The deadly plane downing at the heart of Raúl Castro's indictment
Raúl Castro has been indicted on murder charges in the United States related to the 1996 downing of two planes operated by Brothers to the Rescue. The indictment revives a significant historical incident between the U.S. and Cuba, as Castro was the defense minister at the time. The U.S. has charged Castro with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals and other serious offenses, although extradition seems unlikely.
- ▪Raúl Castro has been indicted on murder charges in the U.S. related to a 1996 plane downing.
- ▪The planes were operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a group aiding Cuban refugees.
- ▪Cuban fighter planes shot down two unarmed Cessnas, killing four men, including three U.S. citizens.
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The deadly 1996 plane downing at the heart of Raúl Castro's indictmentBy Annabel Bowles with wiresTopic:World PoliticsThu 21 May 2026 at 12:28pmThu 21 May 2026 at 12:28pmThu 21 May 2026 at 12:28pmRaul Castro has been indicted on murder charges in the United States. (AP: Ariana Cubillos)abc.net.au/news/the-1996-plane-downing-at-centre-of-raul-castro-indictment/106704430Link copiedShareShare articleThe United States has indicted former Cuban president Raúl Castro on murder charges, three decades after the alleged offences occurred.The charges stem from a 1996 downing of two planes operated by a Miami-based group known as Brothers to the Rescue, founded by Cuban exiles.Raúl Castro was defence minister at the time and Cuba's highest authority after his brother, Fidel Castro.Brothers to the…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).