Free the Miami Five vigil: US Embassy, Dublin, Wednesday 6pm

THE Free the Miami Five Campaign Ireland is holding a vigil at the American Embassy from 6pm to 7pm on Wednesday 15th September to mark the start of the Miami Five's 13th year as political prisoners of the USA.

Since 1959, 3,500 Cubans have died as a result of terrorist attacks directed at Cuba from groups based within the exiled community of Miami, Florida.

The Cuban Government has repeatedly asked for co-operation from the US Government in reining in these terrorist groups but none is ever forthcoming.

During the mid 1990s, after a spate of hotel bombings designed to destroy the then fledgling tourist industry, the Cuban Government took matters into their own hands and sent five men into Miami to infiltrate these groups and gather information. These men are known as ‘The Miami Five’. They were successful and sent the information back to Cuba, which saved the lives of many innocent Cubans and tourists alike. The evidence of terrorist planning they amassed was passed to the FBI and Cuba, not unreasonably, hoped for news of early action against the terrorists.

Two weeks later, on September 12th 1998, instead of arresting the terrorists, the Miami Five were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit espionage against the US.

From the time of their arrest to their trial they were illegally held in solitary confinement and, despite defence requests for a change of venue, they were tried in Miami with the very terrorists they were infiltrating arraigned as the witnesses for the prosecution.

They were collectively sentenced to two life sentences plus 75 years.

Denied family visits in what Amnesty International have characterised as “a form of torture”, they have also been denied consular visits and access to their lawyers at critical times in their defence.

The United Nations regards them as "arbitrarily detained", diplomatic speak for framed by the USA on trumped-up charges.

Last June, their lawyers filed 12 global ‘friend of the court’ briefs to the US Supreme Court, including an Irish brief signed by former President Mary Robinson and 47 Irish TDs and senators. The US Supreme Court, at the request of President Obama, refused to hear the appeal.  With the final legal avenue closed to them, it is now left to the court of public opinion to get justice for these men.

This annual vigil is part of a global struggle to break the media silence around the case as they begin their 13th year in prison for crimes they did not commit.

Further information from: Eleanor Lanigan, Free the Miami Five Campaign Ireland. 087 2426755. Email: [email protected]

ENDS