Panamanian justice rules that Posada and his accomplices should stand trial
• The terrorists, their lawyers and supporters not only have to accept the prison route, without a chance of release in the foreseeable future, but also the triumph of justice despite months and months of a loud and indecent press campaign and lies

BY JEAN-GUY ALLARD—Granma International special correspondent—

PANAMA.— For Luis Posada Carriles and his fellow terrorists, their supporters and those benefiting from the impunity reigning in Miami, the defeat was a total one. And for the defenders of truth and dignity, those combating death and terror, the victory was an exemplary one. It is simply that Posada, his accomplices, their lawyers and supporters of terrorism not only had to accept the prison route without a chance of release in the foreseeable future but also the triumph of justice after months and months of a loud and indecent press campaign and lies.

Worse still, in the terror bandits’ court, the defense managed to offend both the prosecution and the judge with a series of interventions and threats created for "show" but disastrous in the legal sphere. Rogelio Cruz, the former attorney general of the Republic of Panama, who was deposed for his links with Colombian drug trafficking, lowered the tone of his plea to the point of stating that the Public Ministry dossier was "garbage" and threatening the judge by protesting before the international human rights organizations.

The peak of absurdity from the representative of individuals who, according to FBI files, have dedicated their entire lives to killing innocent people and inciting others to do the same.

Approaching to within centimeters of Judge Enrique Paniza and threatening him with his forefinger, Cruz spat out at the magistrate: "You have shut your eyes to the truth." A total lack of respect, after having declared that the presiding judge – who acting throughout with an impeccable reserve – was prejudiced and had already decided to bring the accused to trial before hearing his arguments: "I believe that you have already made your decision, Mr. Judge," he stated.

"Judges don’t respect public liberties," he commented outside the courtroom, allowing himself to present a suitable image for his Miami clientele who, without any doubt, are contributing to lining his pockets.

Talking to Granma and making a very strong point, Rafael Rodríguez, one of the defense lawyers representing the popular groups, wondered how his colleague could justify his millionaire fees after such a defeat.

"This is the fault of Cuba, which wants to control the world," the non-accredited correspondent for Ninoska Pérez Castellón angrily shouted into his cell phone at the entrance to the Maritime Court where the hearing took place. "And I thought that Panama was a democratic country!" he added.

Judge Paniza’s final speech – in which he carefully and wisely presented the deliberations based on wide-ranging jurisprudence that led him to determine that the terrorists should stand trial – lasted for more than three hours, which destroyed the nerves of the Miami mini-troupe which ended up meeting in the corridor, while one after another, Posada, Remón and Novo filed out of the courtroom to use the bathroom. Jiménez, who is still distancing himself from the others, remained sleeping in his seat.

Finally, at around midnight, the judged concluded by arraigning Posada, Remón, Novo and Jiménez, as well as Raúl Rodríguez Hamouzova, another Cuban-American terrorist who disappeared when Posada was arrested. Hamouzova has legal representation and, although he is a fugitive from justice, will also be tried on charges of illicit association in order to commit a crime, an attempt on the collective security and illegal possession of explosives.

The judge also opened a case against César Matamoros, the Panamanian representative of the Miami mafia who took care of the logistics for the attempt on the life of President Fidel Castro and tried to deceive both the police and the justice system, and his employee, José Manuel Hurtado Viverez, a humble Panamanian whom the defense lawyers view as the victim of an abusive boss.

On the other hand, Paniza showed clemency toward Panamanians Concepción Figueroa and Francisco Arrocha, also the victims of orders given by Matamoros to his employee, and confirmed the quashing of the charges against terrorist José Valladares – who owned the farm where the explosives were hidden – who died in November 2002.

For the first time this week, Posada and his hired killers occupied prime position in the written press headlines, while Panamanian television continued with a wide and balanced coverage.

"Cubans to be tried for conspiracy against Fidel," was the main headline blazoned across the five columns of El Panamá América, with the subtitle "Fifth Penal Court judge finds sufficient evidence for an in-depth hearing." La Prensa proclaimed on its front page: "Posada Carriles to stand trial," with a photo of the terrorist being firmly escorted by a police officer in civilian clothes.

Although television coverage has been ample and dynamic, the journalist coverage given to Posada Carriles in Panama since his arrest, and likewise cables from the main international agencies, have deliberately avoided stressing the four individuals’ international terrorist status.

In fact, this case has all the elements for being a cause célèbre at international level, if it were not for decisions determined by the large information cartels:

Posada was responsible for blowing up a passenger plane in full flight, killing 73 persons; he committed acts of torture in various countries, even with the complicity of Pinochet’s police; he was involved in the assassination of President Kennedy to the extent that certain experts have located him in Dealey Square with his finger on the trigger.

Remón killed a Cuban diplomat to the UN in Manhattan, blasting him with a MAC-10 in front of his 12-year-old son.

Novo took part in the murder of former Chilean foreign minister Orlando Letelier and his aide Ronni Moffit, and headed operations for the sinister CORU organization, which executed more than 50 terrorist attacks in which he personally participated, stretching from Canada to Latin America.

Jiménez killed a Cuban official in Mexico, ordered the deaths of two Cuban diplomats in Argentina and buried them in the foundations of a building under construction, as well as four further crimes.

They were all linked to drug trafficking in one way or another.

What more does CNN need to guarantee its sacrosanct ratings?

But the big "international" disinformation channels wound up ignoring the little courtroom of the Panama Maritime Court… while on Thursday, September 4, the U.S. ambassador to Panama publicly condemned terrorism, but the other kind… that of Middle east fundamentalists. He ignored the Miami-Dade variety.