Former Cuban leader Raul Castro was indicted in the U.S. on Wednesday over the downing of two civilian planes in the 1990s.
CBS News detailed that Castro was charged with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder and two counts of destruction of aircraft. Other five people have been charged as well, including a fighter pilot involved in the operation.
The outlet noted that the exact content of the indictment isn't clear as a judge granted a motion to unseal a superseding indictment against Castro but the measure itself has not been made public.
The incident at the center of the indictment took place in 1996. Castro and his brother Fidel were accused of ordering the downing of planes operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a nonprofit that carried out missions to help Cubans who were fleeing their country.
The organization would search the Florida Straits for Cubans on rafts or makeshift boats trying to reach the U.S. It was operated by exiled Cuban-Americans out of Florida.
At the time, Cuban officials said that the downing of the planes was justified because they had violated the country's airspace. The two planes were shot down as they left the U.S. in February of the mentioned year, killing the four Cubans who were aboard. At the time of the incident, Raúl Castro was the defense minister of Cuba, the Associated Press recalled.
Fidel Castro said the military had "standing orders" to shoot down planes entering Cuban airspace and that no specific order was given by his brother in relation to the incident.
The development comes as the U.S. continues putting pressure on Cuba, seeking either the removal of the Havana regime or to force it to open its economy and political system.
A recent classified intelligence report claims that the country acquired hundreds of military drones and could use them to attack U.S. targets.
The intelligence, Axios noted, says Havana has more than 300 drones and has begun discussing the possibility of using them to attack U.S. targets like the country's base in Guantanamo Bay, military vessels and potentially Key West, which is located less than 100 miles from the Cuban capital.
The outlet, however, said the intelligence could become a pretext for U.S. military action against the country.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel appeared to react to the development, saying that "threats of military aggression against Cuba from the largest power in the world are well-known."
"The threat itself is already an international crime. Should it materialize, it will provoke a bloodbath of incalculable consequences, plus its destructive impact for regional peace and stability."
Diaz-Canel went on to say the country does not "pose a threat, or has any aggressive plans or intentions against any country." "Cuba, which is already going through a multi-dimensional aggression from the U.S., does have the absolute and legitimate right to defend itself from a belligerent attack, which can't honestly be used as an excuse to impose a war against the noble Cuban people."
