DATE=7/16/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235595
TITLE=CUBA FOUNDATION / TIMES (L)
BYLINE=BILL RODGERS
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  AN INFLUENTIAL CUBAN EXILE GROUP IN THE UNITED STATES 
SAYS IT WILL SUE THE NEW YORK TIMES FOR ARTICLES THIS WEEK 
LINKING THE GROUP'S LATE FOUNDER TO AN ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVIST 
INVOLVED IN TERRORIST ACTIVITIES.  AS V-O-A'S BILL RODGERS 
REPORTS, TOP OFFICIALS OF THE CUBAN-AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION 
MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT A WASHINGTON NEWS CONFERENCE THURSDAY.

TEXT:  TOP OFFICIALS OF THE CUBAN AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION 
APPEARED AT A WELL-ATTENDED NEWS CONFERENCE THURSDAY TO DENOUNCE 
THE NEW YORK TIMES, FOR WHAT THEY SAID ARE BIASED AND DEFAMATORY 
ARTICLES.  THE FRONT-PAGE STORIES, WHICH APPEARED SUNDAY AND 
MONDAY, QUOTE AN ANTI-CASTRO CUBAN ACTIVIST AS SAYING HE RECEIVED
MONEY FROM THE GROUP'S LATE FOUNDER, JORGE MAS CANOSA, TO CARRY 
OUT TERRORIST ACTIVITIES AGAINST CUBA. 

THE ACTIVIST, LUIS POSADA CARRILES, SAID AMONG THOSE ACTIVITIES 
WAS LAST YEAR'S BOMBING CAMPAIGN AGAINST HOTELS IN HAVANA 
CATERING TO FOREIGN TOURISTS.  AN ITALIAN TOURIST WAS KILLED IN 
ONE OF THE EXPLOSIONS.

BUT OFFICIALS OF THE FOUNDATION, AN INFLUENTIAL ANTI-CASTRO 
LOBBYING GROUP, DISMISS ALL THIS AS MALICIOUS LIES -- AND ACCUSED
THE NEW YORK TIMES OF TRYING TO UNDERMINE THE ORGANIZATION.  AT 
THE NEWS CONFERENCE, THEY PLAYED AN INTERVIEW VIDEOTAPED WITH MR.
POSADA CARRILES EARLIER THIS WEEK IN WHICH HE DENIED EVER MAKING 
THE STATEMENTS PUBLISHED IN THE ARTICLES.  

MR. MAS CANOSA'S SON, JORGE MAS SANTOS, TOLD REPORTERS THE 
FOUNDATION AND THE MAS FAMILY WILL PURSUE ALL AVENUES, INCLUDING 
A LAWSUIT, TO MAKE THE NEW YORK TIMES RECANT.

                      ///MAS SANTOS ACT/// 

         WE ARE GOING TO PURSUE ABSOLUTELY EVERY REMEDY AVAILABLE
         TO US BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO PERMIT THE NEW YORK TIMES
         OR ANYONE TO IMPUGN THE MEMORY AND LEGACY OF MY FATHER 
         WITH THESE FALSEHOODS. 

                          ///END ACT///

//OPT/  THE LAWYER REPRESENTING THE FOUNDATION, GEORGE FOWLER, 
TOLD REPORTERS THURSDAY A LAWSUIT WILL BE FILED SOON, PROBABLY IN
MIAMI.  BUT HE WARNED OTHER LAWSUITS MAY BE FILED ELSEWHERE.  

                        ///FOWLER ACT/// 

         THE LIKELIHOOD IS WE'LL FILE IN MIAMI, BUT THERE MAY BE 
         OTHER VENUES THAT WE MAY SEEK BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF
         PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DEFAMED BY THE ARTICLES -- NOT 
         JUST THE FOUNDATION BUT LEADERS OF THE ORGANIZATION 
         THROUGHOUT FEEL VERY MUCH AGGRIEVED BY THESE ARTICLES SO
         THERE MAY BE SUITS FILED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.  

                          ///END ACT///

MR. FOWLER SAID THE PLAINTIFFS WILL SEEK MONETARY DAMAGES FROM 
THE NEWSPAPER.  //END OPT///

IN THE MEANTIME, THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS ISSUED A LENGTHY 
STATEMENT BACKING ITS STORIES AND THE TWO REPORTERS THAT WROTE 
THEM.  THE NEWSPAPER SAID THE PUBLISHED REMARKS OF MR. POSADA 
CARRILES ARE CONTAINED IN 13 HOURS OF TAPED INTERVIEWS AND 
CONVERSATIONS.  IT SAID INFORMATION FROM MORE THAN 100 SOURCES 
WERE USED TO WRITE THE ARTICLES, INCLUDING U-S INTELLIGENCE 
DOCUMENTS DETAILING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MR. POSADA AND THE 
LATE FOUNDATION LEADER, JORGE MAS CANOSA.  (SIGNED) 

NEB/WFR/JO

16-Jul-98 4:21 PM EDT (2021 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.