Non-Aligned Countries Condem Release of Terrorist Luis Posada by US Court

The Non-Aligned Movement, an international organization grouping more than 100 states, expressed "great concern" over the release by a U.S. judge of Luis Posada Carriles, a Cuban-born Venezuelan citizen convicted in the bombing of a Cuban airliner.
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April 22, 2006.- The Non-Aligned Movement, an international organization grouping more than 100 states, expressed "great concern" over the release by a U.S. judge of Luis Posada Carriles, a Cuban-born Venezuelan citizen convicted in connection with the bombing of a Cuban airliner that killed 73 people.

Posada, a former CIA operative an a militant of the Cuban-American movement against Cuban leader Fidel Castro, was recently released from a U.S. jail on a $350,000 bail while awaiting trial for entering the country illegally.

The Non-Aligned Movement, issued a statement last week urging the U.S. to fulfill international obligations by extraditing perpetrators of terrorist acts. "All States once again, consistent with the UN Charter, to fulfill their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law in the fight against terrorism, including by prosecuting or, where appropriate, extraditing the perpetrators of terrorist acts."

The statement also demands that all states refrain from extending, political, diplomatic, moral or material support for terrorism.
Posada was convicted in Venezuela in connection with the bombing, but escaped from jail. He was later convicted in Panama in connection with a terrorist plot aimed at assassinating president Fidel Castro, but was released in 2004 thanks to a Presidential Pardon by the outgoing Panamanian president. He later entered the U.S. illegally, and was detained by authorities.
Venezuelan authorities, who have officially requested Posada’s extradition, have also condemned Posada’s release, and have accused the U.S. government of violating international anti-terrorist laws and treaties.

The statement in its entirety follows:

STATEMENT BY THE 118 MEMBERS OF THE NON-ALIGNEDMOVEMENT ON THE RELEASE OF THE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISTLUIS POSADA CARRILES

New York
April 20, 2007

The Non-Aligned Movement has received with greatconcern the news issued by international news agencieson the release on bail of the notorious internationalterrorist Luis Posada Carriles by decision of a UnitedStates Court.

As it is very well know, Mr. Posada Carriles isresponsible for numerous terrorist actions againstCuba and other countries, including the terroristattack on a Cubana de Aviación aircraft in October1976, which caused the death to 73 innocent civiliansfrom different countries, for which the Government ofthe Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has requested hisextradition to the Government of the United States.Despite this fact, he was been detained in UnitedStates territory under a simple accusation of animmigration violation, while the Venezuelan requesthas been ignored.

The Movement reaffirms its strong and unequivocalcondemnation of terrorism in all its forms andmanifestations, as well as all acts, methods andpractices of terrorism wherever, by whosoever, andagainst whomsoever committed, including those in whichStates are directly or indirectly involved, which areunjustifiable whatever the considerations or factorsthat may be invoked to justify them.

1.The Movement urges all States once again, consistentwith the UN Charter, to fulfill their obligationsunder international law and international humanitarianlaw in the fight against terrorism, including byprosecuting or, where appropriate, extraditing theperpetrators of terrorist acts; by preventing theorganization, instigation or financing of terroristacts against other States from within or outside theirterritories or by organizations based in theirterritories; by refraining from organizing,instigating, assisting, financing or participating interrorist acts in the territories of other States; byrefraining from encouraging activities within theirterritories directed towards the commission of suchacts; by refraining from allowing the use of theirterritories for planning, training or financing forsuch acts; or by refraining from supplying arms orother weapons that could be used for terrorist acts inother States.

2.The Movement demands that all States refrain fromextending, political, diplomatic, moral or materialsupport for terrorism, and in this context, urges allStates, consistent with the UN Charter and infulfilling their obligations under international law,to ensure that refugee status or any other legalstatus is not abused by the perpetrators, organizersor facilitators of terrorist acts, and that claims ofpolitical motivation by them are not recognized asgrounds for refusing requests for their extradition.

As it was agreed by the Heads of State and Governmentof the Non-Aligned Movement at the 14th SummitConference held in Havana on September 2006, theMovement reiterates its support for the extraditionrequest that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuelainterposed to the Government of the United States tobring Mr. Luis Posada Carriles to justice.

New York, April 20, 2007