Reply #32: Outlandish new article.

[Judi Lynn]

(snip)

Charges in Cuba Incident Called Political
By ADRIAN SAINZ
Associated Press Writer


MIAMI (AP)--Some Cuban-Americans questioned the timing of the murder indictment of a Cuban general and two pilots in the shooting down of two civilian planes in 1996, saying the charges smacked of political maneuvering by the Bush administration.

But U.S. Attorney Marcos Jimenez denied Thursday's indictment was politically motivated.

The indictment was filed seven years after four men were killed when their planes were shot down over the Florida straits by a Cuban MiG.

``That's not what we do. It's based solely on justice,'' Jimenez said.

He refused to say whether Washington played any role in the decision, saying he authorized presenting the case to a Miami grand jury.

``These charges should have come a long time ago,'' said Jose Preval Lafita, a Cuban journalist who came to Miami in the 1960s. ``It's apparently time for President Bush to start his campaign.'' (snip/...)

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ap/ap_story.html/National/AP.V9659.AP-Cuban-Shootdown.html