US indicts Raul Castro over 1996 civilian aircraft shoot-down
The United States Department of Justice has unsealed a superseding indictment charging Raul Modesto Castro Ruz and five other alleged members of the Cuban regime for the 1996 shoot-down of Brothers to the Rescue aircraft, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The case relates to an incident that resulted in the deaths of four U.S. nationals. The indictment also names Lorenzo Alberto Perez-Perez, Emilio José Palacio Blanco, José Fidel Gual Barzaga, Raul Simanca Cardenas, and Luis Raul Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez. Prosecutors allege the defendants played roles in planning and executing the operation that targeted the aircraft on February 24, 1996.
According to the U.S. Justice Department, Cuban military fighter jets, operating under a chain of command allegedly overseen by Raul Castro, shot down two civilian Cessna aircraft while they were flying in international airspace. Authorities say the attack was carried out without warning.
Prosecutors allege the operation followed prior intelligence gathering and surveillance of Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based humanitarian organization that flew over the Florida Straits to search for Cuban migrants in distress. The indictment claims that Cuban intelligence had infiltrated the group and relayed operational details to military leadership.
The defendants face charges including conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction of aircraft, and murder. If convicted, they could face sentences ranging from long-term imprisonment to life in prison or the death penalty, depending on the counts.
The Justice Department emphasized that one of the defendants is currently in U.S. custody on a separate immigration matter. Officials said the case is part of ongoing efforts to pursue accountability for the deaths of American citizens, while noting that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that on Tuesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged G7 partners to support Washington’s efforts to target Iran’s financial networks, saying coordinated action was needed to cut off funding linked to terrorism.
