Panamanian President Under Pressure To Free Terrorists

Agencia Cubana de Noticias (AIN), 25 August 2004

Havana, August 25 (AIN) Reactionary sectors within and outside Panama are pressuring Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso to pardon Cuban-born terrorists headed by Luis Posada Carriles, mastermind of a number of criminal acts.

This statement was made by Panamanian attorney Julio Berrios who is involved in the judicial process against terrorist Posada Carriles and his accomplices, according to Radio Havana Cubas web page.

The Panamanian lawyer reported that several actions will take place on Thursday to reveal the intentions of Panamanian authorities to pardon four Cuban-born terrorists that attempted to assassinate Cuban President Fidel Castro during an Ibero-American Summit in 2000.

The attorney said he is opposed to the presidents plans and pointed out that a reduction in sentence or conditional release cannot be carried out by the president after the sentenced for the four was handed down and executed.

Behind Mireya Moscosos decision is pressure from right wing Cuban-American organizations in Miami and certain sectors in Panama. These elements are seeking the release of the four terrorists under the pretext that they are ill and elderly an unacceptable excuse said Panamanian attorney Julio Berrios.