• Submitted by: admin
• Politics and Government
• 05 / 04 / 2007

According to a report to the population from the Interior Ministry, the accused first hijacked a bus, taking several passengers hostage, and then gained access to Jose Marti Airport s national terminal, where they boarded an empty plane.

Once inside the aircraft, the armed men killed one of the hostages, Revolutionary Armed Forces Lt. Col. Victor Ibo Acuna Velazquez, who, despite being unarmed, tried heroically to prevent the terrorists from succeeding.

An effective coordinated action by police thwarted the hijackers" plans and saved the lives of the remaining hostages.

The captured criminals had been on the run since April 29, when they murdered Yoendris Gutierrez, a Military Service recruit guarding a Revolutionary Armed Forces unit. They also wounded another soldier in the action.

The criminals, who were in the same military unit, managed to escape with two AK rifles.

A search to capture was launched at that time, with measures implemented to avoid new victims.

Authorities had the most determined support of the population in the area, which led to the capture of another recruit, an accomplice in the attack on the guard. This accomplice revealed the aim of the criminals was to leave the country illegally.

The Interior Ministry text adds, "this again shows the criminal nature of the Cuban Adjustment Act, which encourages acts of crime and vandalism." US authorities are to be held responsible for these crimes, which add to the long list of terrorist actions suffered by Cuba for nearly half a century, the document concludes.