New maneuver to protect Posada Carriles

BY DEISY FRANCIS MEXIDOR—Granma daily staff writer—

A new political maneuver is underway aimed at smoothing the road for terrorist Luis Posada Carriles. On April 20, in El Paso, Texas, immigration authorities and lawyers are to meet with the terrorist to decide whether or not to grant him naturalization as a U.S. citizen.

Behind this interest, there is an obvious attempt to paralyze the extradition process.

It is clear that Posada Carriles is a torturer and terrorist and the U.S. government would be involved in an unprecedented scandal if it were to accept citizenship being granted to an individual who it has acknowledged is a danger to natural security.

At the same time, news has begun to circulate regarding the presentation of a habeas corpus on behalf of the murderer, given that if he is not put on trial, preventative detention has facilitated that recourse.

All of these possibilities regarding double talk in the fight against terrorism were discussed Thursday night (April 6) during the "Roundtable" television program titled "Posada Carriles, Orlando Bosch, anti-Cuban terrorism and the criminal policies of the White House."

The Venezuelan Supreme Court submitted its application for Posada’s extradition in May 2005, basing it not only on his terrorist history with respect to Cuba, but also to his links with the Venezuelan secret police (DISIP).

Randy Alonso, the "Roundtable" moderator, confirmed that to date, the only procedure taken against Posada is an administrative one regarding immigration issues.

In a telephone call from Washington, attorney José Pertierra noted that the attempt to grant naturalization is nothing more than a maneuver that was probably set in motion "before Posada arrived in the United States."