Statement by the pilot of the counterrevolutionary organization, Brothers to the Rescue

From the NTW 8:00 PM News Edition,
26 February, 1996

Following is the interview on Cuban Television of the Pilot from the counterrevolutionary group Brothers to the Rescue who is in Cuba, from the NTW 8:00 PM News Edition, February 26, 1996.

Interviewer

In the last few hours the Cuban Foreign Ministry has reported on the violation of the island's air space by two pirate planes, which were struck by the Cuban Air Force. Today I have the opportunity of interviewing pilot Juan Pablo Roque, a member of the counterrevolutionary organization Brothers to the Rescue, the organization to which the pilots who were shot down February 24th belong. To begin our conversation: Explain to me when the Brothers to the Rescue organization was created and by whom.

Roque

Brothers to the Rescue was founded in January 1991 in the offices of the Cuban-American National Foundation; specifically the idea was put forward by Martin Perez with former CIA agents Jose Basulto, Billy Shuss, Arnaldo Iglesias and with substantial financial support from the Foundation. They proposed creating an organization that is supposedly, in quotes, of a humanitarian character, to save the lives of the men who set out to sea to try to reach the coast of Florida.

Interviewer

The counterrevolutionary organization Brothers to the Rescue is always connected to the figure Jose Basulto. Who is this man?

Roque

Jose Basulto is the President of the organization Brothers to the Rescue, a man who participated actively with the CIA in infiltrating Cuban territory at the beginning of the 1960s. A man who has been connected to a series of terrorist actions against Cuban territory and in other parts of Central America.

Interviewer

Some people in the United States are questioning the humanitarian character of the Brothers to the Rescue organization because they say they had to prepay the organization to rescue family members who left Cuba illegally. What's the truth of this?

Roque

Yes that is true of the Brothers to the Rescue organization. I know specific cases where they received between two and four thousand dollars to locate family members who had left the country in the Straits of Florida and provide the information to the US Coast Guard.

Interviewer

Juan Pablo, on several occasions Jose Basulto has told the US press that the means he's using to overthrow the Cuban Revolution are absolutely peaceful means. What is the truth of this?

Roque

Peaceful means, that is the central idea and that is the message that Jose Basulto has wanted to send to the world about the Brothers to the Rescue organization. The soul of this organization is a counterrevolutionary organization. Among the counterrevolutionary activities that the organization has engaged in I can cite many. For example, In 1993, Jose Basulto asked me specifically for information on the highway system in the City of Cienfuegos. where he could land and unload cargos of explosives to be placed in high tension towers that would be blown up to disrupt the national energy system. Around I Would say November 1994, April 1995, Basulto gave me Instructions on small shot antipersonnel weapons that Would be brought into the Country to make attacks on persons, above all on the life of the Commander in Chief; and that their distribution and Storage Would be as, a result of possibly winning over personnel from the Revolutionary Armed Forces and Ministry of the interior. There is also the 1995 Meeting Plan, where Basulto says he wants to ensure stronger ties between the counterrevolutionary organizations of Miami and personnel who could help with national terrorist plans within Cuba.

Interviewer

And you have further knowledge of other missions of a subversive, terrorist character.

Roque

I can tell you that Basulto Personally arranged for the Purchase of a Delfin model plane L-29 plane of Czech manufacture to Instruct pilot personnel in taking off and landing on different runways and highway Stretches. The final objective of this jet plane was to try to make direct attacks on Cuban military bases and installations as Well as to kick Off the terrorist plan aimed at a national uprising, and also monitoring the Revolutionary Armed Forces and Ministry of the interior radio frequencies in order to create interference and false signals in the nations defense System.

Interviewer

And the funds for these terrorist activities? Where did they come from?

Roque

The funds for all these activities come essentially from the Cuban American National Foundation, and Cuban American businesses like Bacardi, and others also gave substantial Sums.

Interviewer

It is known that Brothers to the Rescue violated the island's airspace despite Warnings from the Cuban government, Why then did Basulto insist on carrying out the action, knowing the risks that it could carry for the lives of the pilots involved?

Roque

I can tell You that the fundamental Purpose is to Provoke incidents that aggravated relations between Cuba and the United States which is What the Right, the extreme Right of the United States wants.

Interviewer

The government of the United States must know of the activities of Brothers to the ReScue in Cuba.

Roque

Yes, they know about it. I personally informed FBI agent Oscar Montoto under the Pseudonym of Slingman of all the operations carrIed out by Brothers to the Rescue violating Cuban air space. His beeper number is 734-5578. FBI Special Agent Oscar Montoto Is in charge of all violations of neutrality carried out by counterrevolutionary groups in Dade County.

Interviewer

When on July 13, 1995 Jose Basulto violated Cuban air Space and the government of the island presented proof of this to the United States, the US government announced that it would InvestIgate the event and take measures. Do you know some of the measures that the Us government has taken?

Roque

The measures were taken quite coolly; Practically no attention Was paid whatsoever. There Was a report on the Possible consequences that continued violations Would bring and the possibility of a license suspension of one of the Brothers to the Rescue Who did this was evaluated Something Which had no effect because a two person plane can have one pilot sanctioned and the other doesn't have to be Sanctioned, Which means that the pilots are going to be able to keep flying.

Interviewer

The United States government has not recognized that Brothers to the Rescue has violated Cuban air space. What can you tell us about this?

Roque

Brothers to the Rescue has violated Cuban air space on several occasions. Pilots Jose Basulto. Miguel Molares. Billi Shuns on more than one occasion have entered Cuban territory violating all established regulations.

Interviewer

And you have also participated in these actions.

Roque

I personally have violated air space, specifically the last was on January 9, 1996. where I got a call the day before to participate in a flight to havana where thousands of leaflets were going to be released from a height of morn than 9.500 feet at a distance of less than 10 miles from the coast. That is, from quite close in. The mission would be carried out In planes November 2306 and Limasierra November 108. With me was Captain Silly Shuss, the windows were opened In the pianos once the 9500-ft altitude was reached. they wore opened at practically a 45 degree angle. and the leaflets were released into national territory. This violation was repeated on January 13,1996 when thousands of leaflets more were released; the intention was to try to boost the spirits of the counterrevolutionary organizations.

Interviewer

Brothers to the Rescue violated other norms of US international civil aeronautics regulations.

Roque

It constantly violated civil aeronautics regulations. I can cite some examples for you Brothers to the Rescue threw smoke bombs of different day time and night time types from the windows of the planes, including there were times when it struck the propeller. There are structural violations In the airplane like the windows the doors. low altitude flights of less than 50 feet when provisions were thrown out, etc.. false reports of location during flights when at a given moment they were trying to trick the Air controllers. Also alteration of flight plans with flight planned for specific points and detours to Cuban national territory which is the most frequent of these, that is, a flight was planned for the Bahamas with a specific route and the flight was totally altered to deceive the Boyeros Flight Tower.

Interviewer

Why Is Juan Pablo

Roque

in Cuba today?

Roque

I am In Cuba because I want to denounce the organization Brothers to the Rescue and show the world their true character.

During the interview photographs of the principal leaders of Brothers to the Rescue were shown. of Roque with Basulto, purchase receipt for the plane, a video greeting Mas Canosa and photos of Roque with Ileana Ross and with Ninoska Perez. Also a report from Channel 23 in MiamI from July 23, 1995, where a journalist reports that he travelled in Plane 2506 with Basulto and Roque, commenting that 4 Brothers to the Rescue planes were visible from the Malecon in perfect formation. and indicating that shortly thereafter Cuba responded: A Mig.23 that also flew near us during a period of 5 minutes. The final video is of Roque arriving in Havana on Cubana flight.