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DATE=8/25/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-237667 TITLE=CUBAN EXILE INDICTMENTS (L) BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE DATELINE=MIAMI CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: FEDERAL AUTHORITIES HAVE INDICTED SEVEN CUBAN-EXILES ON CHARGES OF CONSPIRING TO MURDER CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO. AMONG THE SEVEN IS A DIRECTOR OF THE INFLUENTIAL LOBBYING GROUP,THE CUBAN AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION. V-O-A'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTSTHE INDICTMENTS WERE HANDED DOWN IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO WHERE COAST GUARD AUTHORITIES FIRST DISCOVERED THE ALLEGED PLOT TO KILL MR. CASTRO LAST YEAR. TEXT: FOLLOWING A LENGTHY INVESTIGATION BY A FEDERAL GRAND JURY PROSECUTORS IN SAN JUAN HAVE CHARGED THE SEVEN CUBAN-AMERICANS WITH PARTICIPATING IN A FOUR-YEAR CONSPIRACY TO KILL FIDEL CASTRO. THE CHARGES STEM FROM AN INCIDENT LAST OCTOBER WHEN U-S COAST GUARD AUTHORITIES STOPPED A 12-METER CABIN CRUISER OFF THE COAST OF PUERTO RICO ON SUSPICION THE VESSEL WAS CARRYING DRUGS. WHEN THEY SEARCHED THE LA ESPERANZA, U-S CUSTOMS AGENTS FOUND NO DRUGS. INSTEAD THEY FOUND TWO ASSAULT RIFLES CAPABLE OF HITTING LONG RANGE TARGETS, PORTABLE RADIOS, A SATELLITE TELEPHONE,MILITARY FATIGUES AND SEVEN BOXES OF HIGH POWERED AMMUNITION. ON BOARD THE VESSEL WERE FOUR CUBAN-EXILES. DURING QUESTIONING ONE OF THEM CLAIMED OWNERSHIP OF THE WEAPONS SAYING HE PLANNED TOUSE THEM TO KILL CUBAN LEADER FIDEL CASTRO AT A LATIN AMERICAN SUMMIT TO BE HELD ON MARGARITA ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF VENEZUELA LAST NOVEMBER. A SUBSEQUENT FEDERAL GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT LA ESPARANZA WAS OWNED BY JOSE ANTONIO LLAMA, A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE CUBAN AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION AND THAT THE BOAT SET SAIL FROM A DOCK WHICH BELONGS TO ANOTHER FOUNDATION MEMBER. MR.LLAMA WAS INDICTED ON TUESDAY BUT THE FOUNDATION'S PRESIDENT FRANCISCO "PEPE" HERNANDEZ WAS NOT, EVEN THOUGH ONE OF THE TWO ASSAULT RIFLES FOUND ON BOARD THE LA ESPERANZA WAS REGISTERED UNDER HIS NAME. U-S OFFICIALS ARE NOT COMMENTING ON THE CASE EXCEPT TO SAY THAT IF CONVICTED THE SEVEN COULD FACE LIFE IMPRISONMENT. // REST OPT // MAX CASTRO IS A SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE AT THE NORTH SOUTH CENTER IN MIAMI. MR. CASTRO WHO IS NOT RELATED TO THE CUBAN LEADER SAYS SOME CUBAN-EXILES BELIEVE GETTING RID OF FIDEL CASTRO BY ANY MEANS IS A WORTHY CAUSE. // INSERT CASTRO ACTUALITY // THE VIEW IS THAT HE IS THE EMBODIMENT OF EVIL. THE EMBODIMENT OF EVERYTHING THAT THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT AND THE CUBAN REVOLUTIONS STANDS FOR THAT HAS TRAUMATIZED THE EXILES, THAT HAS DISPOSSED THEM, THAT HIS DISPLACED THEM. THEY THINK THAT HIS DEATH WILL BE THE END OF THE SYSTEM. // END ACTUALITY // OFFICIALS OF THE CUBAN AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION RELEASED A STATEMENT TUESDAY NIGHT EXPRESSING CONFIDENCE IN THE INNOCENCE OF JOSE ANTONIO LLAMA. THE STATEMENT CALLS THE INDICTMENT POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AND SAYS THE CUBAN AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION DOES NOT SUPPORT VIOLENCE TO ACHIEVE POLITICAL CHANGE IN CUBA. (SIGNED) NEB/JLT/PT 25-Aug-98 6:36 PM EDT (2236 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .