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Cuban soldiers get prison

Convicted of killing a soldier and officer, their lives are spared.

HAVANA - Four Cuban soldiers and a civilian were spared the death penalty for killing a soldier and an officer in a crime spree that ended with a botched attempt to hijack a plane to the United States, a leading rights activist said Wednesday.

It was the second recent case involving killings by soldiers that didn't end in capital punishment - and that's "something positive," said Elizardo Sanchez of the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation. "We hope the government will take other positive steps," Sanchez said, such as commuting the sentences of 50 other inmates believed to be on Cuba's death row.

Sgts. Yoan Torres and Leandro Cerezo received life sentences, and Sgt. Karel de Miranda Rubio got 30 years by a secret military tribunal. Capt. Alain Frobes received a 25-year prison term and a civilian, Ridel Leseaylle Veloz, was sentenced to 15 years.

The soldiers killed one soldier and wounded another while escaping from their base April 29, prompting a nationwide manhunt. They commandeered a city bus four days later, headed to Havana's International Airport and attempted to hijack a plane. Their escape attempt ended in a predawn shootout in which an army lieutenant colonel was killed.

Cuba's government blamed Washington for the attempted hijacking, saying American policy allowing most Cubans to stay if they reach U.S. soil encourages violent attempts to leave the island.

[Last modified September 20, 2007, 01:32:21]