04-11-06,8:49am

Luis Posada Carriles’ release seems imminent, though this might seem paradoxical given the US government’s announcement to keep him confined and its self-professed “efforts” to arrange his extradition.

The recent statement made by the US Homeland Security Department is not a goodwill gesture, but an additional component of a twisted political campaign meant to obstruct justice and give protection to a faithful servant of imperialist interests.

Washington knows very well what would be the consequences if were to place Posada in the hands of a third country, it would be easily letting go another “Deep Throat.” This is one of the reasons that makes his deportation less probable, despite formal efforts to appear to be attempting otherwise.

What government would be willing to jeopardize its national security if it accepted such a character? We could think of Central American nations which opened their borders to facilitate Posada’s illegal entry into the United States. But it is not the same to officially shelter him; that would mean being responsible for his life and actions. Any nation daring to face such a risk would be burdened with a very heavy cross on its shoulders.

Despite of these realities, shady characters such as Posada’s principal attorney, Eduardo Soto, try to ignore the defendant’s terrorist record. They prefer not to take into account that Posada was linked with the blowing up of a Cuban airliner, that he is a fugitive from Venezuelan justice; that he participated in the illegal, undercover Iran-Contra operation; that he tortured and executed Venezuelan and Central American revolutionaries; that he planned terrorist actions inside and outside Cuba, and organized assassination attempts against Cuban President Fidel Castro on several occasions.

This is exercise of cover-up —a tradition of many US politicians— which seems to also form part of the twisted personality of Soto, who shamefully says Posada Carriles is not a threat to the community. The lawyer is apparently attempting to blackmail the American government by submitting an appeal for habeas corpus to the federal court demanding his client’s immediate release as payment for what he calls “services” lent by Posada to the US government, particularly to the CIA.

The single truth voiced by the attorney in recent statements made to the Miami media is that “Fidel Castro is the only one who could feel himself in danger with Posada Carriles’ release.” This is outrageous! Such a statement confirms that the 78-year-old man has never given up the idea of physically eliminating the leader of the Cuban Revolution.

Together with the Homeland Security Department’s decision, there is other news that pointedly calls people’s attention: Posada Carriles may appear before a court in Fort Lauderdale. He may be sent there to serve as a defense witness in a May trial of his known “benefactor,” Santiago Alvarez Fernandez Magrina – arrested in Miami, together with his henchman Osvaldo Mitat, for the illegal possession of weapons.

This announcement is not an isolated fact; it is part of the media-orchestrated campaign by the American government to facilitate the notorious terrorist’s release.

Posada Carriles’ simple presence as a witness in a federal court reveals once again the US authorities’ known complicity with anti-Cuban terrorism. It appears that we will soon be seeing the “beatification” of Luis Posada Carriles. This is note an exaggeration; there is already a school in South Florida named after his fanatically anti-Cuban personal pal, Jorge Mas Canosa.

History is about to repeat itself. Posada believes that favors done for the Bush dynasty should be rewarded, as happened almost 16 years ago for self-professed terrorist Orlando Bosch, who continues to freely walk the streets of Miami.