Cuban Terrorism Suspect Seeks U.S. Asylum (posada)

[IChing]

By GEORGE GEDDA, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 28 minutes ago 5-9-05

WASHINGTON - A Cuban exile long regarded as a violent opponent of Cuban President Fidel Castro has applied for asylum in the United States, a government official said Monday.



Luis Posada Carriles, a suspect in the bombing of a Cuban passenger plane in 1976, reportedly slipped into South Florida several weeks ago but the Bush administration says it cannot confirm his whereabouts. Posada, a former senior officer of the Venezuelan intelligence service, denies involvement in the bombing, which killed 73 people, including 24 members of Cuba's national fencing team.

To be eligible for political asylum, Posada must prove that he has a well-founded fear of persecution in his native country, said a Department of Homeland Security official said.

>>>.snip

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050510/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_cuban_exile_2

The other thread on this same story was moved by the moderator,
this news is from today
last week the US govt. said he hadn't sought asylum and now they admit just today he is.
the other thread I added information and news links to the implication of
the US govt giving him asylum. So If you could mail me why it was moved into the discusion forum.... or move it back

[Mika]

1. He'll fit right in, in Miami

All exile bombers are welcome in Miami.



http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/2000-04-20/mullin.html

1968 From MacArthur Causeway, pediatrician Orlando Bosch fires bazooka at a Polish freighter. (City of Miami later declares "Orlando Bosch Day." Federal agents will jail him in 1988.)

1972 Julio Iglesias, performing at a local nightclub, says he wouldn't mind "singing in front of Cubans." Audience erupts in anger. Singer requires police escort. Most radio stations drop Iglesias from playlists. One that doesn't, Radio Alegre, receives bomb threats.

1974 Exile leader José Elias de la Torriente murdered in his Coral Gables home after failing to carry out a planned invasion of Cuba.

1974 Bomb blast guts the office of Spanish-language magazine Replica.

1974 Several small Cuban businesses, citing threats, stop selling Replica.

1974 Three bombs explode near a Spanish-language radio station.

1974 Hector Diaz Limonta and Arturo Rodriguez Vives murdered in internecine exile power struggles.

1975 Luciano Nieves murdered after advocating peaceful coexistence with Cuba.

1975 Another bomb damages Replica's office.

1976 Rolando Masferrer and Ramon Donestevez murdered in internecine exile power struggles.

1976 Car bomb blows off legs of WQBA-AM news director Emilio Milian after he publicly condemns exile violence.

1977 Juan José Peruyero murdered in internecine exile power struggles.

1979 Cuban film Memories of Underdevelopment interrupted by gunfire and physical violence instigated by two exile groups.

1979 Bomb discovered at Padron Cigars, whose owner helped negotiate release of 3600 Cuban political prisoners.

1979 Bomb explodes at Padron Cigars.

1980 Another bomb explodes at Padron Cigars.

1980 Powerful anti-personnel bomb discovered at American Airways Charter, which arranges flights to Cuba.

1981 Bomb explodes at Mexican Consulate on Brickell Avenue in protest of relations with Cuba.

1981 Replica's office again damaged by a bomb.

1982 Two outlets of Hispania Interamericana, which ships medicine to Cuba, attacked by gunfire.

1982 Bomb explodes at Venezuelan Consulate in downtown Miami in protest of relations with Cuba.

1982 Bomb discovered at Nicaraguan Consulate.

1982 Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre defends $10,000 grant to exile commando group Alpha 66 by noting that the organization "has never been accused of terrorist activities inside the United States."

1983 Another bomb discovered at Replica.

1983 Another bomb explodes at Padron Cigars.

1983 Bomb explodes at Paradise International, which arranges travel to Cuba.

1983 Bomb explodes at Little Havana office of Continental National Bank, one of whose executives, Bernardo Benes, helped negotiate release of 3600 Cuban political prisoners.

1983 Miami City Commissioner Demetrio Perez seeks to honor exile terrorist Juan Felipe de la Cruz, accidentally killed while assembling a bomb. (Perez is now a member of the Miami-Dade County Public School Board and owner of the Lincoln-Martí private school where Elian Gonzalez is enrolled.)

1983 Gunfire shatters windows of three Little Havana businesses linked to Cuba.

1986 South Florida Peace Coalition members physically attacked in downtown Miami while demonstrating against Nicaraguan contra war.

1987 Bomb explodes at Cuba Envios, which ships packages to Cuba.

1987 Bomb explodes at Almacen El Español, which ships packages to Cuba.

1987 Bomb explodes at Cubanacan, which ships packages to Cuba.

1987 Car belonging to Bay of Pigs veteran is firebombed.

1987 Bomb explodes at Machi Viajes a Cuba, which arranges travel to Cuba.

1987 Bomb explodes outside Va Cuba, which ships packages to Cuba.

1988 Bomb explodes at Miami Cuba, which ships medical supplies to Cuba.

1988 Bomb threat against Iberia Airlines in protest of Spain's relations with Cuba.

1988 Bomb explodes outside Cuban Museum of Art and Culture after auction of paintings by Cuban artists.

1988 Bomb explodes outside home of Maria Cristina Herrera, organizer of a conference on U.S.-Cuba relations.

1988 Bomb threat against WQBA-AM after commentator denounces Herrera bombing.

1988 Bomb threat at local office of Immigration and Naturalization Service in protest of terrorist Orlando Bosch being jailed.

1988 Bomb explodes near home of Griselda Hidalgo, advocate of unrestricted travel to Cuba.

1988 Bomb damages Bele Cuba Express, which ships packages to Cuba.

1989 Another bomb discovered at Almacen El Español, which ships packages to Cuba.

1989 Two bombs explode at Marazul Charters, which arranges travel to Cuba.

1990 Another, more powerful, bomb explodes outside the Cuban Museum of Art and Culture.

1991 Using crowbars and hammers, exile crowd rips out and urinates on Calle Ocho "Walk of Fame" star of Mexican actress Veronica Castro, who had visited Cuba.

1992 Union Radio employee beaten and station vandalized by exiles looking for Francisco Aruca, who advocates an end to U.S. embargo.

1992 Cuban American National Foundation mounts campaign against the Miami Herald, whose executives then receive death threats and whose newsracks are defaced and smeared with feces.

1992 Americas Watch releases report stating that hard-line Miami exiles have created an environment in which "moderation can be a dangerous position."

1993 Inflamed by Radio Mambí commentator Armando Perez-Roura, Cuban exiles physically assault demonstrators lawfully protesting against U.S. embargo. Two police officers injured, sixteen arrests made. Miami City Commissioner Miriam Alonso then seeks to silence anti-embargo demonstrators: "We have to look at the legalities of whether the City of Miami can prevent them from expressing themselves."

1994 Human Rights Watch/Americas Group issues report stating that Miami exiles do not tolerate dissident opinions, that Spanish-language radio promotes aggression, and that local government leaders refuse to denounce acts of intimidation.

1994 Two firebombs explode at Replica magazine's office.

1994 Bomb threat to law office of Magda Montiel Davis following her videotaped exchange with Fidel Castro.

1996 Music promoter receives threatening calls, cancels local appearance of Cuba's La Orquesta Aragon.

1996 Patrons attending concert by Cuban jazz pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba physically assaulted by 200 exile protesters. Transportation for exiles arranged by Dade County Commissioner Javier Souto.

1996 Firebomb explodes at Little Havana's Centro Vasco restaurant preceding concert by Cuban singer Rosita Fornes.

1996 Firebomb explodes at Marazul Charters, which arranges travel to Cuba.

1996 Arson committed at Tu Familia Shipping, which ships packages to Cuba.

1997 Bomb threats, death threats received by radio station WRTO-FM following its short-lived decision to include in its playlist songs by Cuban musicians.

1998 Bomb threat empties concert hall at MIDEM music conference during performance by 91-year-old Cuban musician Compay Segundo.

1998 Bomb threat received by Amnesia nightclub in Miami Beach preceding performance by Cuban musician Orlando "Maraca" Valle.

1998 Firebomb explodes at Amnesia nightclub preceding performance by Cuban singer Manolín.

1999 Violent protest at Miami Arena performance of Cuban band Los Van Van leaves one person injured, eleven arrested.

1999 Bomb threat received by Seville Hotel in Miami Beach preceding performance by Cuban singer Rosita Fornes. Hotel cancels concert.

[makhno]

4. Thanks for this reminder

Many forget just how wretched the exile movement is.

[Ouabache]

2. Amy Goodman on Democracy Now had a lot on this terroist today

Posada should be persona non grata ANYWHERE in the world after 911, and since he has freely admitted -I guess especially in a 1998 NYTimes interview- involvement in all kinds of nefarious terrorist acts, especially the downing of the Venezuelan airliner, he should be handed over to any country that wants him for his terrorism in light of the 'Bush Doctrine' after 911. Amy Goodman interviewed the #3 person in the Cuban Parliament today on her show, the guy was a little hard to understand, but what I stated above was the gist of his charges against Posada. Other things that he said there is proof of is: Posada's involvement in the 1976 Letelier Affair, all kinds of involvement in Guatamala and El Salvador in the 1980's -in other words, this guy is up to his eyeballs in Iran-Contra too !! Oh he was originally trained at the 'School of the Americas' too. Surprised?
And now he is hiding out in Dade County Florida, seeking asylum. The contention on Democracy Now! was that Posada is NOT in Florida to retire. He is still involved in terrorism !!

Here is a link to the recent shows at Democracy Now!
http://www.pacifica.org/programs/dn/recentshows.html

but todays show -May 9- was not up yet when I was there, otherwise I could have relistened to some and given you a better summary, but we need to stay on this. This is the kind of guy that could turn up in a new LIHOP/MIHOP. He is a very scary dude even if he is old.

[Mika]

3. Ricardo Alarcon is the President of the Cuban parliament(Cuba's #1 person)

Contrary to popular belief, Mr Alarcon wields more power and influence in Cuba than does Mr Castro.


Ricardo Alarcon






www.stopbolton.org

[Ouabache]

5. yes, ALARCON, is the man Goodman interviewed today

I had never heard of Alarcon until this interview, but he HAS THE GOODs on Posada, I am so glad I have FSTV, Free Speech TV, on the Dish Network which carries Democracy Now several times a day. Channel 9415 on Dish Network by the way. A good reason to get Dish Netowrk for yourself.

[Ouabache]

6. Even the Miami Herald has weighed in for NO ASYLUM for this hood

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/editorial/11447619.htm

His past activities provide ample reason to believe that Mr. Posada has committed serious crimes abroad, which requires that he be denied asylum. Prudence, moreover, demands that he be detained while his case is being considered. Yet he shouldn't be sent to Cuba or Venezuela, which would violate U.S. treaty obligations against returning people to countries where they would face summary execution. If the U.S. government is serious about rooting out terrorists worldwide, it mustn't let Mr. Posada set up shop here.

No excuses

Some people admire Mr. Posada for his unceasing efforts to wrench Castro from power. After all, Castro has summarily executed thousands of Cubans and committed countless acts of terrorism against his own people and others in Latin America.

We, too, want Cuba freed of Castro and his dictatorship. But coddling or encouraging those who sow terror and kill civilians isn't the answer.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/editorial/11447619.htm

The editorial does seem to take into account, though, that they have a lot of Cuban exile readers. But still if a paper in Dade County of all places takes this stand...

[Mika]

7. The exile extremists are the minority in Miami-Dade - Poll

Poll: Cuban-Americans focus is local, not on Cuba or Castro
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/world/cuba/6269237.htm

The majority of Cuban Americans living in Miami-Dade County are more concerned with improving their lives in the United States than with issues in Cuba, according to a recent poll commissioned by a national Hispanic voter-registration group.

-

The results echo those of two recent polls commissioned by The Herald and an organization of moderate Cuban-American business people. Those polls showed that a majority of Cuban Americans in South Florida have shifted away from a hard-line stance.

-

Presented with a choice of two hypothetical candidates, only 34 percent said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who would work to change U.S. policy toward Cuba to allow more trade and travel, as opposed to one who did not. One result that did surprise Fernandez: 70 percent believe politicians lie about their stance on Cuban issues to squeeze votes from the exiles.

''And that goes all the way to 77 percent in those under 45. I wasn't expecting that,'' said Fernandez, who said his organization will use the findings to help boost voter registration and other efforts in the state.

www.stopbolton.org

[bornskeptic]

10. Summary execution?

Yet he shouldn't be sent to Cuba or Venezuela, which would violate U.S. treaty obligations against returning people to countries where they would face summary execution.

Not only does Venezuela not have the death penalty, but according to this table from Amnesty International, it appears to have been the first nation in the world to abolish it, in 1863.

http://web.amnesty.org/pages/deathpenalty-abolitionist1-eng

[IChing]

8. Wasn't extradition demanded?

"State Department spokesman Tom Casey said Monday that no extradition request from Venezuela for Posada had been received."

[Mika]

9. Right.. and they also said that Posada hadn't requested asylum..

.. and Roger Noriega said that he didn't know that Posada was even in S Fla., despite Posada's lawer saying that he was.

I don't believe word one from BushCrimeNazisInc.








www.stopbolton.org

[aneerkoinos]

11. LOL

A convicted terrorist "slips into" US, seeks asylum, and admin does not know his whereabouts? ROTFL