New York, 12 November 2008
Mr. President,
We thank the Chairmen of the Committees created under resolutions 1267, 1373 and 1540 for the information provided.
For several years, our country has been providing the Security Council with detailed information on terrorist acts against Cuba perpetrated by several individuals and organizations, as well as on the conspiratorial protection the US Government gives them.
On numerous occasions, we have addressed this Council, the last time on 6 May, and sent some letters to the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Security Council, denouncing concrete cases of flagrant violations of resolution 1373. Unfortunately, nothing has been done so far.
Mr. President,
Over one and a half year have passed since the release in the United States of the terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, who has been rightly called the most notorious terrorist of the western hemisphere.
It is important to highlight that on last June the Supreme Court of Justice of Panama ruled that the pardon given to Posada Carriles and his accomplices on August 2004 by the former President of that country was null and void. As may be recalled, such presidential pardon enabled Posada Carriles and his accomplices Gaspar Jiménez Escobedo, Guillermo Novo Sampoll and Pedro Remón Crispín to escape to the United States. All those terrorists had been detained on November 2000 when they were preparing an assassination attempt with explosives against President Fidel Castro, who was in Panama on the occasion of the 10th Ibero-American Summit.
In spite of the fact that the US Government itself has admitted he is a dangerous terrorist, Posada Carriles was only charged with petty migration offences by US authorities.
While Posada Carriles walks freely down the streets of this country, different news media give an account of how he keeps actively in touch with terrorist and extreme right-wing elements in the United States, and how he participates in events held in Miami in his honor and in recognition of his terrorist acts against Cuba.
Mr. President,
The US Government continues disregarding the request for extradition of Posada Carriles, submitted on 15 June 2005 by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The Cuban government demands once more the US authorities to return the terrorist to Venezuela or prosecute him in US territory, under article 7 of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation.
While confessed and unscrupulous terrorists are released, the US government keeps as political prisoners, in high-security prisons, five Cuban antiterrorists fighters who were only trying, with high altruism and courage, to obtain information on the Miami-based terrorist groups in order to prevent their acts of violence and save the lives of Cuban and US citizens.
Again, Cuba demands the immediate release of Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernándo González, Antonio Guerrero and René González. Last 12 September marked 10 years of their unjust and cruel imprisonment in US prisons for combating terrorism.
Mr. President,
Cuba reiterates its request to the Security Council and its Counter-Terrorism Committee, to urgently take into consideration the comprehensive information our country has provided, so that all necessary steps are taken in accordance with the adopted resolutions.
Cuba is ready to interact directly with Committee 1373 if considered useful. We are at the full disposal of the Committee to provide a more detailed presentation to their members or to provide any additional information or clarification they consider necessary.
Double-standards must not prevail. The Security Council must not continue to keep conspiratorial silence in view of this blatant affront to the victims of terrorism in the world.
Cuba has never allowed nor will it allow its territory to be used for terrorist actions against any State, without exception. We will continue to fight terrorism firmly, in all its manifestations and forms as before.
As in the past, Cuba will continue to strictly comply with Security Council Resolutions 1267, 1373 and 1540 and will carry on its cooperation with the subsidiary bodies created pursuant to such resolutions.
Thank you.
