| COMMUNITY |
| Message Boards Chat Feedback |
| SITE SOURCES |
| Contents Help! Search CNN Networks |
| SPECIALS |
| Quick News Almanac Video Vault News Quiz |
 |
Puerto Rican authorities probe alleged Castro murder plot
May 6, 1998
Castro
Web posted at: 5:16 p.m. EDT (2116 GMT)SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (CNN) -- A grand jury on Wednesday was following up on leads suggesting that there may have been a plot to kill Cuban leader Fidel Castro during a summit off Venezuela's coast last November. But as the grand jury continued its investigation, the Cuban-American National Foundation strongly rejected allegations of its involvement in any such plot.
The suspected assassination effort apparently fell apart when the boat La Esperanza broke down near Puerto Rico. During the rescue operation, U.S. Coast Guard officers made a startling discovery: rifles, ammunition, nightscopes, a satellite phone and military fatigues that had been stashed away below deck.
A customs agent later testified that one of the four men arrested claimed that the weapons were part of a plot to kill Castro.
The men are awaiting trial on charges of lying to U.S. agents and officials told CNN that indictments were a possibility. They added that more people could be charged.
The grand jury was addressing the key question of whether there might be a link to the powerful Cuban-American National Foundation. That suspicion was raised when the grand jury reportedly reviewed documents suggesting that the seized guns were owned by the foundation's president, Francisco Hernandez.
Hernandez was subpoenaed to testify in the investigation, along with foundation member Jose Antonio Lama, the registered owner of the boat.
The foundation went on the attack on Tuesday and strongly criticized The New York Times for publishing an article about the ongoing investigation.
"We vehemently reject the malicious insinuation that we have in any way been involved in any illegal activity to rid Cuba of Fidel Castro," the organization said in a statement.
Historically, the foundation's main thrust has been political, and its late founder, Jorge Mas Canosa, helped influence several U.S. presidents to maintain Washington's embargo on Cuba.
Correspondent Susan Candiotti contributed to this report.
CNN Community:
Related stories:
- U.S. woman still happy in Cuba after 40 years - May 4, 1998
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser windowExternal sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
|
Sound off on our message boards & chat |
|
© 1998 Cable News Network, Inc.
A Time Warner Company
All Rights Reserved.