Stay behind groups and their abundant weapons caches, undoubtedly, including explosive materials- This report deals with just one nation. Austria.Baltimore Sun 1996
WASHINGTON -- About 80 caches of U.S. weapons, hidden by CIA agents in Austria decades ago, pose a problem for U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers.The caches, dating from the early years of the Cold War, contain mortars and submachine guns, explosives and radio equipment. They were part of a network of "stay-behind" supplies tucked away throughout Western Europe and intended to supply local guerrillas in case of a Soviet invasion.Local paramilitaries, many with World War II resistance backgrounds, were trained to use them. These have been a cause of intermittent scandal in Europe.In Italy, allegations have surfaced that the would-be guerrillas used their skills and perhaps their weapons to advance their domestic political agenda.The stay-behind organizations remained in existence in a number of European countries at least until 1990.
There is ZERO reason to believe this program of destabilization EVER ended.In fact, there is abundant evidence that shows this program continues to this day.
Late that year an uproar over the Italian group, code-named Gladio, embarrassed NATO and triggered moves in several other countries to phase out the groups.The Austrian caches, however, appear to have rested undisturbed for 50 years. The U.S. government would now like to come clean to the Austrians.Officials from the State Department and the CIA are consulting on the best way of doing so. The CIA reportedly has the locations of the caches and would divulge them to the Austrians.The weapons-hiding operation goes back to the first years of the Cold War when Vienna, divided between the Western allies and Russia, was the main battleground of what Kim Philby later called "the silent war" between Western and Russian spies.The U.S. government believed the risk of Stalin ordering an invasion of Western Europe was real.The CIA began to prepare for wide-scale partisan warfare, usually recruiting former members of the anti-Nazi resistance or people of firmly anti-communist credentials.
In Austria, officials say, the caches were dug during U.S. military exercises. Covered by the confusion and noise of maneuvers, CIA operatives would stash weapons and equipment.
The explosives "forgotten" at the Beirut port very much fit the pattern of leaving weapons, explosives and more conveniently located for later use.
Blast in Beirut- Birth Pangs
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