Cuba Executes 3 Men Charged with Ferry Hijacking - From the

[Resorte]

Cuba Executes 3 Men Charged with Ferry Hijacking

The Associated Press
Friday, April 11, 2003; 1:34 PM


HAVANA - Three men charged with terrorism for hijacking a passenger ferry April 2 were executed Friday after summary trials, the government reported.

The men were prosecuted Tuesday in summary trials for "very grave acts of terrorism" and given several days to appeal their sentences, according to a statement read on state television.

However, the sentences were upheld both by Cuba's Supreme Tribunal and the ruling Council of State, and were carried out at dawn Friday, the statement said.

Another four men received life sentences, it said.

No one was hurt when the group, reportedly armed with at least one pistol and several knives, seized the ferry and its 50 passengers in Havana Bay early April 2 and ordered the captain to sail to the United States.

Later that day, the 45-foot ferry Baragua ran out of fuel in the high seas of the Florida Straits, and officers on two Cuban Coast Guard patrol boats that chased them there tried to persuade the hijackers to return to the island.

The hijackers allegedly threatened to throw passengers from the boxy, flat-bottomed boat overboard but soon agreed to let the ferry be towed 30 miles back to Cuba's Mariel port for refueling.

After the boat was docked in Mariel, west of Havana, Cuban authorities eventually gained control of the ferry April 3 and arrested the suspects after a quick-thinking French woman hostage jumped into the water to confuse her captors.

The standoff ended with all the hostages, then the suspects, jumping into the water.

The Baragua was hijacked a day after a Cuban passenger plane was hijacked to Key West, Fla., by a man who allegedly threatened to blow up the aircraft with two grenades. The grenades turned out to be fake.

Ten of the Cubans aboard that flight opted to remain in the United States and 19 others asked to go home.

Another Cuban plane was hijacked to Key West less than two weeks earlier.

The hijackings coincided with a crackdown on dissidents in Cuba and rising tensions with the United States.

© 2003 The Associated Press

[schumi]

Im glad they did it!!!

[Larissa]

I must say I agree with you schumi. This should set an example for those who commit terrorism anywhere in the world putting other people's life at risk.

You have two articles related, one in Granma and another one in The New York Times.

[Soul Rebel]

I really don't know what to think. I am generally antideathpenelty, there are many factors that make me against it. However, both of you are right: it sets an example.

A tid bit- the ferry (lancha) that was hijacked; I actually took that ferry to get the Iglesia de la Regla about 3 months ago.

[PunkRawker677]

While i normally wouldn't agree with this action. Seeing as there have been a hike in Hijackings lately in Cuba, its important that a very strong example be set and a very strong message be sent. It was the only possible solution to minimizing future hijackings.

[RedCeltic]

If it was the United States who executed the shoe bomber, or the guy who bombed the WTC in 93 (both still alive) you would all be up in arms about it. It seems like hypocracy to me.

[Larissa]

IMO, the US's gov has a larger and worse "Human killing" record than Cuba's government, and not always applied as a punishment... Just think about the millions of people they kill (by starvation) in third world countries thanks to their capitalistic policies. And what about the CIA? How many have they killed without any sort of previous trial? Last, but not least, please don't forget the US gov did not have any autohorization to start the massacre - oops, I mean war - in Iraq. I think that death penalty is a very important issue, but if a country, government or state has "death penalty" as a form of legal punishment, then it is expected to be used in certain cases like this. If a gov. does not agree with this sort of punishment, then they musn't have it. Yet, I might sound "stalinistic" but it's more mercyful to kill someone than to torture that person (like CIA did) or imprison him/her for a lifetime under terrible conditions (like the US is doing to the Cuban five).

(Edited by Larissa at 5:57 pm on April 12, 2003)

[RedCeltic]

So because the US is murderous, it's ok for other states to be murderous. I see. You know the old addage... "Two wrongs don't make a right."

All supporters of murder make me sick. The US is a large powerful imperialistic and opressive nation. Cuba is a smaller opressive nation with fewer people to victomize..

IT still doesn't make it right.

[Larissa]

Quote: from RedCeltic on 6:03 pm on April 12, 2003
So because the US is murderous, it's ok for other states to be murderous. I see. You know the old addage... "Two wrongs don't make a right."

All supporters of murder make me sick. The US is a large powerful imperialistic and opressive nation. Cuba is a smaller opressive nation with fewer people to victomize..

IT still doesn't make it right.
Red, I think that if the US would have caught Osama, they would have executed him (maybe not, I'm not 100% sure), and I would support the US too in that particular case. I understand that no one should have the right to take other people's life, but that's not the way things have worked ever since man is on earth.

[RedCeltic]

Are you compairing people who hijacked a ferry, and caused no death or injury to anyone to a man who funded and planned a terrorist attack that killed thousands?

[RedCeltic]

I think it’s disgusting how people on this website make excuses for barbarism. Here you see an example of ideology dogma in action. If three communists tried to take over the Brooklyn Bridge in the name of the revolution and the US executed them by firing squad after only one day of trail, and no access to appeal, people would be outraged.

Look at the case with the Oklahoma City bombing. Even though unlike these people, he actually killed people, he was given a trial, and a chance for appeal. What you people support here is barbaric.

United States isn’t all that wonderful, and it has an awful lot more people to keep in line than Cuba does. And I’m surely no fan of capitalism, however I feel as though I have to side with the cappies on this issue.

If Cuba is so great and wonderful than why do people have to hijack a ferry to get to the United States? If people in Cuba have to get permission just to visit, or move to another part of the island, how likely is it that they would be able to freely travel? Not much.

All States, especially authoritarian ones, get in the way of the true liberation of the people.

[sc4r]

Quote: from RedCeltic on 9:03 pm on April 12, 2003
So because the US is murderous, it's ok for other states to be murderous. I see. You know the old addage... "Two wrongs don't make a right."

All supporters of murder make me sick. The US is a large powerful imperialistic and opressive nation. Cuba is a smaller opressive nation with fewer people to victomize..

IT still doesn't make it right.

Yes the executions were completely just. I for one see no reason why people intent on destroying a state should be supported by it in any way.

I donr blame the US for executing people either (although in its case it could actually afford not to rather more easily) I would only blame it if it executed people wrongly.

Sorry but execution is not murder. It is legal killing. Using the word 'murder' in such a situation is just a cuss word. Just an attempt to use emotional language to avoid having to confront the actual facts.

[Larissa]

Ok, I understand your point. There are some things I would like to make clear. I support death penalty. I understand you think this is "barbaric", yet I don't support MURDER, which is, IMO another thing.

I truly wish we could all live peacefully and I wish many more men like Gandhi were born in this century. But, I face reality and there are many countries who have -and apply- death penalty. There are lots of people how cannot forgive murderers, other can, like Jesus did. I wish we could all end up all types of violence.

But I think that if had to defend myself, I wouldn't be brave enough to put the other cheek to a person who would eventually kill me.

Also, I don't think that Che was a murderer for instance, and he did kill some traitors. (Who would have killed him, had he set them free)

I don't think that if the US justice sends someone to the electric chair is just for fun or because they are murderers. I'm sure it's because they think that person will eventually kill others...etc. It's a very delicate issue. But countries do not have death penalty just because a single man decides to have it, it's voted by many people.

Cuba has shot these people after a trial and after they had a chance to appeal. (See Granma and New Yor Times articles.)

Regarding this event, the annual migration meeting has been postponed. That's a meeting the government holds with expats (like my husband) who are able to freely express what they think about the migration laws and services rendered by that department. One of the things that's been voted was the suppression of departure permits. This permits were given to people who wanted to travel or live abroad and were not given to those who had legal problems. (Pending condems, etc.) The Cuban government controls this issues very closely because ever since the revolution was achieved, Cuba has been the favourite target of terrorists' attacks. And because it was a communist (now socialist) country, most people over the world thought they "deserverd" to be attacked and the government "overthrown". So, after all the assassination attempts against Fidel, I think their control policy is ok.

Cubans are NOT held as prisoners in Cuba. The point is many Cubans who have all their papers ok and can leave Cuba for the US, are waiting on the US INS's final approval. AND I USUALLY TRANSLATE THESE DOCUMENTS FOR THE US D.O.J. so I do know what I'm talking about. The point is some Cubans prefer not to wait once they have their permanent permissions from the Cuban government and the leave on rafts.

This was a case of "hijacking" a ferry, even with some tourists on board. It was not a raft.

By applying death penalty after a trial and after giving them the chance to appeal, the Cuban government is preventing worse things from happening. This is my very personal opinion, and I truly understand your not agreeing with it. I don't see death penalty as "murder". Muder is murder, assissantion. Death penalty is a punishment within a legal context.

[RedCeltic]

What is “IMO” ?

I do not believe that capital punishment is always “Murder”, however I do think it always a mark of a barbaric society. The reason I think that this case is MURDER is the lack of legitimacy for the taking of life. In the United States, the argument is that people who murder can not reenter society as they are dangerous.

Someone who hijacks a ferry, may deserve time in jail, and deportation after, however for the state to take their life away by firing squad is unjust punishment.


I don't think that if the US justice sends someone to the electric chair is just for fun or because they are murderers. I'm sure it's because they think that person will eventually kill others...etc. It's a very delicate issue. But countries do not have death penalty just because a single man decides to have it, it's voted by many people.

Even in nations with free elections, people do not vote on the issue but on a candidate based on their position. One would be hard pressed if all candidates believed in it. For example, in New York, we have the death penalty regardless of the fact that the majority of the population are against it. Why than did the governer get re-elected twice? Because that was not the only issue on the platform.

I also find it highly unlikely that someone would hijack a ferry after already being granted governement permission to leave. Unless they are stupid.

You may say you translate all these doccuments, however I don't really see why Cuba doesn't have people who can do this job. I don't mean any disrespect, but why is someone from South America translating Cuban doccuments, and than talking about it freely on the internet along with plans of starting an armed rebelion.

It sounds like a rather dangerous combination.


Just do me a favor Larrisa::: Don't ever come to power where I live, because I don't wish to be put to death for complaining of standing in line for half an hour for stale bread.

[Larissa]

IMO means In My Opinion.

I don't translate for Cuba, I translate for a Washington DC based translation agency whose client is the U.S. Department of Justice. The reason wy the hire Latin American translators are 1) they cost them less money and B) they are native speakers of Spanish.

I don't know if the hijackers had permits, I doubt they had, I was not referring to them when I explained some Cubans do not wait for the US final approval and leave using home-made rafts. (Crazy in my opinion, because they risk their lifes).

I can talk freely anywhere (Internet and real life).

My plans are not "secret" plans. And they are not "mine" only. Me and others have had enough of this unfair treatment towards the people in real need in this country, and we won't spend the rest of my life hitting the keyboard of our computers behind a desk.

Rightists may think we are "dangeours" leftists who will bring the "threat of communism" over our country, but most will actually support us on defending these people's rights. And I don't see why I have to hide what I stand for. I'm a free person, and I'm free to say this anywhere. The same way we are free to publish the International Leftist newspaper on the net.

I don't feel offended by your opinions, I understand we (all of us in this world) don't always have to agree with other people's opinions. It's just that.

Also, I understand you when you say death penalty is barbaric.

I think that maybe the reason for death penalty in some countries might also be due to the lack of economic resources to support/maintain criminals in jail. Maybe they rather use that money for supporting their weak economies. (who knows)

Anyway, why should people support a criminal in jail? (I'm not referring to these hijackers, I'm speaking in a general sense). I hate to know that most of the taxes we pay in my country are used to support criminials like the military who had tortured pregnant women, sold their newborns in the black market, and killed thousands of leftists by throwing them into the river or sea after horrible tortures, when they were still alive. And these well-known guys are not even in prison!! They have been impirsoned "at home" and we have to maintain them! It's barbaric and sad, I know, but I wish death penalty existed in my country to be applied in this particular case. I wish you could read a book (victims' testymonies) called "Nunca Más" - I hope that will let you understand why I support death penalty in some cases.

(Edited by Larissa at 10:13 pm on April 12, 2003)

[Larissa]

http://www.nuncamas.org/

http://www.nuncamas.org/english/library/ne...evagain_000.htm (http://www.nuncamas.org/english/library/nevagain/nevagain_000.htm)

Over 30,000 leftists were brutally tortured and disappeared by the military who now live "imprisoned" at home. With true pain in my heart I do wish they they were shot.

(Edited by Larissa at 10:17 pm on April 12, 2003)

[Larissa]

"Just do me a favor Larrisa::: Don't ever come to power where I live, because I don't wish to be put to death for complaining of standing in line for half an hour for stale bread. "

Red, if this is your opinion about Cuba, I must say I strongly disagree with you, and I'm sorry if you think the Cuban government is that tough.

Check the Cuban Democratic Socialist Party on the Internet. It's the opposition party to the current government. They are based in Havana, and Payá, its leader is not in prison, he travels around the world and holds political meetings openly worlwide and in in Cuba even when he represents the opposition. Have Payá or the members of this party been shot? No. Do they complain publicly about the low standards of living in Cuba? Yes.

Sleep well, Red, I will never ever become a political leader of any place in the world. I'm not a good politician. I only mean to help people in need to understand they have the right to stand for their own rights, values and dignity. As I said before, I'm not starting a war. I'm defending people who live at war, a silent long-time war that makes me sick enough to say "Let's do something about it."

[Larissa]

I had these Hobbes quotes in my computer and thought it was interesting to post them here...

Thomas Hobbes
from Leviathan
1651

"For the laws of nature (as justice, equity, modesty, mercy, and, in sum, doing to others as we woud be done to) of themselves, without the terror of some power, to cause them to be observed, are contrary to our natural passions, that carry us to partiality, pride, revenge and the like.

"Another doctrine repugnant to civil society, is that whatsoever a man does against his conscience, is sin; and it dependeth on the presumption of making himself judge of good and evil. For a man's conscience and his judgement are the same thing, and as the judgement, so also the conscience may be erroneous.

"Moral philosophy is nothing else but the science of what is good, and evil, in the conversation, and society of mankind. Good, and evil, are names that signify our appetites, and aversions; which in different tempers, customs, and doctrines of men, are different."

:biggrin: I hate kings and monarchies. Don't take me as Hobbes fan now, please.

(Edited by Larissa at 10:43 pm on April 12, 2003)

[RedCeltic]

Well I really disagree with what you are saying, and I really can't support any state.. expecially one that would kill people like this.

The older I get, the more I come to the realization that the state works in conflict with the people. I suppose I have a different perspective on things than you. I don't think people should be killed to save a few tax dollars. And I don't think that simply because a party leader has the right to say what he wants and go where he wants, that Jose the farmer can do the same.

I see state socialism as a thing of the past, and it is the responsibility of communities to live and work cooperatively.

But I'm getting way off topic here.. :)

[Pete]

But, RedCeltic, for their to be no states you must get rid of those who would try to destroy the peace, and that is why the Dic. of the Prol. is a transition period in which the Prol's rule over the bourgeoisie in such a fashion to either destroy them or assimilate them.

[Larissa]

The full information can be found here:
http://www.granma.cu/espanol/abril03/juev1.../felipe1-e.html (http://www.granma.cu/espanol/abril03/juev10/felipe1-e.html)
his is a press conference by Pérez Roque after the tial and before the execution. 82 foreign journalists attended the conference.

It's in Spanish but I'll try to look up the English version. Perez Roque (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) showed evidence/proofs: videos, pohotos, and James Cason interview to the miami Herald where he admits that he - on behalf of the US gov- was supporting subversive actions.

Plus, the Sun Sentinel (Florida newspaper) also has an article about how the US is preparing to invade Cuba and training people.

The prisoners' relatives chose the lawyers (44 lawayers out of the 54 who participated in the trial). The relatives were allowed to see them before the execution. The mother of one of them said to CNN she was not allowed, and afterwards she told the Miami Herald that she was allowed to see her son, but she didn't know he was going to be shot.

Cuba and the US have signed an agreement regarding the commit from Cuba to help the US by not letting illegal immigrants into the US by violent means and accepting people who emmigrate under the US visa lottery program.

"El 2 de mayo de 1995 ambos gobiernos emitieron una Declaración Conjunta, que se agrega al comunicado anterior, que dice:"

“A partir de este mismo momento, los emigrantes cubanos que sean interceptados en alta mar por Estados Unidos serán devueltos a Cuba.

“Ambas partes reafirman su compromiso conjunto de tomar medidas para impedir las salidas peligrosas de Cuba, que puedan significar un riesgo de pérdidas de vidas humanas y de oponerse a los actos de violencia asociados a la emigración ilegal.”

The US gov did not comply with the 20,000 annual visas they grant Cubans (Immigration Lottery) This year they only granted 505 visas.

The executed hijackers were proved to be involved in subversive actions and had large criminal records.

Canada and Argentina, among other countries in the world, have a law that states that death penalty can be applied to those who support the Helms-Burton law against Cuba.

The Cuban Criminal Code comes from the Spanish code (1800-omething) and the death penalty law is from 1939 (long before the revolution). A video on some parts of the trial was shown during the Press conference .

Regardless if some people support death penalty or not, everyone has it's own right to think whatever he/she wants to - I'm posting this just to show that it was not Fidel's decision. There was a trial. The prisoners had the right to appeal and did so. The relatives chose the lawyers who defended them and the videos and photos (real evidence, not made up evidence) were shown to the international media in a Press conference.

[Larissa]

Aquí tengo artículos de la Ley No.88 de Protección de la Independencia Nacional y de la Economía:

Artículo 5.1. “El que busque información para ser utilizada en la aplicación de la Ley Helms-Burton, el bloqueo y la guerra económica contra nuestro pueblo, encaminado a quebrantar el orden interno, desestabilizar el país y liquidar el Estado socialista y la independencia de Cuba, incurre en sanción de privación de libertad.

“Artículo 6.1. El que acumule, reproduzca, difunda material de carácter subversivo del gobierno de Estados Unidos de América, sus agencias, dependencias representantes, funcionarios o de cualquier entidad extranjera para apoyar los objetivos de la Ley Helms-Burton, el bloqueo y la guerra, incurre.."

I'll try to get this in English.

[Soul Rebel]

Quote: from Larissa on 1:11 am on April 13, 2003
IMO means In My Opinion.

I think that maybe the reason for death penalty in some countries might also be due to the lack of economic resources to support/maintain criminals in jail. Maybe they rather use that money for supporting their weak economies. (who knows)

Anyway, why should people support a criminal in jail? (I'm not referring to these hijackers, I'm speaking in a general sense). I hate to know that most of the taxes we pay in my country are used to support criminials like the military who had tortured pregnant women, sold their newborns in the black market, and killed thousands of leftists by throwing them into the river or sea after horrible tortures, when they were still alive. And these well-known guys are not even in prison!! They have been impirsoned "at home" and we have to maintain them! It's barbaric and sad, I know, but I wish death penalty existed in my country to be applied in this particular case. I wish you could read a book (victims' testymonies) called "Nunca Más" - I hope that will let you understand why I support death penalty in some cases.


On this point i just want to point out something very important--- it is actually a lot more expensive to carry out the death penalty. Its actually 6 times more expensive. This could be just in the U.S. and Europe, I will check and post the facts, which i used to hold an anti-dp day at school.

Also, when thinking of the death penalty, especially in the U.S. one needs to consider many factors, such as racism. The death penalty in the U.S. is very racist. Of the prison population 80 percent or more happen to be black men, most of whom are jailed for nonviolent crimes. Those who are executed in the U.S. are more likely to be black or hispanic. Usually when it is a black or hispanic, they are being executed because they carried out a crime against a white person. This however is not vise versa--- a white person will barely receive the dp for a crime committed agaisnt a minority.

I just believe the death penalty is worthless. If we are preaching against crime we should stop committing it. The death penalty is a continuous cycle that perpetuates violence. Violence breeds violence. If we want to solve/stop crime and social problems we need to do it through a nonviolent way (in some cases though violence is the only way, which may be a contradictory statement, but it makes sense). We need to put money into education and social services if we want to stop crime, especially murder. Most crime is done in the wake of misery, poor living, in desperation. To rid people of this we need to empower them, so they can improve thier lives, so they no longer feel the need to commit crimes.

[Larissa]

Finally, the English version.

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/abril03/sab12/roque.html

Full Press conference by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in front of 82 journalist from 22 different countries.

My husband has just arrived from the Cuban embassy in Argentina and this is his article on his site:

(He is not in favor of death penalty like me, this article is just about what the Cuban ambassador just said a few hours ago in a local press conference).

Spanish only - http://www.cubagrande.com/01.html