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JW LAUNCHES EFFORT TO INDICT CASTRO For 42 years, Fidel Castro has operated one of the most murderous dictatorships in human history, while the rest of the world has looked the other way. But now, with the help of Judicial Watch, his victims are fighting back. On October 3, Judicial Watch traveled to Brussels, Belgium to formally charge Castro with "murder, torture, and violation of human rights." Under the new Belgian "war crimes" law established in 1999, if convicted, Castro could spend the rest of his life in prison. "This is 42 years of abuse and torture. There is absolutely no way the court can ignore this," said JW Chairman Larry Klayman. "Castro must be brought to justice." Judicial Watch's case is bolstered by the eyewitness testimony of its client, Jose Basulto, the sole survivor of a humanitarian rescue mission that was attacked by Cuban Air Force jets in 1996. Basulto, and four other Brothers to the Rescue pilots, were conducting unarmed search-and-rescue missions for Cuban refugees in the Straits of Florida when two of their three planes were shot down and destroyed. The growing list of plaintiffs also includes Eugenio de Sosa Chabau, a Cuban businessman and newspaper editor, who was tortured in a Cuban prison for 20 years for speaking out against Castro's regime. Though Castro has proven elusive in the last four decades there is hope he will finally pay for his crimes. First, the Belgian law has already proven effective. Last year four Rwandans were sentenced to between 12 and 20 years in prison for crimes against the country's Tutsi ethnic minority. Further, Belgium has in place a treaty with Cuba that would pave the way for Castro's extradition. Secondly, the case against Castro is strong. Basulto and his organization have been collecting evidence for more than four years. Fidel Castro himself has admitted in multiple news interviews, including one with Dan Rather of CBS News, that he personally ordered the attack on Basulto and the Brothers to the Rescue planes. Third, there is legal precedent. One Cuban government agent was already convicted in a U.S. court in connection with attack. He was found guilty of conspiracy to murder. "No American politician has had the guts to indict Castro," said JW Chairman Larry Klayman. "Castro's luck is about to run out."
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