US Definition of Terrorism on Trial

5-09-05, 7:14pm



Washington (Prensa Latina) Terrorist Luis Posada Carriles´ request for political asylum in the US will challenge what terrorism means for the government of George W. Bush, an article in The New York Times reads Monday.

For Columnist Tim Weiner, the Bush government has three choices: granting the asylum, taking Posada to jail for illegally entering the country, or accepting the extradition request by the Venezuelan Court of Justice.

'Giving the asylum could stir up accusations that the Bush administration is adapting the principle that no country should shelter terrorist suspects. Rejecting it would awaken the political anger of the Miami-based Cuban-American ultra rightwing,' Weiner assured.

Using different sources, the article describes Posada Carriles´ criminal past, including his involvement in the explosion of the Cubana Airlines plane in 1976, the bomb attacks in Havana´s hotels in 1997, and the assassination attempt against the Cuban president during the 10th Ibero-American Summit in 2000 in Panama.

The news and possible confirmation that the terrorist arrived in Miami came to light just as the US government is boasting about an alleged anti-terrorist fight, which is a pretext for maintaining thousand prisoners in US jails and abroad. sus/dig/et/mf