DATE=7/13/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235404
TITLE= CUBAN EXILE DENIAL (L)
BYLINE= JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE= MIAMI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: CONTROVERSY IS GROWING OVER TWO REPORTS IN THE NEW YORK 
TIMES NEWSPAPER WHICH SAY AN INFLUENTIAL CUBAN-EXILE ORGANIZATION
BASED IN THE UNITED STATES FINANCED A SERIES OF BOMBINGS LAST 
YEAR IN CUBA.  VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS FROM OUR MIAMI BUREAU, A 
CUBAN-EXILE QUOTED BY THE NEWSPAPER NOW SAYS HIS REPORTED 
INTERVIEW IS COMPLETELY FALSE.   

TEXT: LUIS POSADA-CARRILES IS A LONGTIME ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVIST WHO
HAS BEEN LINKED TO A SERIES OF BOMBINGS LAST YEAR IN CUBA.  MR. 
POSADA-CARRILES WHO LIVES OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WAS QUOTED BY
THE NEW YORK TIMES AS SAYING TOP OFFICIALS OF THE CUBAN AMERICAN 
NATIONAL FOUNDATION, INCLUDING ITS LATE CHAIRMAN JORGE MAS 
CANOSA, FINANCED THE BOMBINGS.   

THE FOUNDATION STRONGLY DENIES THE ALLEGATIONS AND LATE MONDAY, 
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SPANISH LANGUAGE NETWORK UNIVISION,   SO
DID MR. POSADA-CARRILES. 

                 // INSERT SPANISH ACTUALITY // 

MR. POSADA-CARRILES SAYS THE FOUNDATION'S LATE CHAIRMAN JORGE MAS
CANOSA NEVER SENT HIM ANY MONEY AND THAT ALL OF HIS ANTI-CASTRO 
ACTIVITIES WERE UNDERTAKEN INDEPENDENTLY.  

FOR ITS PART THE NEW YORK TIMES SAYS IT STANDS BY ITS REPORTS AND
SAYS THAT ITS INTERVIEWS WITH LUIS POSADA-CARRILES WERE TAPED.  
ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY THE PAPER RAN TWO LENGTHY ARTICLES QUOTING 
MR. POSADA-CARRILES AS SAYING HE RECEIVED MORE THAN TW0-HUNDRED 
THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM JORGE MAS CANOSA AND THAT HE USED PART OF 
THE MONEY TO RECRUIT A SALVADORAN MERCENARY, WHO HAS SINCE BEEN 
ARRESTED BY CUBAN AUTHORITIES, TO PLANT BOMBS AT SEVERAL HOTELS 
IN HAVANA.  

AN ITALIAN VISITING THE ISLAND WAS KILLED IN ONE OF THE ATTACKS 
WHICH CUBAN AUTHORITIES QUICKLY BLAMED ON MIAMI-BASED EXILES 
INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE FOUNDATION.  

// REST OPT // SEVERAL FOUNDATION MEMBERS INCLUDING ITS CURRENT 
PRESIDENT HAVE BEEN LINKED BY U-S LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES TO 
A SEPARATE ALLEGED PLOT TO KILL FIDEL CASTRO AT A LATIN AMERICAN 
SUMMIT IN VENEZUELA LAST YEAR. FOUNDATION MEMBERS, HOWEVER, 
STRONGLY DENY ANY INVOLVEMENT IN THE ALLEGED PLOT AND SAY THEIR 
ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO PEACEFUL CHANGE IN CUBA. (SIGNED) 

NEB/JLT/PLM

13-Jul-98 8:15 PM EDT (0015 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.