "Cuban Exiles Increase Radio Transmissions to Cuba." (NEXIS)

Reuters. 23 May 1989, AM Cycle. "U.S. Shuts Down Illegal Broadcaster in Miami." (NEXIS)

The Sunday Times. 4 March 1990. Richard Ellis. "Miami Fatcats Dust Off Guns for Castro's Demise." (NEXIS)

Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS). 3 February 1992. Sergei Gorbunov. "Cuban Emigres to Step Up Secret War Against Cuba." (NEXIS)

The Washington Times. 17 July 1991, Final Edition. "Cuban Political Prisoner Released After 30 Years." (NEXIS)

The Associated Press (AP). 21 January 1992, AM Cycle. Richard Cole. "Cuban Exiles Angered by Execution." (NEXIS)

. 4 January 1991, PM Cycle. Dan Sewell. "Anti-Castro Militant Says Shot Off Cuban Coast." (NEXIS)

Calgary Herald. 3 August 1991, Final Edition. John Hughes. "Cuban Exiles Long Plot Castro's Ouster." (NEXIS)

Chicago Tribune. 26 May 1991, Final Edition. Jorge Casuso. "Cuban Rebel Without a Pause: After 30 Years, Exile Still Awaits His Chance to Topple Castro." (NEXIS)

Degenhardt, Henry W., ed. 1988. Revolutionary and Dissident Movements: An International Guide. Burnt Mill, Essex: Longman Group UK Ltd.

Los Angeles Times. 19 August 1990, Bulldog Edition. Jeanne DeQuine. "Young Exiles Train Their Sights on Cuba." (NEXIS)
Notimex Mexican News Service. 2 February 1992. "Cuban Exiles Increase Radio Transmissions to Cuba." (NEXIS)

. 26 January 1992. "Cuban Paramilitary Groups Continue Training Despite Warnings." (NEXIS)

Reuters. 23 May 1989, AM Cycle. "U.S. Shuts Down Illegal Broadcaster in Miami." (NEXIS)

The Sunday Times. 4 March 1990. Richard Ellis. "Miami Fatcats Dust Off Guns for Castro's Demise." (NEXIS)

Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS). 3 February 1992. Sergei Gorbunov. "Cuban Emigres to Step Up Secret War Against Cuba." (NEXIS)

The Washington Times. 17 July 1991, Final Edition. Lauren Weiner. "Cuban Political Prisoner Released After 30 Years." (NEXIS)