Advertisement

CIA says Bosch a terrorist

MIAMI -- An anti-Castro activist appealing his deportation order coordinated several attacks on Cuba in the 1960s, including an air strike that killed three children and their father, CIA documents reveal.

The papers were among 1,700 pages of materials released Thursday by attorneys for Orlando Bosch, who is to be deported to any country that will accept him.

Advertisement

It is part of previously confidential documents in the case file that officials of the Justice Department considered before ordering the anti-Castro activist deported. The order was issued June 23, and Bosch is appealing. A hearing is set for Sept. 14.

Bosch's attorney, Raoul Cantero, and Bosch's family have fought for the release of the papers for months, arguing that it was impossible to defend against charges that are based on confidential information.

The government, however, is still witholding hundreds of pages because they are classified. The released material includes several blacked out sections.

The papers include previous accusations by the Cuban government that Bosch was involved in more than 90 bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and other terrorist acts from 1968 to 1980.

Cantero said some of the CIA material describing Bosch's activities in the 1960s and 1970s is damaging.

Advertisement

'It's certainly damaging in the sense that he was doing these things,' Cantero said. 'But there was a war going on. They were fighting communism. Bosch has repudiated this type of violence.'

He said there is no evidence Bosch has been involved in any terrorist acts in the last 10 years.

Bosch, 68, a former pediatrician, was accused in Venezuela of masterminding the bombing in 1976 of a Cuban jetliner in which 73 were killed. He was acquitted three times but spent 11 years in jail before his release in 1987 when he returned to Miami.

The CIA reports indicate he organized several air strikes over Cuba in the 1960s. One of them resulted in the accident that killed four.

'The bombing of Santa Clara in Las Villas province, which took place on Sept. 5, 1963, was accomplished by members of Bosch's group,' the documents said. 'They appeared to be quite excited and at the same time distressed at the failure of their operation.

'They had been trying since Sept. 4 to bomb the Shell refinery in Havana but had been repelled by anti-aircraft fire. When they were fired upon over Santa Clara, they decided to dump the bombs, which, unfortunately, hit a house and killed the owner and three children.'

Advertisement

Latest Headlines