Cuba and Iran slam U.S. in U.N. terrorism debate
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Envoys from Cuba and Iran sharply criticized the United States on Wednesday at a U.N. Security Council debate on counter-terrorism, accusing it of supporting "terrorists" bent on attacking their countries.
The Cuban ambassador to the United Nations, Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz, called on the Council to urge the United States to take action against Luis Posada Carriles, 80, who is wanted in Cuba and Venezuela on suspicion of masterminding the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner that killed 73 people.
The anti-Castro militant entered the United States illegally in 2005 and sought asylum. A judge dismissed the immigration case in June but the government is appealing.
"There is no doubt today that the true intention was to prevent the details of his criminal actions under CIA orders from becoming public," Malmierca Diaz said during a council debate on counter-terrorism.
He added that the U.S. appeal had failed to mention Posada Carriles' "long terrorist record."
The Security Council "must demand that the U.S. government immediately sentence Luis Posada Carriles for his terrorist acts or extradite him to ... Venezuela, where he has long been wanted by the justice (authorities)," Malmierca Diaz said.
He also criticized the United States for giving "laughable sentences" to three of Posada Carriles' associates who last month got jail terms of less than a year for obstruction of justice for refusing to testify against Posada Carriles.
A Venezuelan envoy told the council she agreed with Cuba.
U.S. envoy Carolyn Willson rejected the Cuban ambassador's allegations, saying the United States had taken a number of steps against Posada Carriles but that sufficient evidence to justify his extradition for the bombing was lacking.
She added that a U.S. court had decided that Posada Carriles should not be extradited to Cuba or Venezuela because "it was more likely than not that he would be tortured."
IRAN: U.S. BACKS TERRORISTS
An Iranian envoy also addressed the council, accusing the United States of supporting the Iraq-based People's Mujahideen (MKO) guerrilla group. The MKO is banned as a terrorist group in Iran, the United States and the European Union.
"Its elements and members continue to enjoy support and receive safe haven in the U.S. and some European countries, including some member states of the EU," the envoy said.
The MKO's political wing, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), is banned in the United States as a terrorist organization but remains legal in the EU. The MKO advocates overthrowing the Islamic leadership of Iran.
Washington issued no direct rebuttal of the comments.
But Richard Grenell, a spokesman for the U.S. mission to the United Nations, responded by referring to the Security Council's March 3 adoption of a third round of U.N. sanctions against Iran for refusing to halt its enrichment work.
"Our response to the Iranians was the ... Security Council resolution in which the international community said again Iran was in violation of international (nuclear) demands," he said.
Washington also accuses Iran of supporting Middle Eastern militant organizations including Hezbollah and Hamas.
The NCRI first revealed the existence of Iran's clandestine uranium enrichment program in August 2002. The United States and other Western countries fear it is part of a plan to get the capability to produce atomic weapons but Tehran says is at the heart of a peaceful civilian nuclear energy program.
(Editing by Todd Eastham)
