American goes on trial in Cuba on spy charges

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Agence France-Presse

American goes on trial in Cuba on spy charges
Jean-Herve Deiller
March 5, 2011 - 12:29PM

An American who worked as a State Department contractor in Cuba went on trial behind closed doors on espionage charges in a case that has drawn high-level US demands for his release.

Cuban prosecutors are seeking 20 years in prison for Allan Gross, 61, who was arrested in late 2009 for distributing cell phones and computers to members of the island's small Jewish community.

Shortly before the trial began in Havana, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington called on Cuba to release Gross "and unconditionally allow him to leave Cuba and return to his family to bring an end to their long ordeal."

Said Clinton: "It is a matter of great personal pain to his family and concern to the United States government."

Read more: http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/american-goes-on-trial-in-cuba-on-spy-charges-20110305-1bijn.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Half-Century of Conflict Backdrop to Alan Gross Trial

Half-Century of Conflict Backdrop to Alan Gross Trial
By Dalia Acosta

HAVANA, Mar 4, 2011 (IPS) -

~snip~
Leaders of the Jewish community and of the Cuban Council of Churches denied any contact with the U.S. contractor. Meanwhile, Washington devoted 2.6 million dollars to Gross's defence, out of its 20 million dollar 2010 budget for supporting democracy on the island.

"Gross was not arrested because he is Jewish," said Arturo López-Levy, a Cuban lecturer at the University of Denver, Colorado. Jewish delegations from the United States travel regularly to Cuba, and many of them "have donated computers and cellphones to Cuban Jews," he said.

"But none of these groups has a declared strategy of imposing regime change in Cuba through laws approved by the U.S. Congress," he added, calling for a review of programmes to promote a political transition in Cuba, inherited from the administration of George W. Bush (2001-2009).

~snip~
According to Cuban-American lawyer José Pertierra, after Bush took office "the budget for fomenting an opposition in Cuban society allied to the interests of Miami (where most Cuban exiles live) and the White House increased astronomically, from 3.5 million dollars in 2000 to 45 million in 2008."

More:
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=54718

[EFerrari]

2. BushCo never gives up and it never learns, a bad combination. n/t

[karynnj]

7. Though the FL Cuban/American vote is very Republican,

this looks like buying the 2004 FL vote, that they had to steal in 2000. (Though Kerry's excellent work against the illegal assistance to the Contras in the 80s would have likely assured that community's vote.)

[Judi Lynn]

3. Trial of US contractor ends first day in Cuba

Trial of US contractor ends first day in Cuba
By PAUL HAVEN,
Associated Press – Fri Mar 4, 6:59 pm ET

HAVANA –

~snip~
A senior congressional aide with knowledge of the USAID programs told The Associated Press the Cuba effort — which was ramped up under the Bush administration with the goal of promoting "regime change" on the island — was on autopilot by the time President Barack Obama took office.

"Neither the State Department nor USAID knew who all of these people were or what they were doing in the name of the US government and with US taxpayer money," he said, adding that oversight was insufficient to tell whether the programs were effective.

He said the contractors themselves designed and evaluated the programs and determined whether they were doing a good job.

"They had the mandate, the money, and political advocates in Congress," he said.

The aide, who agreed to discuss the matter only if not quoted by name because he was not authorized to discuss the programs with the media, said that "to this day" it is not clear who Gross was working with in Cuba.

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110304/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_cuba_detained_american

[dipsydoodle]

4. BBC report

Mrs Gross has been allowed to visit her husband in prison once, amid protests from the Castro government that the families of five Cuban spies detained in the US for over a decade have not been extended the same courtesy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12641902

[boppers]

5. Internet access without government regulation in Cuba: a crime.

"Cuban prosecutors are seeking 20 years in prison for Allan Gross, 61, who was arrested in late 2009 for distributing cell phones and computers to members of the island's small Jewish community."

That says it all.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Did you not read the first post after the O.P.? Don't take the time to research, either?

Right in this thread, already posted:


Half-Century of Conflict Backdrop to Alan Gross Trial
By Dalia Acosta

HAVANA, Mar 4, 2011 (IPS) -

~snip~
Leaders of the Jewish community and of the Cuban Council of Churches denied any contact with the U.S. contractor. Meanwhile, Washington devoted 2.6 million dollars to Gross's defence, out of its 20 million dollar 2010 budget for supporting democracy on the island.

"Gross was not arrested because he is Jewish," said Arturo López-Levy, a Cuban lecturer at the University of Denver, Colorado. Jewish delegations from the United States travel regularly to Cuba, and many of them "have donated computers and cellphones to Cuban Jews," he said.

"But none of these groups has a declared strategy of imposing regime change in Cuba through laws approved by the U.S. Congress," he added, calling for a review of programmes to promote a political transition in Cuba, inherited from the administration of George W. Bush (2001-2009).

~snip~
According to Cuban-American lawyer José Pertierra, after Bush took office "the budget for fomenting an opposition in Cuban society allied to the interests of Miami (where most Cuban exiles live) and the White House increased astronomically, from 3.5 million dollars in 2000 to 45 million in 2008."

More:
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=54718

[robcon]

8. The desperation of the Cuban police state is evident, again.

Not a chance for freedom of speech while the Cuban gulag is still thriving.

[joshcryer]

13. What's interesting is that they're charging him with a much stronger "trying to destroy Cuba" charge

The subversive charge is fine because it is illegal, by law, to have satellite equipment in Cuba. Gross is guilty of disobeying that law.

Article 91, however, is much more severe, and it is difficult to believe how distributing internet equipment is "detrimental to the Cuban state." It's a shame the trial is not open to the public because I would love to see the public defender talk about how the internet is not necessarily in any way "detrimental to the Cuban state." While pointing out the window toward Venezuela and mentioning the fiber optic line that was laid.

[joshcryer]

11. Cell phones and computers is not the same as internet access.

[boppers]

16. True, but I was recalling earlier articles.

IIRC, it wasn't that he was enabling local phone calls, or helping people to use disconnected computers, but that he was combining the two.

"Gross was arrested in Cuba in December 2009. He is alleged to have violated the "integrity and independence of Cuba" by distributing Internet equipment and satellite phones to Cuban dissident groups. He could face 20 years in prison if convicted."

"The company says Gross was working on a project to bring Internet communications equipment to members of Cuba's small Jewish community, and denies he was working with dissidents. The firm has since ceased its activities in Cuba."

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/americas/US-Contractors-Trial-Resumes-in-Cuba-117462283.html

[boppers]

15. Selective prosecution is nothing new to tyranny.

It's prosecuted as a crime to punish people, but the tyrants always look the other way when their allies commit the same "crimes".

[dipsydoodle]

9. Its perfectly clear when visiting Cuba

that there is a complete bar on the importation of satellite equipment which was the specific equipment involved in this case.

Gross could not possibly have been ignorant of that fact unless he is completely illiterate.

Maybe the dumbfuck is in which he could always try using that as a defense.

[joshcryer]

12. I believe you're mistaken. I think Gross was idiotic, and thought what he was doing was OK.

He openly went to the Jewish community and attempted to distribute equipment that the Cuban government arbitrarily considers subversive. The law he was charged with is completely asinine. When SuperWiFi is available any people in Cuba can trivially get an internet connection, what are they going to do? Invade FL and arrest anyone transmitting "subversive" internet signals?

The state department is using the excuse that they weren't paying enough attention to various USAID projects and that people were just getting free money to "go it alone." While I don't think that's a real excuse there's probably some truth to it, because if Gross had any sense about him he would not have entered Cuba with satellite equipment.

What's really offensive is that he was allowed to disembark his plane with the equipment. Total set up.

[notadmblnd]

10. Maybe the guy should have considered the possibility of great personal pain to his family

before he took the job?:shrug:

[davidinalameda]

14. trial behind closed doors?

interesting

[boppers]

17. Closed to the media.

Lawyers, families, and US government officials are allowed access.

Sentencing by judges can take place upon presentation of evidence.

Very different system.