Obama invited to visit Cuba -- and bring jailed Cubans with himObama invited to visit Cuba -- and br

[Judi Lynn]

Obama invited to visit Cuba -- and bring jailed Cubans with himObama invited to visit Cuba -- and bring jailed Cubans with him
By Shasta Darlington, CNN
September 22, 2010 -- Updated 1622 GMT (0022 HKT)

Havana. Cuba (CNN) -- U.S. President Barack Obama has been issued an unexpected invitation to visit Cuba -- from the island's 90-year-old prima ballerina, who implored him to bring along five Cuban agents imprisoned in the United States for more than a decade.

"I want to invite the president of the United States to come to Cuba with his wife and lovely children," Alicia Alonso said at an event to call for the release of the agents, who were convicted of spying on Cuban exile groups in a hotly debated trial.

"I would ask a favor also. Please, to make everyone happy and to feel happy with all around the world, bring those five Cubans," Alonso said in English.

White House officials contacted Wednesday morning said they were not aware that any such invitation had been received.

The Cubans, known at home as "the five heroes," were sent to Miami to infiltrate violent exile groups at a time when anti-Castro groups were bombing Cuban hotels. They were arrested in 1998.

More:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/09/22/cuba.obama.invitation/index.html

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Alicia Alonso, formerly prima ballerina,
director of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba.