High court won't look into 'Cuban 5' espionage case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday refused to review the convictions of five Cuban intelligence agents who say they did not receive a fair trial because of strong anti-Castro sentiment in Miami.

The justices left in place the convictions of the so-called "Cuban Five," despite calls from Nobel Prize winners and international legal groups to review the case.

The five — Ruben Campa, Rene Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez, Luis Medina and Antonio Guerrero — were convicted on charges of acting as unregistered Cuban agents in the United States and of espionage conspiracy for attempting to penetrate U.S. military bases.

Hernandez was also convicted of murder conspiracy in the deaths of four Miami-based pilots whose planes, part of the Brothers to the Rescue organization, were shot down by Cuban fighter jets in 1996 off the island's coast.

The five have been lionized as heroes in Cuba, while exile groups say they were justly punished.

Ten Nobel Prize winners and lawyers and legal groups from more than a dozen countries groups urged the high court to step into the case.

The Obama administration contended that the convictions were fairly won, and that high court review was unnecessary.

A three-judge panel of the federal appeals court in Atlanta initially reversed the convictions, agreeing with the defendants that the trial should have been moved from Miami.

But the full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the convictions.

Hernandez is serving a life sentence, while Gonzalez is serving a prison term of 15 years.

The appeals court ordered new sentences for the other three men, including two who originally were given life in prison.

The case is Campa v. U.S., 08-987.



by the associated press

U.S. Tourists in Cuba , may be to much to bear

HAVANA — A push in Congress to do away with U.S. travel bans on Cuba could set off a flood of American visitors to the long-forbidden island.

But many wonder if a country where foreigners have long complained about lousy food, sluggish service and iffy infrastructure is ready for an onslaught of Americans.

Cuba has about as many hotel rooms as Detroit and most are already full of Canadians and Europeans. Experts say droves of Americans could drive up prices, unleash calls for more flights and cruises than Cuba can handle and force the government to tighten visa restrictions to regulate the stampede.

"There is great pent-up demand,” said Bob Whitley, president of the United States Tour Operators Association, which opposes the travel ban. "It will have to be controlled by officials in Cuba, but also by U.S. tour operators to make sure the infrastructure is up to it.”

Bills in the U.S. House and Senate would effectively allow all Americans to visit.

Just how many U.S. travelers would come if Cuba weren’t off-limits is a guess. The American Society of Travel Agents estimated that nearly 1.8 million Americans could visit in the first three years after travel rules were loosened.

To control the flow, Cuba might tighten rules on visas. Currently, tourist cards can be purchased at airports outside the U.S. or through travel agents.

"The Cuban government may go, ‘Just because you say your people can come doesn’t mean we have to let everyone in,’” said John Kavulich, senior policy adviser for the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council in New York. "People forget the United States is not the only one with a say".

by the associated press