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DATE=5/20/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249638 TITLE=FLORIDA / CUBAN SPIES (L-ONLY) BYLINE=MICHAEL HIBBLEN DATELINE=MIAMI CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THREE MEN IN (THE SOUTHERN U-S STATE OF) FLORIDA WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH SPYING FOR CUBA SAY THEY ARE INNOCENT, AND ARE PLEADING NOT GUILTY TO A FEDERAL CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY INDICTMENT. U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE BRINGING NEW CHARGES AGAINST SOME OF THE 14 PEOPLE NAMED IN THE CASE. REPORTER MICHAEL HIBBLEN HAS MORE FROM MIAMI. TEXT: PROSECUTORS SAY LUIS MEDINA, RENE GONZALEZ AND REUBEN CAMPA WERE PART OF A SPY TEAM THAT INFILTRATED CUBAN EXILE GROUPS IN SOUTH FLORIDA OPPOSED TO CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO. THEY ARE ALSO ACCUSED OF INFILTRATING U-S MILITARY INTELLIGENCE (AT SOUTHERN COMMAND HEADQUARTERS IN MIAMI). BUT THE THREE DEFENDANTS DENY THEY ARE SPIES. THEY PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY CHARGES (THURSDAY) IN U-S FEDERAL COURT. ALICIA VALLE, WITH THE U-S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN MIAMI, SAYS SEVERAL NEW CHARGES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE FEDERAL INDICTMENT IN THE CASE, INCLUDING ONE AGAINST ANOTHER DEFENDANT, GERALDO HERNANDEZ. /// FIRST VALLE ACT /// HE IS CHARGED IN COUNT THREE WITH CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER, REGARDING THE FEDRUARY 24, 1996, SHOOT-DOWN OF THE TWO CUBAN "BROTHERS TO THE RESCUE" AIRPLANES. /// END ACT /// IN THAT INCIDENT, THE CUBAN EXILE GROUP'S PLANES WERE SHOT DOWN BY CUBAN JETS. PROSECUTORS ALLEGE MR. HERNANDEZ TIPPED OFF CUBAN AUTHORITIES ABOUT THE TRIP -- WHICH HE DENIES. FOUR OTHER ALLEGED MEMBERS OF THE SPY RING ARE STILL ON THE LOOSE, INCLUDING FORMER "BROTHERS TO THE RESCUE" MEMBER JUAN PABLO ROQUE. MS. VALLE ALLEGES MR. ROQUE ESTABLISHED A NORMAL LIFE IN SOUTH FLORIDA WHILE FEEDING INFORMATION TO THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT. /// SECOND VALLE ACT /// IN FACT HE BECAME VERY ACTIVE IN "BROTHERS TO THE RESCUE," MARRIED A WIFE HERE, AND ONE DAY BEFORE THE SHOOT-DOWN OF THE "BROTHERS TO THE RESCUE" PLANES IN CUBA HE DISAPPEARED, ONLY TO RESURFACE IN CUBA A FEW DAYS AFTER THE SHOOT-DOWN. /// END ACT /// FIVE OTHER DEFENDANTS IN THIS CASE HAVE PLEADED GUILTY AND ARE COOPERATING WITH U-S AUTHORITIES. MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY THE GROUP DID NOT GET ANY CRITICAL U-S MILITARY INFORMATION. (SIGNED) NEB/MH/WTW 20-May-99 9:10 PM EDT (0110 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .