[Peace-discussion] Re: Posada Carriles to be released?

[Michael Canney]

>
>
>henryduke2004@yahoo.com wrote:
>
>Phew! Can we get the GPUS media comm to fix this or draft something?
> 
>IMHO we should start a petition with or alongside ANSWER and let folks know that if they release this terrorist, we will hold them accountable and not let it go like Katrina, etc, etc.
> 
>We do agree that he should face trial, yes??
> 
>peace friends,
>hank
> 
>
>  
>

Hello GPAX,
Here's what some folks are doing about this outrage. Greens may want to 
support this response and issue a statement.
--Michael / FL

*National Committee to Free the Cuban Five*
www.freethefive.org | freethefive@freethefive.org | 415-821-6545 | fax 
415-821-5782
Media Contact: Ian Thompson, 310-490-8595, Gloria La Riva, 415-312-6042

*"National Committee to Free the Cuban Five" denounces Magistrate's
Recommendation to Release Terrorist Luis Posada Carriles
*
*Group to Hold Protest in Front of White House, Sept. 23, 2006

Forum that follows at George Washington University will feature victims' 
families of Posada's terror; attorney José Pertierra, working for 
Posada's extradition; and Leonard Weinglass, one of the Cuban Five 
attorneys.
*
"The outrage of five Cuban anti-terrorists being imprisoned while the 
notorious terrorist Luis Posada Carriles is recommended for release, 
makes an absolute mockery of justice," said Gloria La Riva, upon the 
news that U.S. Magistrate Norbert Garney in El Paso, Texas, recommended 
Monday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should release Luis 
Posada Carriles. Posada is currently in detention in El Paso, where he 
has been since May 17, 2005.

La Riva is coordinator of the National Committee to Free the Cuban 5, 
formed soon after the June 8, 2001 convictions of the Cuban Five in a 
Miami federal court. They were convicted of 26 federal counts, including 
espionage conspiracy and failure to register as foreign agents. In Dec. 
2001 they were given prison terms of 15 years to double life. Three have 
life sentences. The Cuban Five, their attorneys and National Committee 
argue that their mission was monitoring the actions of terrorist 
organizations to stop attacks on Cuba, and never involved espionage 
conspiracy on the United States.

Although the men won the right to a new trial Aug. 9, 2005 by a 
three-judge panel's ruling of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, that 
decision was reversed by the full Circuit, 10 to 2, this past Aug. 9, 
and their convictions thereby upheld. The Five's attorneys are appealing 
further.

"Posada Carriles and Orlando Bosch, his accomplice in the 1976 bombing 
of a Cubana airliner, killing all 73 people on board, have never 
renounced their terrorist crimes. Need we remind the U.S. Attorney 
General, the Immigration judges and the Bush administration that he 
killed 73 people in 1976, killed Orlando Letelier and Ronnie Moffit in 
1976, killed Fabio Di Celmo in 1997, and tried to assassinate Cuban 
President Fidel Castro, in 2000? And this is only part of his bloody 
history. We repeat our demand for his immediate extradition to Venezuela."

Brian Becker, National Coordinator of the ANSWER Coalition, which has 
led a national campaign since April 2005 calling for Posada's 
extradition, said, "There is worldwide condemnation of the Bush 
administration's failure to prosecute Posada for his terrorist crimes. 
By detaining him solely on immigration violations the government was 
setting the stage for his release.

"It is clear why. Posada's terrorist history is intricately linked with 
the U.S. government's support of terrorist attacks on Cuba, and in 
particular, with the Bush family. George H. W. Bush was director of the 
CIA when Cubana Airlines flight 455 was blown up, killing 73 people. 
Bush, Sr. was president when he cancelled terrorist Orlando Bosch's 
deportation order, granting him permission to remain in the United States."

La Riva stressed the critical importance of the Sept. 23 march and forum 
taking place in Washington, DC. It will begin at 11 a.m. at the 
Department of Justice, and proceed to a picket in front of the White 
House. A large banner, "Bush: Free the Cuban Five! Stop Harboring the 
Terrorist Luis Posada Carriles" will be held facing the White House, 
while people picket. A 2:00 pm forum will follow at the George 
Washington University.

Among the speakers are: Livio Di Celmo, whose brother Fabio Di Celmo, 
was killed by a bomb that exploded in the Hotel Copacabana in Havana;* 
Francisco Letelier, son of Orlando Letelier, assassinated in Washington 
DC on Sept. 21, 1976 along with U.S. activist Ronnie Moffit, in a car 
bombing; Leonard Weinglass, one of the Cuban Five appeals attorneys; 
Wayne Smith, former chief of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana; Akbar 
Muhammad, International Representative, Nation of Islam; Heidi 
Boghosian, Executive Director, National Lawyers Guild; Andrés Gómez, 
coordinator, Antonio Maceo Brigade of Miami; Gloria La Riva, National 
Committee to Free the Cuban Five; Peta Lindsay, A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition; 
a statement by Mumia Abu-Jamal, and others.

Cuban Five supporters will be coming from New York City, Miami, Tampa, 
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Richmond VA, San 
Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Lexington KY, Nashville, Eugene OR, as 
well as Montreal, Québec, and Toronto, Canada.

For background information on the Cuban Five and the Sept. 23 March and 
Forum, visit: www.freethefive.org

* (Posada Carriles admitted to the New York Times in July 1998 that he 
paid mercenaries to plant bombs in Cuban hotels.)

-30-