By Catherine Wilson. Associated Press Writer. Posted April
12 2001. The Sun-Sentinel
MIAMI -- The United States considered Cuba a weakened military power "under
a screwy leadership" in the mid-1990s when five accused Cuban spies were at
work in South Florida, a retired Army general testified for the defense
Wednesday at the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Miami.
Cuba, in turn, is "afraid we're going to attack them," said former
Maj. Gen. Edward Atkeson. "They're not quite paranoid, but they're wary of
us."
His testimony supported defense claims in the trial of the admitted agents
that Cuban espionage poses no harm to the United States and assignments to
penetrate Florida military bases were unlikely to produce any U.S. secrets.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba "was viewed as sort of a
has-been military power under a screwy leadership with possibly some involvement
in drug trade," said Atkeson, who retired in 1984 and has visited Cuba four
times since 1996.
As Cuba's military power and reach weakened after the disintegration of the
Soviet Union, Cuba posed "zero" military threat to the United States,
he said.
"They're not a threat to us. ... It's sort of benign neglect. We just
don't care."
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Buckner ended his cross-examination on a weak
note, with the judge sustaining defense objections to at least eight questions.
Defense attorneys grew restless after hearing only a few words of his final
question, and Buckner conceded, "I'm in trouble already."
Decoded messages indicated two men on trial and a couple who pleaded guilty
in exchange for testimony and reduced sentences were assigned to penetrate
military bases. Accused ringleader Gerardo Hernandez is accused of directing
their work.
The other two co-defendants focused on Cuban exile groups in Miami. The
defense contends they were legally justified because the United States was
either unwilling or unable to prevent exile-supported terrorist acts in Cuba.
Copyright © 2001, South Florida Sun-Sentinel | 