Noriega’s Inner Sanctum: Lair of ‘Debauched Thug’

Vats of blood. Animal entrails. A picture of Adolf Hitler. Spike-heeled shoes. More than 100 pounds of cocaine.

All were part of the bizarre scenes encountered by American troops as they stormed the inner sanctum of deposed Panamanian strongman Manuel A. Noriega, U.S. military officials said Friday.

The items appeared in turn demented, dangerous or strangely out of place, the officials said: a “witch’s diary,” German-made Luger pistols, Israeli-made Uzi automatic weapons, $120,000 in cash and, in the midst of it all, two decorated Christmas trees.

The personal belongings, U.S. officials suggested, contributed to a portrait of Noriega as a deranged, drug-selling worshiper of the occult--”a corrupt, debauched thug,” in the words of Rear Adm. Edward Scheafer, intelligence chief of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff.

With the longtime Panamanian strongman still on the lam, American officials sought to further sully his reputation--and, in the process, bolster their rationale for the invasion here--by portraying Noriega not just as an international thug but as a loathsome monster who literally stockpiled evil.

Gen. Maxwell Thurman, leader of the 24,000-member invasion force, insisted to reporters that the 50 kilograms (about 110 pounds) of cocaine found by the troops was evidence that Noriega was “clearly not only a narco-trafficker but . . . he condoned or used the stuff himself.” Noriega was indicted in the United States in 1988 on drug-trafficking charges.

Although Noriega was long suspected of using cocaine himself, the reported discovery of the drug in his personal quarters provides the strongest hint to date that his addictions may have extended beyond power and money.

Thurman also said his troops discovered huge caches of weapons and ammunition hidden in anticipation that they might someday be used by so-called “Dignity Battalions,” pro-Noriega neighborhood militias behind much of the sniping and violence that has rocked the country during the U.S. action.

Thurman claimed that the discovery of such weapons showed Noriega had “graduated from a narco-trafficker indicted in the United States to a narco-terrorist.”

Citing cigarettes still smoldering in ashtrays and women’s purses left lying about, U.S. officials said it appeared that the assault forces arrived at one of Noriega’s dens only moments after he had fled in the early hours of Wednesday’s pre-dawn invasion.

It was the same room, one military officer said, where Noriega “kept his Brazilian witches,” a reference to occult practitioners who supposedly conducted seances and other rituals for the Panamanian dictator.

Scheafer said there was evidence that “up from Brazil would come normally two female and one male member of the occult who would counsel him on--I can’t imagine what.”

Brazil is home to some religious practices based on witchcraft, which has many adherents among Central American peasant populations. Potions, powders and animal bones are used in a variety of occult rites.

In Brazil, voodoo cults combine African and Indian rites to cast spells on enemies. And among peasant families in Central America--Noriega comes from a poor barrio family--there is a tendency to believe in witchcraft’s medicinal powers.

A Noriega guest house on the coast near Panama City was stormed by U.S. soldiers about six hours after the invasion began.

“The cigarettes were still smoking in the ashtray and the women left their purses, which no woman would ever usually do,” said a soldier who saw the house. The evidence of a hurried departure led officials to believe that the troops had just missed their quarry.

In an upstairs bathroom, according to reports filed by reporters in Panama, a bucket was found containing a rusty-red substance that authorities said was blood used in rituals.

Spread out on a pallet in an office were two dead, smelly fish that appeared to have been placed on a bed of rice with slices of carrots. The fish were adorned with colored ribbons. An object that appeared to be a rotted papaya split in half was stuck with dozens of toothpicks.

On a nearby desk were bowls of popcorn, both popped and unpopped. The desk was cluttered with dead flowers, broken statues and a newspaper photo of Noriega.

“Gen. Noriega kept his Brazilian witches here. You all know he was a big believer in witchcraft,” said Col. Mike Snell of the Task Force Bayonet Command. “This was the brewery for the witches, if you will.”

Snell said that pipe bombs had been found in the house, which subsequently has been searched repeatedly for booby traps.

Another soldier, Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Torregrossa, said that troops searching Noriega’s office in a building in Panama’s military barracks at Ft. Amador, a shared U.S.-Panamanian facility, found a variety of unusual trappings.

“When we went inside, there were all of these expensive prints, but he also had a portrait of Adolf Hitler and a lot of expensive weapons, mostly automatic,” Torregrossa said. “He had German Lugers, Israeli Uzis, all sorts of real sophisticated stuff.”

Gold spike-heeled shoes, pantyhose, face cream and other women’s garments were left behind.

Military officials said they also found in Noriega’s office a number of phallic symbols and photos of nude women in graphic poses. One envelope, dated sometime in September and stamped “official,” contained nothing but pornographic photos. It was sent from a Panamanian consulate in another country with a note: “Enjoy the good times. To the seditious ones--give them the stick.”

The two floors of offices contained Noriega’s personal collection of stuffed bears dressed in military uniforms, two display cases of frog statues, a video wrist watch and a Sharp Wizard computer diary. On Noriega’s personal desk was a bottle of Krug champagne. He had an Acer computer and Sony stereo equipment.

“If you’ve got to be a petty dictator, you might as well live well, I guess,” Snell said.

Times staff writer James Gerstenzang, in Washington, contributed to this story.