- Jose Antonio Llama
Jose Antonio Llama (Toñin) was a former director on the executive board of the
Cuban American National Foundation (CANF).cite news|title=Cuba's Repressive Machinery: XII. International Policy |year=1999 |publisher=Human Rights Watch] cite news|title=Castro assassination charges |date=August 25, 1998 |publisher=BBC] cite news|title=Scams and scandals among Miami terrorists |publisher=Granma International |date=June 28, 2006 |author=Jean Guy Allard & Gabriel Molina] cite news|title=Former CANF Board member admits to planning terrorist attack against Cuba |publisher=El Nuevo Herald |date=June 25, 2006 |author=Wilfredo Cancio Isla] Llama also took part in the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) backedBay of Pigs Invasion .cite news|title=Plot On Castro Spotlights A Powerful Group |publisher=New York Times |date=May 5, 1998 |author=Ann Louise Bardach & Larry Rother]Paramilitary organization and foundation
According to Llamas the
paramilitary role of CANF was established in June 1992 during an annual congress meeting inNaples, Florida . The idea was born when a member recommended "doing more thanlobbying in Washington" to overthrow theCuba nCommunist government ofFidel Castro .Jorge Mas Canosa and Jose "Pepe" Hernandez were selected as leaders to choose the group for armed operations. Llama has maintained that foundations general board of directors were unaware, including at the time, the board chairmanJorge Mas Santos . With the group established in 1992, the following year brought about more extensive planning, including consideration on what will need to be purchased to carry out their missions. During the 1993 meeting in Puerto Rico, Jose "Pepe" Hernandez was selected as the groups leader due to his "...known record as a fighter in the 2506 Brigade and the Marines."Arrest, indictment and acquittal
On
October 27 ,1997 , off the coast ofAguadilla, Puerto Rico four men were captured by aUnited States Coast Guard Cutter . On board theyacht , "La Esperanza" ( _en. The Hope), were a cache of hidden weapons and military grade intelligence gear, including: (2) .50 calibersniper rifle s, GPS equipment, light weight radios and night-vision goggles and 12 rounds for a .357 pistol.cite news|title=Measures to eliminate international terrorism |publisher=United Nations General Assembly Security Council |author=Ambassador Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla |date=November 6, 2001] cite news|title=Seven Cuban-Americans Charged With Conspiracy to Murder Fidel Castro |date=August 25, 1998 |publisher=United States Department of Justice] The weapons were hidden under a compartment built into the stairs leading to the cabins, and the hatch was hidden by a throw rug. The yacht was registered to a Florida company, Nautical Sports, Inc, whose chief executive officer, director, secretary and treasurer was José Antonio Llama. On August 25, 1998, theUnited States Department of Justice (USDOJ) announced it had indicted Llama with conspiring to murderCuba n leader,Fidel Castro . Particularly in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1117, 1116, and 1111. The USDOJ believed the men were attempting toassassinate Castro while he would be inIsla Margarita ,Venezuela for the Ibero-American Summit.A jury acquitted them in
December 8 ,1999 after a federal judge threw out one of the defendants’ self-incriminating statements. The admission was by Angel Alfonso Aleman, who stated upon the ships boarding by Customs officials: "They are weapons for the purpose of assassinating Fidel Castro." The Cuban ambassador to theUnited Nations cited the trial as "rigged" in an open statement before then United Nations regarding Cuba's anti-terrorism efforts.Admission and lawsuit
Llama, who made a fortune installing air conditioners in Soviet vehicles, admitted in an interview with
El Nuevo Herald the plot to kill Castro and cited other members of CANF as assisting in securing items, funding and participating in the planning. Llama stated he was coming forward because CANF had stolen 1.4 million USD of his money, between 1994 to 1997, to plan the operation which did not go forward. Llama was considering a lawsuit to recoup his money. With the admission came a larger list of items acquired for carrying out the task of assassination, these included: a cargohelicopter , ten ultralight radio-controlled planes, seven vessels and explosives. One of those vessels was the Midnight Express fast boat, meant to take the CANF leader at the time,Jorge Mas Canosa to Cuba if a power struggle erupted or the missions were successful. Another of those vessels was "La Esperanza" which was confiscated by theUnited States Department of the Treasury following the indictments.Llama has since stated he is writing an autobiography titled: "De la Fundacion a la fundicion: historia de una gran estafa" ("From the Foundation to Meltdown: Story of a Big Swindle").
ee also
*
Assassination
*Brigade 2506
*Cuba-United States relations
*Cuban American National Foundation
*Opposition to Fidel Castro References
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