1. Is it possible that the United States protects the masterminds responsible for the bombing of an airliner?
YES. On October 6, 1976, Orlando Bosch and Luis Posada Carriles killed 73 innocent civilians, including the Cuban fencing team, by blowing up a Cuban D-C 8 in flight. Even the U.S. Department of Justice found Bosch to be “implicated in the terrorist attacks abroad”. Nevertheless, Bush Sr. granted him a green card.
Posada Carriles, a CIA employee, publicly boasted of also being responsible for several bomb attacks perpetrated in Havana between July and September ’97. Presently, he is out and about in the U.S., protected by U.S. authorities, and does not face the prospect of any trial. Washington refuses to extradite him to Venezuela which, since a long time, wants to put him on trial for his terrorist acts.
2. Is it possible that the United States fails to take any action against terrorist groups operating out of its territory?
YES. Armed Cuban organizations exiled in Miami have committed and are preparing to perpetrate still more acts aimed at sowing terror in Cuba. Specifically, when this country endeavored to develop its tourism industry at the beginning of the 1990’s, these groups launched a vast campaign of terrorist attacks to dissuade tourists from coming to the island. An Italian tourist, Fabio di Celmo, was killed; dozens of others were injured.
Since 40 years, anti-Cuban terrorism has taken the lives of more than 3,000 individuals. The protests and steps taken by Cuba have consistently fell on deaf ears. Washington continues to tolerate and even protect the activities of these groups.
3. Is it possible that the United States does not imprison the terrorists, but rather those who try to prevent attacks?
YES. Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerro, Ramon Labanino, Fernando Gonzalez and René Gonzalez were arrested on September 12, 1998 in Miami (Florida). These five Cubans had been commissioned to infiltrate the anti-Castro terrorist circles and to report potential attacks being prepared. They were not assigneto spy on the U.S., but rather to keep surveillance on criminals and to inform Havana of their plans.
When their evidence was handed over to the FBI, the latter did not arrest the terrorists but instead those who informed on them! Accused of espionage and of wanting “to destroy the United States” and sentenced in all to four life sentences plus 75 ans in prison. Despite the fact that former high ranks in the military and Secret Service had testified that there had not been any espionage. They were separated and detained in high-security prisons.
4. Is it possible that the Bush administration manipulates the courts in charge of the case?
YES. To prevent a fair trial, the case was tried in Miami despite the hysteria which reigns in this city (Cuban athletes and artists are prohibited from performing there). The Miami prosecutor himself admitted acknowledged that it was impossible to guarantee to the Five a fair trial in this city.
It was precisely for this reason that, in August 2005, the Atlanta Court of Appeal repealed the sentence and ordered a new trial. An extremely rare occurrence, Bush’s Attorney General was himself on appeal and had the ruling quashed. Since, the legal battle continues…
5. Is it possible that the United States flouts penal and international law by denying visits of some spouses and children of the prisoners?
YES. Since eight years, the authorities have forbidden Adriana Perez from seeing her husband Gerardo. Olga Salanueva has not been able to enter the U.S. since 2002. As a matter of fact, she has been a victim of unlawful blackmail: They deported her in order to try to force her husband to confess. Daughter Yvette Gonzalez (8 years old) has not seen her father for eight years. A form of mental torture that is particularly ignoble.
6. Is it possible that the United States sends the protestations of the U.N. and of Amnesty International to the garbage disposal?
YES. In May 2005, the U.N.’s International Commission of arbitrary detentions held the detention of the Five to be arbitrary, illegal and contrary to the U.N.’s international conventions. Amnesty has condemned the violation of the right to visitation as well as the suspect character of the convictions. Harold Pinter, recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and 110 members of the British Parliament called for respect of the right to visitation. The U.S.’s National Council of Churches wrote to Mrs. Rice to demand respect of the right to visitation, at least for humanitarian reasons. All of these protestations were thrown in the garbage can.
7. Is it possible for us to do something so that Gerardo, Rene, Ramon, Fernando and Antonio would finally be returned to their spouses and children?
YES. European governments, allies of Washington, remain silent in the face of these crimes whereas they claim to be fighting against terrorism and for civil rights. The European media hardly talk about it. And yet, it concerns the right of each country in the world to defend itself against all terrorism. Including that financed or protected by the United States.
We call on each one of you to sign the petition displayed at: http://www.freeforfive.org/home3/euro_camp/index.php?lang=fr And to bring this to the attention of the media so that they finally talk about it.
We do not accept the arbitrariness of Bush which protects terrorists and jails those who try to prevent these attacks!
We video-taped two brief interviews of Adriana, wife of Gerardo, and Irma, mother of Rene. (In Spanish with French subtitles) Twice three minutes, to view at : The 5 A link that you can easily send to your contacts and to journalists.
See also in English:
Freeforfive
Freethefive
Antiterroristas
