Cuban prisoners hailed as heroes at home

HAVANA, June 3 (UPI) -- Five Cubans serving lengthy prison terms for espionage-related acts in the United States are being hailed as heroes in their native land.

The faces of the "Cuban Five" often appear on postcards, factory walls and billboards, The Washington Post reported.

The five men were convicted in 2001 in a case that the Miami news media dubbed "spy-vs.-spy." The case highlighted the resilience of the decades-long standoff among Cuba, the U.S. government and Cuban exile groups in Florida.

Seen as terrorists in the United States, the five convicts are viewed by the Cuban government as men of courage who were sent to the United States to halt terrorism plots by Cuban exiles against Cuban President Fidel Castro.

The debate over the release of the Cuban Five has gained support from American liberal groups and celebrities including author Alice Walker and actor Danny Glover.

The calls for the release of the men gained attention last August when a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta, ordered a new trial.

The decision is under review by the full court.