Double Cross in Cairo

by Nigel West

  It seems certain that if the Abwehr have any picture of CHEESE at all in their minds, it must be an extremely vague one.

  6. Present acquaintances in Cairo

  The only persons likely to recognise at the present time are George Khouri (interned); the porter at the National Hotel (whom will avoid) and the journalist Habib Jamati (about whose present whereabouts enquiries are being made, and out of whose way Levi will also be instructed to keep.)

  7. Conclusions

  (a) On the basis of the evidence so far available there seems much to support Levi’s own theory that he was imprisoned by the Italians as the result of the jealousy of the Italian Secret Service against the Abwehr. Levi thinks that the most jealous of all was probably Scirombo, who had seen his own original espionage plans for Egypt go completely to ground, so that the ‘Germans had to take over and compensate for his own failure.’

  (b) It is clear that at least one Abwehr official (Travaglio) must have known that Levi was, or had been, a double agent. There is no evidence however that Travaglio or anyone else knew him to be a British double agent, and whatever the Abwehr knew it is clear from the visit to the Lido in June 1941 that Travaglio was sufficiently scared of the Gestapo or the Russian Front to keep his views to himself.

  (c) It may be surmised that Levi’s continued detention, when nothing at all had been proved against him, was probably due to Travaglio’s guilty knowledge. It made no difference to the CHEESE link whether Levi was in prison or not; and as long as he was in prison, an Italian prison, there was less likelihood of Travaglio’s dishonesty becoming apparent.

  The final result of SIME’s debriefing was a lengthy History of Renato Levi from June 1941 to March 1944 compiled by Eric Pope and amounting to twenty-three pages, with an appendix of a further four pages containing personality sketches of various Abwehr officers. Uppermost in the minds of the SIME analysts was whether it was safe to continue using CHEESE as a channel of disinformation to the enemy, and this judgment could only be reached after the most exhaustive scrutiny of the chronology of events which began with Levi’s unexpected arrest in Genoa.

  The following detailed narrative of Mr Rose’s return to Italy in 1941, his arrest and imprisonment by the Italians, and his final liberation by British forces, is based on a written statement made by Levi and on a series of conversations held with Levi since his arrival in Cairo from Italy on 1 March.

  I ROSE RETURNS TO ITALY – FIRST ACCUSATION – WIRELESS COMMUNICATION ESTABLISHED WITH CAIRO

  1. Levi left Egypt on 4 June 1941, travelling to Italy via Burgas, Sofia, Belgrade Vienna, Munich and Venice. On arrival in Vienna, he was instructed to proceed to Munich to report to Major Travaglio at Marien Theresien Strasse No. 4. This Levi did, telling Travaglio the story previously arranged with the British authorities in Cairo and Istanbul. Levi continued to Rome where he arrived on 14 June 1941 and immediately got in touch with Colonel Helfferich, whom Levi describes as Chief of the German Wehrmacht Nachrichtendienst in Italy, and whose office was in the Italian Ministry of War in the Via XX Settembre.

  Levi verbally explained in detail the result of his mission to Egypt, and was warmly congratulated by Helfferich who requested him to make a written report. Helfferich informed Levi that up to that time wireless contact between Cairo and Rome or Naples had not yet been established; Helfferich was accordingly very pleased that Levi had returned as he could pursue enquiries via Istanbul with a view to establishing contact with the minimum delay. Should these efforts prove abortive, [he] would then return to Egypt to make a further attempt.

  2. Levi proceeded to Naples, where he was interviewed on about 16/17 June 1941. During the course of conversation Rossetti mentioned that he had been hearing ‘adverse reports’ about Levi concerning his association with the British Intelligence Service. Levi believes that his name had been blackened by a minor Abwehr agent in Belgrade who was nervous that Levi might report his inefficiency and therefore tried to get his story about Levi in first.

  Levi gave a suitable display of injured innocence and handed his passport to Rossetti stating that he could do no further work for the Germans until his name had been cleared. Rossetti reacted as Levi had intended that he should, by returning the passport to Levi protesting all the while that he had complete confidence in him. He went on to inform Levi that Travaglio would meet Levi in Venice the following week to clear up the matter.

  3. Levi met Travaglio in Venice as arranged. Travaglio was extremely friendly and gave Levi a warm welcome, insisting that they should forget the accusation against him until they had taken a week’s leave together. Levi remained slightly on his dignity, pointing out that a very serious charge had been levelled at him and that he wished to clear his name. Travaglio persuaded Levi that he had nothing to worry about and the two spent a pleasant holiday together on the Lido, Levi posing as Travaglio’s clerk.

  4. One week later a German whose name Levi does not recall but who he believes was an Abwehr official, appeared on the scene. After introductions, drinks were ordered and Travaglio said that they would settle the case against him once and for all. The visiting official asked Levi several questions, of which the first was whether or not Levi knew a certain individual called JEAN. Levi replied that he did not remember him, whereupon the official, to refresh Levi’s memory, reminded Levi of the man with microscopic handwriting. Levi had no alternative at this point but to admit to an acquaintance with JEAN. The official stated that JEAN had been arrested in Paris, having been working all along for the Deuxième Bureau. Levi feigned astonishment at this information. The official then asked Levi whether JEAN had brought Levi a letter to Genoa. Levi admitted this but turned to Travaglio and asked Travaglio to confirm that had passed on this letter to him. Travaglio confirmed this (in point of fact JEAN had brought two letters, one for Travaglio, the other a secret communication for Levi from the Deuxième Bureau in Paris.)

  5. The official then stated that JEAN had made a statement to the effect that Levi himself had been employed by the Deuxième Bureau and had paid frequent visits to the British Embassy in Paris. [Levi] defended himself indignantly: he admitted going to the British Embassy, but this had been merely for routine passport formalities. He insisted that he had had absolutely no contact with the Deuxième Bureau, neither had he entertained any suspicion that JEAN was working for the French.

  A further series of questions followed concerning JEAN’S activities. From the nature of these questions it was apparent to Levi that the Abwehr official was very well informed concerning JEAN’S activities on behalf of the Deuxième Bureau. Levi continued to deny any knowledge of these activities, but felt extremely uncomfortable because JEAN ‘knew everything’ about Levi and came to the conclusion that the Germans must have brought pressure to bear on JEAN who had probably mentioned Levi in the course of his interrogation. At any rate it was fairly clear to Levi at this point of the conversation that the Abwehr had definite evidence that Levi had been a Deuxième Bureau agent. Finally, to Levi’s relief, as he believed that he was in a very awkward situation, Travaglio rallied to Levi’s defence, stating that he was tired of the interrogation and that he had absolute proof that Levi was completely loyal; he, Travaglio, had complete confidence in Levi and stated that he would sign a document to that effect. This appeared to close the incident.

  6. According to Levi, JEAN had worked for Travaglio in the Netherlands, although really serving the Deuxième Bureau. He was arrested by the Germans after their occupation of Holland, but at a later date JEAN had apparently re-established himself in Travaglio’s confidence and the latter (then in Italy) re-engaged him.

  Levi recalls that JEAN’S second arrest occurred through a certain Karl (Charles) Kurt (alias Charles Masson), an Alsatian German (technically a French subject) who was arrested in Paris in 1938 by the French authorities, and, after a prolonged trial, sentenced to death for espionage.

  Levi was introduced to Kurt in Rome about October 1940. In the course of conversation Kurt told Levi t
hat he had been betrayed by a Frenchman (unnamed) who was a Deuxième Bureau agent but who pretended to be working for the Germans. Fourteen other persons who formed a German espionage network in Metropolitan and Colonial France were arrested at the same time as a result of this Frenchman’s activities. Kurt himself had had a ‘miraculous’ escape. According to his own statement, he was being removed by the Vichy French authorities soon after the armistice from the German-occupied zone to the non-occupied zone, together with some petty criminals. At the frontier Kurt shouted out to some German troops, who stepped on the train and removed Kurt and some political prisoners whom the Vichy French authorities had tried to smuggle into the non-occupied zone as ordinary criminals. Kurt was later sent to Italy to work with Travaglio.

  At a later meeting with Kurt and Travaglio in Rome (about October 1940) Travaglio read out a message he had received from Paris stating that a certain JEAN had presented himself to the German authorities in Paris alleging that he belonged to Travaglio’s Section. Travaglio’s opinion was asked concerning JEAN’S disposal. Travaglio told Kurt and Levi that he did not recall who JEAN was and asked whether he remembered him. Levi pretended that the name meant nothing to him but Kurt chipped in suddenly and asked Travaglio whether this JEAN might be a person whose reports were all written in microscopic handwriting. Travaglio turned to Levi and asked Levi if he remembered such a person. Levi replied that it must have been the person that Travaglio had engaged in Genoa some time ago and who had previously been employed by Travaglio in the Netherlands. It was agreed that this must be the man. Kurt became extremely agitated and asked Travaglio to give immediate instructions for JEAN’S arrest and execution, because it was JEAN who had been responsible for the arrest of Kurt and fourteen other German agents. Kurt said that he could give definite proof that JEAN had been working all along for the Deuxième Bureau. Levi interrupted at this point and told Travaglio that it would be advisable to take further enquiries before giving definite instructions for JEAN’S arrest. Kurt insisted with some heat that there was no need for this as he was absolutely certain that JEAN was a traitor. Travaglio accordingly ordered Levi to draft a message for transmission to Paris containing instructions for JEAN’S arrest. Levi was to have this message transmitted to Paris from Bari, when he returned to that city.

  The next day Kurt left Rome for Milan leaving Levi and Travaglio together. Levi interceded on behalf of JEAN and told Travaglio that, after careful consideration, he did not think that JEAN could be the person mentioned by Kurt. Travaglio, who respected Levi’s opinions, accordingly cancelled the message Levi had drafted the previous day and instructed Levi to send a message solely stating that he, Travaglio, no longer required JEAN’S services. Levi states that JEAN’S final arrest, despite this message, may have been due to Kurt’s insistence with the German authorities in Milan; alternatively, Levi’s message may have arrived too late and the German authorities in Paris may have arrested JEAN on their own initiative. Some time later Travaglio was told that JEAN had been sent to a concentration camp in Germany.

  When Kurt returned to Rome a week later he and Levi reported together to Helfferich. Kurt was given definite instructions for the future. As far as Levi can remember, it was planned that Kurt should make his way alone, by whatever route he chose, to reach Palestine or possibly Syria, to work his way into pipeline territory where he could organise sabotage. Kurt refused to take a wireless set with him, as he asserted that he could construct his own set by buying the component parts locally.

  Levi states that Kurt stood very highly in the Germans’ estimation and was very well paid by them. Kurt is of medium height, stoutish, heavily built, brown hair, usually well dressed, [an] expert wireless operator [who] ‘looks like a Frenchman’.

  Levi met Kurt again in Rome in June or July 1941 and gathered that the original plans for Kurt to go to the Middle East had not materialised. Kurt told him, however, that he was flying to Tripoli (Libya) with another agent and that they were to be dropped somewhere behind the British lines in the Western Desert, equipped with wireless sets. A few days later Levi saw Kurt and asked him how it was that he had returned so soon from Tripoli. Kurt explained that he and the other agent had been arrested by the German authorities on arrival in Tripoli and had been flown back to Italy in handcuffs. Levi got the impression that this incident had been caused through Travaglio (for whom Kurt was working) trespassing in territory which was the responsibility of a different Abwehr Section. Kurt was apparently highly amused over the whole business.

  7. Levi believes that on the occasion of the Venice meeting in June 1941 Travaglio saved him in order to avoid the discovery by his superiors that he (Travaglio) had been fooled, not only by the double agent JEAN, but also by Levi.

  8. Wireless contact between Italy and Cairo was finally established in July 1941 after a series of trials and following an exchange of telegrams between Cairo and Rome via Istanbul in accordance with the pre-arranged plan. Helfferich sent for Levi and was apparently highly delighted with the successful establishment of wireless communication. He pressed Levi to return to Egypt to pay the agents he had recruited and to organise a further espionage network in Palestine and Egypt. Levi feigned complete disinterest in this scheme, but gradually yielded to Helfferich’s insistent demands and agreed to return to British occupied territory. The date of Levi’s departure was fixed provisionally for 6 August 1941, although Helfferich would have preferred him to have left earlier. Levi insisted, however, on being granted some leave to return to Genoa ‘and settle outstanding family and private affairs’. Before leaving Rome for Genoa on about 16/17 July 1941, he was given a detailed directive by Helfferich for his new mission. This included the type of information required, a new cipher and traffic plan and a ‘large sum’ in American and British currency. He was also given the names of certain individuals living in Haifa, Cairo and Alexandria who could be relied upon to provide assistance. The name of one person in particular was stressed, who could put him in touch with a high Egyptian Government official. Levi cannot remember these names.

  9. Towards the end of July 1941, during the period which Levi spent in Genoa, prior to his intended departure for the Middle East, an incident occurred which Levi considers may have a bearing on his arrest. An individual arrived at the same hotel in which Levi was staying in and introduced himself as Captain Alessi of the Italian Air Force. He was wearing civilian clothes and told that he had been sent to him by Rossetti’s secretary, Annabella. Alessi did not give Levi any written message from Annabella but, judging from his conversation, he was apparently fairly well-informed of the German’s affairs. Alessi also mentioned that his visit to Genoa was partially in connection with a private business transaction.

  Levi and Alessi became friendly and went out together on several occasions. Alessi explained his intention of going abroad to work for the same section as Levi and asked him for advice. On one occasion he asked Levi abruptly whether he could keep a secret. Levi assured him that anything he said would go no further, whereupon Alessi told Levi point-blank that he did not like the Nazis or Fascists and wanted Levi to help him by backing up his attempts to go abroad. Alessi stated that, once out of Italy, his real intention was to stay away for the duration of the war. (While out with on previous occasions Alessi had often spoken favourably of the Americans and stated that he was a personal friend of an American official in the American Embassy in Rome.)

  Levi asked Alessi why he was not on active service, to which he replied that he had had some trouble with a Fascist official and had left the Air Force of his own accord, for personal reasons. He did not pursue this any further. Up to this point of their acquaintanceship, Levi had been favourably impressed with Alessi, and had not entertained any suspicions that Alessi was an agent provocateur. Alessi’s self-confessed anti-Nazi anti-fascist attitude, however, naturally aroused Levi’s doubts. Accordingly, he was in the difficult position of having to frame his reply to Alessi in such a way that he would not incriminate himself in the
event of Alessi being an agent provocateur, but at the same time not scare Alessi away in case his anti-Fascist attitude was a genuine one, in which event Levi realised that he might be of considerable value to the Allies once in Allied-occupied territory. Levi accordingly told Alessi that, whatever he had said, he could rest assured that it would not go ‘any further’, whether or not Alessi was sincere in what he had told Levi. Levi did not care what Alessi did once he got abroad. Levi pointed out that as far as he was concerned, he could not be of any assistance in expediting Alessi’s departure as this matter would depend on a decision upon Naples. All he could do would be to inform Naples that he had had a conversation with Alessi and that as far as he, Levi, was concerned, they could engage Alessi in whatever way they thought best.

  Alessi thanked Levi for his advice and begged him to exert his influence on Rossetti through Annabella with a view to getting him sent away as soon as possible. He asked whether he would help him once he was abroad, and whether they could arrange some rendezvous, in view of the fact that he was hoping to leave about the same time as Levi (early August 1941). Levi replied that if they should he might be able to assist him in obtaining visas for Palestine or Egypt by introducing Alessi to the British authorities in Turkey as a Jewish refugee. Levi told Alessi that should he assist him in this way, he would not be concerned as to whether Alessi did his duty towards the Germans or not, as Levi had taken it upon himself to spy upon other agents, or to gossip to the Germans about their activities. Levi amplified this by stating that if, on return to Egypt, he found out that the people he had engaged had ‘gone wrong’, he would not create trouble for them, although it was arguable that his duty would be to report it immediately to his German masters.