Thanks to Brooke Clark and the Spooks newsgroup for the heads up.
This blog (Shortwave Central) "first" broke the story of the Cuban spies on June 5 http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/2009/06/ex-us-state-official-wife-face-cuba-spy.html, long before anyone else in the radio hobby had the story.
Now we have an exclusive update to this story.
New information about the Kendall and Gwendolyn Myers Cuban spy case have come to light, thanks to the public court documents that have been released. If you ever had any doubt what the numbers atation broadcast were all about, you won't now.
Back in 1994 in the pages of Monitoring Times, I broke the story (Drugs, Spies and Numbers) about what some of the U.S. spy number broadcasts were used for. Now we have direct proof (again) of what the Cuban numbers are used for.
From the U.S. Government criminal compliant filed against Gwendolyn Steingraber Myers on
pages 11-12, paragraphs 34-38
Clandestine communications from CuIS to its agents via shortwave radio
34. Based on my knowledge and familiarity with communications methodologies of CuIS, I am aware that, during the timeframe described herein, CuIS often communicated with its clandestine agents operating in the United States by broadcasting encrypted radio messages from Cuba on high frequencies - that is, shortwave radio frequencies. under this method, CuIS would broadcast a series of numbers on a particular shortwave frequency. The clandestine agent in the United States, monitoring the frequency on a shortwave radio, could decode the seemingly random series of numbers using a decryption program provided by CuIS. The series of numbers would than be decoded into a cognizable text used by the agent. Once decoded, the text of the message would provide the agent with tasking for intelligence gathering, instructions about operational activities, including communications plans and meets with CuIS handlers. Similiarly, CuIS would broadcast similiar messages to its handlers.
35. This shortwave radio communications method was employed by some of the defendants convicted of espionage on behalf of Cuba in the previously mentioned Hernandez case in the Southern District of Florida., as well as by Ana Belen Montes, and Carlos and Elsa Alvarez.
36. I further learned that CuIS broadcasts such encrypted shortwave radio messages in Morse code (Enigma M08: Cut Numbers, Ends AR AR AR SK SK SK-LVH) or by voice (Enigma V2: 150/150/150 type, three messages, all 150 count-LVH) reading a series of numbers.
37. I have learned through this investigation that Kendall Myers and Gwendolyn Myers maintain in their possession in their apartment an operable shortwave radio of the same make used by CuIS agent Ana Belen Montes. The radio was manufactured between approximately 1983 and 1986.
38. I have learned through this investigation that Kendall Myers knows Morse code.
Later in the document on page 16.
Gwendolyn Myers acknowledged that a code name used for her in messages was "123"
Kendall Myers acknowledged that a code name used for him was "202"
Additional information on specific shortwave broadcast to the Myers and their handlers are covered in paragraphs 44-51 on pages 23-25.
On of the interesting paragraphs stated, "The FBI collects high frequency messages from CuIS in Cuba to Cuban officers and their agents abroad, to include illegal agents operating in the United States."
As indicated above the contents of the HF numbers messages were known to the FBI. And also as indicated above they also knew the message headers for Myers, his wife and their handler.
Gwendolyn Myers was "123" and handler agent IDed as E-634
Kendall Myers was "202"
Messages to handler E-634 occurred on:
1 Apr 1997
26 Mar 1997
22 Mar 1997 (P50)
26 Feb 1997
15 Feb 1997 (P46)
29 Jan 1997
18 Dec 1996
26 Nov 1996
If you want to monitor the Cuban V2 number station broadcasts, check out this link at the Chris Smolinski's Spynumbers.com website (http://www.spynumbers.com/V2sked.html)
If you'd like to keep up to date with what others have been hearing, you'll want to subscribe to the Spooks Spy Numbers Station Mailing List. Visit http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/spooks
We will have more on this story as we get it.