Washington, Apr 14 In a letter to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations congressman William Delahunt (D-MA) has requested that terrorist Luis Posada Carriles be denied political asylum in the United States.
Delahunt explained that granting asylum to Posada Carriles, wanted by several countries, would discredit the US anti-terrorist drive. He emphasised that all terrorists should be properly identified as enemies of civilization, and all nations must coordinate their efforts "to end that threat against our people."
Attorney Eduardo Soto confirmed Posada Carriles" request for political asylum based on his over four-decade promotion of US interests and having worked directly or indirectly for the CIA.
Posada and Cuban born terrorists Gaspar Jimenez Escobedo, Guillermo Novo Sampoll and Pedro Remon were arrested in Panama during the 10th Ibero-American Summit in November, 2000, while plotting to assassinate President Fidel Castro by detonating 9 kg of the explosive C-4 at a rally at the University of Panama.
All four were indicted and were already serving jail sentences when Panama"s ex President Mireya Moscoso pardoned them to please the Cuban Mafia in Miami. While the other three flew straight to Miami, Posada went to Honduras. From then on he left no trace of his whereabouts.
His arrival in Miami and request for assylum became public news at a time when the Bush Administration claims to be waging a war on terrorism, using this pretext to keep thousands in prisons in US territory and around the world.
Posada"s bulky dossier at the service of the US Central Intelligence Agency includes the mid-flight explosion of a Cuban Airliner killing all 73 people on board, including Cuba"s junior fencing team, in October 1976. He was arrested and jailed, together with Orlando Bosh, in Venezuela.
Both managed to flee in 1985 thanks to a hefty sum supplied by the Cuban American National Foundation. Since then, Posada has travelled freely throughout Central America, especially in El Salvador.
President Fidel Castro accused the United States last Monday of the height of cynicism in granting refuge to Posada Carriles and other terrorists of Cuban origin amid an international crusade against terrorism, and of turning these terrorists into heroes.
In his radio and TV broadcast, the Cuban Head of State warned Miami"s reactionary media that it is laying the foundations for the US to welcome and protect Posada Carriles "with all the glory of this world."
