Prosecutors in Cuba have charged six Cuban nationals with “crimes of terrorism,” accusing them of entering Cuban waters aboard a US-flagged speedboat loaded with weapons to foment unrest. The vessel was intercepted by the Cuban coast guard last week, triggering a shootout in which four people aboard the speedboat were killed and six others wounded.
Cuba’s Interior Ministry says the group opened fire on a border guard vessel as the coast guard approached to demand identification. Authorities displayed photos they said showed bullet holes from the exchange, which they said occurred at a range of about 20 meters. Cuban forces returned fire and detained six survivors. Officials reported the boat carried firearms of various calibers, including 14 rifles, 11 pistols and nearly 13,000 rounds of ammunition.
Cuba said at least two of the detainees had prior accusations of involvement in terrorism. Prosecutor Edward Robert Campbell warned that, if convicted, the detainees could face prison terms of 10 to 15 years for lesser offenses and 20 to 30 years — or the death penalty — for the most serious charges.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Cuba and the United States, which has recently halted oil shipments to the island. US political leaders have expressed skepticism about Cuba’s account and called for independent investigations. Senator Marco Rubio said the episode was not a US operation and that no US government personnel were involved.
Edited by: Zac Crellin