Terrorismo de grupos cubanos de Miami contra EE UU

The National Security of the United States and Cuban American Domestic Terrorism
June 13th, 2003

Percy Francisco Alvarado Godoy (Fraile) para Antiterroristas.cu

When the alarming statistics relating to acts carried out by terrorist groups operating within the United States are reviewed, the false notion that they are exclusively perpetrated by Islamic or neo-Fascist organizations is immediately formed. However, the terrorism of the Cuban American right wing against targets situated on US territory puts to shame those acts carried out by al-Qaeda and other fanatical groups. These anti-Cuba groups also operate with total impunity.

Between the four decades spanning 1959 and 2001, a total of 360 terrorist acts were carried out on US soil by different Cuban American organizations � all of them protected by the US government itself. Of these terrorist acts, 186 of them directly affected US interests.

In fact, the constant terrorist activity of these groups has made vulnerable the national security of the United States of America. Some figures:

 Some 35 people have been murdered in the United States by the Cuban American right wing. Among the victims are US citizens, Cuban diplomats and Cuban nationals who committed the mistake of seeking a closer relationship between both countries.
 A total of 14 attacks against US airports have been carried out by ant-Cuba groups including all three airports in New York: La Guardia, Newark and JFK, as well as Miami International Airport.
 One of these Cuban American organizations, Omega 7, carried out some 55 terrorist acts within the United States between 1974 and 1983 and another 6 in Puerto Rico during the same period. Called Movimiento Nacionalista Cubano Omega 7, it is known for its violence and the number of its attacks, among which were the firing of a bazooka at the United Nations Headquarters in 1964, the assassination of former Chilean Foreign Minister Orlando Letelier in 1976, and the assassinations of Cuban diplomat F�lix Garc�a Rodr�guez and a Cuban national, Carlos Mu�iz Varela, in 1979. At the heart of this group can be found individuals such as Guillermo Novo Sampoli and his brother Ignacio, as well as Eduardo Arocena. This latter was released from a long prison sentence at the instigation of (Florida Congressional Representatives) Lincoln D�az Balart and Ileana Ros Lehtinen who are also responsible for gaining the release of one of the region�s top terrorists, Orlando Bosch.
 Hundreds of threats and attacks against official US locations have been made � including against the FBI and the former INS (now part of Homeland Security).
 The President of the United States has also been threatened on numerous occasions, as well as other high federal and state officials.

In general, the objectives of these terrorist acts have been well defined:

1) Attack targets linked to Cuba, creating a permanent climate of hostility and antagonism against the island.
2) Exercise systematic terror against those members of the Cuban American community in the US so halt any emerging sympathy for the Cuban Revolution and any attempts to bring the two communities closer.
3) Pressure the US government and thereby condition its policies toward Cuba. This is done by unscrupulously combining political influence with threats and violent campaigns.

Over the last 40 years a number of different terrorist groups have been born; among which some have great notoriety. Their training by the CIA and other US agencies, their involvement in the dirty wars along frontiers outside the United States, and their involvement with the Mafia and in drug trafficking, has made them potentially dangerous. In many cases they have stretched the tolerance of US authorities who have pressured then to conduct their activities off US soil. One example of this occurred in the early 1970s with the �War of the World�s Paths� (cynically taken from a quote by Che Guevara meaning to take the fight to the world), which moved the FBI to convince the principal figures of these terrorist groups to put an end to their domestic terrorism. One of these figures, Orlando Bosch �vila, had carried out no less than 72 bombing attacks on US soil. From the early 70s on, then, a criminal campaign of aggression against Cuban interests abroad was put into action:

� On April 4th, 1972, a bomb exploded in the Cuban Trade Office in Canada, killing a Cuban diplomat.
� An attempt to kidnap the Cuban Ambassador to Argentina, Emilio Aragon�s, was made in 1975.
� A Cuban passenger aircraft was blown up in midair in 1976 after take-off from Barbados, with the loss of life of everyone on board.
However, not all the principal figures of these terrorist groups obeyed the orders of their old chiefs. From 1975 groups such as the Movimiento Nacionalista Cubano, Gobierno Cubano Secreto, Frente de Liberaci�n Nacional Cubano, Poder Cubano, el Alacr�n, Acci�n Cubana, Escorpi�n Cubano, J�venes de la Estrella, Omega 7 and Comandos Pedro Luis Boitel, all continued attacks on US territory.

Among the strikes that took place were:

� The placing of a powerful bomb at La Guardia International Airport in New York on December 29th, 1975, by the terrorist of Cuban origin, Rolando Otero Hern�ndez, causing the deaths of 29 people and injuring 75 others. Why was this sabotage not prevented by the FBI, when it knew this terrorist had exploded seven bombs in the city of Miami barely 28 days prior (among the targets being FBI offices, the Federal Building, the County Police, and Social Security offices)? Why was an antiterrorist outcry heard as that after September 11th? Why were these Cuban American terrorists not hunted down like the members of al-Qaeda?
� In September 1978 four US citizens were murdered when their Cuba-bound light aircraft was blown out of the sky. The terrorist organization, J�venes de la Estrella, claimed responsibility. One of those who carried out the attack, Ram�n Sa�l S�nchez Rizo, lives in Miami without worries, indeed continuing active belligerence against Cuba. This terrorist � who is associated with the most active and dangerously violent organizations of the 70s such as Frente de Liberaci�n Nacional Cubano, Alpha 66, J�venes de la Estrella, Coordinadora de Organizaciones Revolucionarias - has acted with impunity over all these years. In the 1980s he ran the group Organizaci�n para la Liberaci�n de Cuba and joined with terrorists associated with Omega 7.
Involved in the sinking of two Cuban fishing boats in 1970 (the Plataforma I and IV), as well as kidnapping people in Venezuela, Mexico and the United States, it is known that Ram�n Sa�l directly participated in an attack against Carlos Mu�iz Varela among others, becoming the darling child of US justice. Condemned to four years in 1984 - in spite of his history of violence � he barely completed two years. After release he joined other terrorist groups such as the Organizaci�n para la Liberaci�n de Cuba, the Comisi�n Nacional Cubana, Cuba Independiente y Democr�tica (CID) and the Grupo de Acciones Navales.

During the disturbances provoked by the signing of the Migratory Accords between Cuba and the United Status, he was arrested in May of 1995. He was nonetheless immediately released in spite of FBI knowledge of his possession of a considerable number of armaments. As with Jos� Basulto, he is a sworn enemy of these accords with both of them dedicated to constantly sabotaging them. Finally, from the ranks of the Movimiento Democracia he works to create tension between Havana and Washington and to promulgate terrorist acts as well as calling on the Miami community to disobey authorities in the case of the shipwrecked Cuban child Eli�n Gonz�lez.

Returning to the domestic violence promulgated by right wing Cuban Americans in the US, Washington negotiated with these people to force them to continue their activities outside US territory. Thus, as of 1979 they increased their operations in Cuba. A new organization by the name of CORU nonetheless continued operations within the United States as a new disguise for the terrorists. During those years increased dialogue with Havana was met with violence, as with the murder of Carlos Mu�iz Varela and Jos� Eulalio Negr�n. Some of the most notable terrorist acts during these decades were:

THE SEVENTIES

� (1974) Assassination of Jos� El�as de la Torriente for not carrying out a plan to invade Cuba. He was murdered in his home in the luxury neighborhood of Coral Gables.
� (1974) Four bombing attacks against the press: one at the offices of the magazine R�plica, and the others next to a Spanish language radio station.
� (1974) Assassinations of H�ctor D�az Limonta and Arturo Rodr�guez in internecine wars within the Cuban American right wing. Two years later Rolando Masferrer and Ram�n Donest�vez were also killed under similar circumstances. In 1977 Juan Jos� Peruyero also suffered the same fate.
� (1975) Another bomb is set off at the offices of the R�plica.
� (1976) Bombing attack on Emilio Mili�n, the director of a Miami radio news show that had spoken out against the violence promoted by the terrorists. He lost both legs.
� (1979) Two bombings of Padr�n Cigars followed by another attempt that failed.
� (1979) Armed attack against a cinema audience who were watching the Cuban movie Memorias del subdesarollo (Memories of Underdevelopment).
THE EIGHTIES

During this decade a number of unexploded bombs were discovered at, for example, American Airways Charter (1980) and the Nicaraguan Consulate (1981), although the majority of terrorist acts were successful. Among them, the worst were:

� (1981) The bombings of the Venezuelan and Mexican Consulates in Miami.
� (1981) Another bombing of the R�plica offices.
� (1982) Shots fired at Hispania Americana for sending medicines to Cuba.
� (1983) The blowing up of a travel agent selling trips to Cuba, named Paradise International.
� (1987) Known with 1988 as the period of attacks against travel agencies doing business to Cuba. This wave of bombings affected Cuba Env�os, Almac�n El Espa�ol, Agencia Cubanac�n Env�os, Machi Viajes, and Va Cuba which was bombed twice.
� (1988) Attacks against Va Cuba and Bele Cuba Express travel agencies. Another bombing attack against The Cuban Museum of Art and Culture as well as bombing threats against the offices of Iberia and the INS � both in Miami.
� (1989 and 1990) These years celebrated the end of a decade of impunity of anti-Cuba attacks with another powerful explosion at the Cuban Museum of Art and Culture, two bombs at Marazul Charters, and others that damaged the residences of those seeking dialogue between Cuba and the Cuban community in the US.

THE NINETIES

� (1994) Two bombs once again blow up the offices of the magazine R�plica.
� (1996) A bomb explodes at the Vasco Center just before the performance of famous Cuban singer Rosita Forn�s.
� (1996) Bombing attacks against the travel agencies Marazul Charters and Tu Familia Shipping.
� (1998) Bomb threat against night clubs in which Cuban artists such as Compay Segundo and Manol�n �the Doctor of Salsa�. The threats are carried out against the night club Amnesia in Miami Beach, using an incendiary device.
There is no doubt that all these attacks were ordered and financed over all four decades by those terrorists grouped in organizations such as CORU, Alpha 66, CID, the Cuban American Foundation and others. Some of the perpetrators have been identified but live freely within the United States without charges brought against them. Although some were imprisoned, the sentences were frequently favorable and many were soon out on the street once more. The following cases illustrate this:

� ANGEL ALFONSO ALEM�N, nicknamed La Cota (�Coat of Mail�) who works at 4300 Bergerline Ave, Rm. 200, New Jersey. Brown hair, pronounced balding, 1,75 meters tall. Known to have claimed responsibility for the dynamiting of the Cuban Mission in New York in 1997. Is linked to the Cuban American National Foundation.
� H�CTOR FRANCISCO ALFONSO RU�Z, known by the pseudonym H�ctor Fabi�n, lives at 3020 SW 25th Terrace, Miami. An active terrorist. In 1972 participated in bombings against four agencies that send packages to Cuba. In 1973 planned the bombing of the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City and in 1973 and 1979 was involved in plots to kill Cuban President Fidel Castro. He attacked the Cuban ship, Jobabo, in 1978, and is linked to the mailing of explosive packages to Cuban embassies in Mexico, Canada, Argentina and Peru. Is currently dedicated to promoting armed infiltration into Cuba as on September 17th 1996 when two terrorists, Pedro Pablo Pulido Ortega and Noel Ramos were captured.
� SIXTO REYNALDO AQUIT MANRIQUE, known as Chino Aquit (because of his Asian look), 1.58 meters tall, 170 lbs, black eyes, mixed race, small scar on upper lip. Currently resides at 11549 SW 5th St, Miami with phone number (305) 227-1714. Known to have participated in an attack against the tanker Mykonos, in 1993. Traveled to El Salvador to make contact with other Cuban terrorists and Salvadorean military figures with a view to organizing attacks against Cuba. Was caught red-handed attempting to blow up the headquarters of the Cuban Association of Workers in Miami where tons of food and medicines were being stored for shipment to Cuba by the Fourth Pastors for Peace Caravan. Condemned to five years suspended sentence, two under home supervision. Continues to carry out and promote attacks against Cuba. Was able to be with US President George W Bush during celebrations on May 20th, 2002 in Miami.
There are many more similar cases, but the object of this article was to:

1) Demonstrate the vulnerability of the United States faced with these terrorists.
2) Prove the impunity under which they carry out their criminal activities within the United States under the noses of federal agencies.
3) Show the inability or disinterest of US judicial authorities in bringing these terrorists to justice for their crimes.

CONCLUSIONS

Let me apologize for perhaps leaving you with a bitter taste in your mouths or even a feeling of insecurity after reading the above, but it�s not my fault. I believe the guilty one to be the US government which has never taken strong enough steps to prevent this wave of terrorism within its own territory. It is painful to see that the victims have consequently had to pay twice for the activities of those who have caused so many deaths in Miami and New York over the last forty years.

Obviously, one feels the genuine right to ask:

1) What kind of deals have successive US administrations made for not preventing attacks in which their own citizens perish? Were they not the same as they once made with figures like Osama Bin Laden?
2) Why is there no raising of public awareness against the terrorism of these right wing Cuban American groups, similar to that leveled across the world against other terrorist groups?
3) Why were five Cubans who were attempting to prevent such terrorist acts tried and sentenced in the US rather than the perpetrators of the crimes?

There is little doubt that there is something very rotten in the United States and the smell can be traced to the Oval Office, various federal offices and the courts of Miami. These terrorists are free to threaten and attack US citizens. As any Cuban would say: �La cosa est� de madre, compay! (�That sucks, my friend�).