Cuban Anti-Terrorist Fighters Jailed in US Are Innocent, Lawyer Says
Havana, Jan 14 (Prensa Latina) US lawyer Leonard Weinglass assured that the five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters imprisoned in US never attempted against US national territory, and their only purpose was to infiltrate terrorists from the US national territory.
The US lawyer represents Antonio Guerrero, one of the five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters condemned to penal sentences up to double life prison by a jury in Miami, Florida, a city Weinglass considered inappropriate for such a trial
In an interview to Cuban magazine Socialismo y Liberacion, published on the website www.antiterroristas.cu, Weinglass said he is waiting for a decision from the Appeal Court of the 11th Circuit, on an appeal on the case.
Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, Fernando Gonzáles and René González went to the US to fight against violent terrorist actions against Cuba, from extremist groups based in Florida.
He reminded Miami is the only city in the US where the Cuban fighters could not have a fair trial, since anti-Cuban extremist groups control the press, have high posts and many of the main businessmen belong to their organizations, with a great influence.
He exemplified this by mentioning terrorist Orlando Bosch, who walks the streets of Miami freely, despite the US Department of Justice once regarded as the most dangerous terrorist in the Western Hemisphere.
Judging the Cuban fighters was a clear violation of the right to have a free trial, so the host of the trial was transferred to another place.
Weinglass disregarded the value of the accusations of conspiracy for espionage and murder, which has been many times used by prosecutors in political cases, and stated that it would be very hard to confirm the charge for conspiracy to commit murder.
In the case of the Cuban Five, the jury found them guilty, and in the federal laws, the sentence is of 26 years of prison.
However, Weinglass said the judge raised the sentence to life prison based on factors which were never presented to the jury.
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Venezuela to Denounce Violations against Cuban Prisoners in the US
Caracas, Jan 14 (Prensa Latina) Venezuelan National Assembly Chairman Nicolas Maduro announced at a press conference legislative plans to denounce the abuses committed against five young Cubans jailed in the US.
Madursos assured that the NA Foreign Policy Commission is readying a motion as part of Venezuela"s solidarity with Cuba.
"Our solidarity goes to the Cuban Five and we will request the official intervention of several international human right institutions to achieve a fair trial and win their release," he added.
Those men were in the US fighting anti-Cuba terrorist groups that also threaten the Venezuelan people. They detected people that also threaten the life of President Hugo Chavez and the lives and stability of the Venezuelan society," stressed the legislator.
Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez are serving in the US harsh sentences ranging from 15 years to double life sentences for crimes that were never proved.
At a press meeting, Maduro also spoke on the laws this body will approve that will benefit millions of citizens and enhance relations with other parliaments, especially in South America.
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