denshopd-i67-00037

SUBJECT: General Sabotage
TO: A.C. of S., G-2, Ninth Corps Area

1. A local law enforcement agency has a local Jap informant who in the past has proved to be reliable and able to give information of arrivals of Japanese aliens and of the attitude of the Japanese residents in Riverside, Casa Blanca, and Arlington, California. Yesterday this informant was asked by the contact (who is not a law enforcement officer) the question, "When will things begin to happen?" The previous conversation between contact and informant made this question carry the implication that activity of local Japanese was the subject of the question. Informant replied that the signal would be the firing of oil tanks during a blackout. It was also developed at this time by the contact that the firing of oil tanks would be a signal for a general wave of sabotage participated in by Germans and Italians, as well as Japanese. In fact, it was indicated that the Japanese would be kept in the background because of their noticeable racial characteristics.

2. Informant did not know or would not state how wide-spread this signal would be or when it would be given. The exact statement in answer to the question is reported to be, "When they set the big storage tanks on fire during a blackout".

3. The reliability of this informant is strengthened by the fact that the informant has recently stated to informant's contact that the Japs in the Riverside Area were very much surprised by the Japanese attack of December 7, since their information was that the attack would be on the 10th. This is interesting, since rumors at this Headquarters indicated that an attack by Japan or, at least, a war with Japan was expected on or by the 10th of December. The similarity of dates indicates that this informant has a fairly good pipe line into the Japanese leaders of this community.

4. This information was reported late yesterday afternoon and was phoned to FBI-LA last night by the FBI's local agent. Mr. Hood directed that a Japanese by the name of T. SHINTANI, 1934 Indiana Avenue, Riverside, Calif., an alien, be picked up. This was done, but no data were developed to confirm the information outlined above.

5. This office may be called upon for assistance in picking up additional Japanese leaders tonight.

6. The above is for your information, and this office will keep