From: [j k p] at [cs.HUT.FI] (Jyrki Kuoppala)n
Newsgroups: alt.politics.usa.misc,talk.politics.drugs,alt.politics.usa.constitution,soc.culture.usa
Subject: U.S. government brings Cuban government to Justice?
Date: 5 Sep 1993 18:04:31 GMT

Shall we see a repeat of the Noriega case?  "Rakceteering" is
mentioned - perhaps now RICO will be invoked to forfeit all assets of
the Cuban government to the U.S. government?

A repost from misc.activism.progressive:

From: Joseph Calhoun <[j c phrophet] at [igc.apc.org]>
Subject: US Drug Indictments against Cuba
Message-ID: <[1993 Aug 31 150449 25398] at [mont.cs.missouri.edu]>
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: [r--h] at [pencil.cs.missouri.edu]
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1993 15:04:49 GMT

U.S. PROSECUTORS SEND 17 POINT DRAFT TO JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
FOR INDICTMENT AGAINST THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT FOR DRUG 
TRAFFICKING (Christain Science Monitor 7/26/93 via short-wave radio)

Federal prosecutors have drafted a indictment charging Cuba with 
racketeering and Defense Minister Raul Castro as head of the
conspiracy. his brother Fidel is apparently not listed among the 
indictment's 15 co-conspirators because he is head-of-state and immune to 
federal prosecution.

Corespondent Melissa Mancini has our exclusive report from Miami:

MANCINI: The 17 point draft alleges long standing institutionalized
smuggling by Cuba's government in partnership with the world's biggest
reported cocaine traffickers, Colombia's Medellin cartel.
  The document claims high ranking officers in Cuba's arm forces
and the interior ministry had operated a pipeline that allowed 
the Medellin cartel to bring at least seven and a half tons of 
cocaine through he island nation from 1980 to 1990.
  The draft federal indictment is built on several completed Miami
drug cases and several new  informants including jailed Columbian
cocaine chieftain, Carlos Lehder.
  Lehder provided information during the 1991drug trafficking trial
of Panamanian military leader Manuel Noriega.
   Tom Cash is in charge of the U.S. DEA's office in Miami:

CASH: I think that in the drug trial of General Noriega one of the 
major witnesses plus was Carlos Lehder. he was a good witness for the 
period of time . . . . (to) primarily establish there was a Medellin 
cartel; that General Noriega did deal with members of the Medellin 
cartel; and Carlos Lehder is the only member of the Medellin cartel
arrested, convicted and behind bars. He's the only person who 
could testify to these facts.


MANCINI: In the course of the five days on the witness stand during the 
Noriega trial, Lehder testified that the cartel turned toward 
Cuba for business reasons. As transportation chief he said the cartel needed
new smuggling bases to avoid the law enforcement heat it was
experiencing in the Bahamas. Lehder said he met twice with Cuban arm forces
chief Raul Castro and received crucial assistance in transporting 
the cartel's cocaine. Lehder also testified he traveled to Cuba
n 19769 to negotiate with officials  on the opening of an  air
smuggling route over the island. 
   In addition to recruiting Lehder as one of the main witnesses, federal
prosecutors have attempted to enlist t he help of former Panamanian
dictator, Manuel Noriega according Noriega defense attorney, Jon May.

MAY: Prosecutor's of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami had
suggested to us that they were interested in any information General
Noriega might possess pertaining to President Fidel Castro and other 
members of the Cuban government. We spoke to our client and our
client told us that he had absolutely no information to share
with the United States concerning any matter.

MANCINI: Although a DIRECT OUTGROWTH OF THE NORIEGA TRIAL, the case against
Cuba promises to be different. U.S. prosecutors have never brought
a criminal indictment against a foreign government. When Noriega was
indicted he was charged as an individual, the Panamanian  government
was not named.
  The existence of the draft indictment indicates that prosecutors
believe they have enough evidence to make a case against the Cuban 
government. Sources within the Justice Department say officials in
Washington are reviewing the information. Assistant Attorney
general Dan Gilbert says there's nothing unusual about that.

GILBERT: There are many types of cases that prior to indictment approval, 
consultations must occur between the U.S. Attorney's Office and the 
Department of Justice. Racketeering indictments, for instance, must go 
through a certain type of review by the Department of Justice. . . .
  There's no question that there is a review prior to a presentation
to a grand jury on certain types of cases.

MANCINI:  The draft indictment names Raul Castro and 14 other Cuban 
officials as targets. Its expected that the U.S. Attorney's Office will
present final evidence to a federal grand jury this fall.


                ******* END OF REPORT *******






COMMENT: Since the Noriega trial was an open-and-shut case where the
Cuban connection to the drug trade was revealed it is probably
going to come as a shock to many solidarity groups that Cuba had
to co-opt itself with the drug traffickers to maintain the minimum
standards of living for its citizens.

    jcphrophet