WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Justice Department has announced criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro, including conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, over the 1996 shootdown of two U.S. civilian aircraft over international waters between Cuba and Florida.
The 94-year-old Castro has been accused of ordering the shoot down of two planes belonging to the Cuban-American group Brothers to the Rescue on February 24, 1996, when he was the defense minister.
The superseding indictment charges conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, two counts of destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder.
Five others who were members of the Fidel Castro regime also have been indicted for their alleged role in the incident, which evoked international condemnation three decades ago.
They are, Lorenzo Alberto Perez-Perez of Las Tunas, Emilio José Palacio Blanco, José Fidel Gual Barzaga, Raul Simanca Cardenas, and Luis Raul Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez. Among them, Rodriguez, 65, is in U.S. custody pending sentencing later this month in the Middle District of Florida for making false statements in an immigration document.
Announcing the unsealing of a superseding indictment at Freedom Tower in Miami, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, 'Over three decades later, we are committed to holding those accountable for the murders of four brave Americans: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.'
'For the first time in nearly 70 years, senior leadership of the Cuban regime has been charged in the United States for alleged acts of violence resulting in the deaths of American citizens. President Trump and this Justice Department are committed to restoring a simple principle: if you kill Americans, we will pursue you. No matter who you are. No matter what title you hold.'
BTTR was an organization based in Miami that conducted humanitarian flight operations across the Florida Straits to search for Cuban migrants in distress. As alleged in the case, beginning in the early 1990s, Cuban intelligence agents infiltrated the organization and relayed detailed information about its flight operations back to the Cuban government. These reports were allegedly used by military leadership in planning the deadly operation.
According to the allegations, on February 24, 1996, three BTTR aircraft flew from South Florida towards Cuba. Cuban military fighter jets under the chain of command overseen by Raul Castro fired missiles at two unarmed civilian Cessna aircraft - destroying them without warning while they were flying outside Cuban territory, killing four U.S. nationals, including three U.S. citizens: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña and Pablo Morales.
The indictment further alleges that in the weeks ahead of the attack, Cuban military pilots conducted training exercises designed to locate and intercept slow-moving civilian aircraft. On the day of the incident, three BTTR planes departed from Opa-locka Airport for a planned humanitarian flight south of the 24th parallel. Two of the aircraft were allegedly targeted and shot down in international airspace, resulting in the deaths of all four victims.
The indictment was unveiled on Wednesday, the day when exiled Cubans celebrate as Cuba's independence day.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.
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