US announces indictment against former Cuban President Raul Castro

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Wednesday that the US Justice Department filed criminal charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro.

“We are announcing an indictment charging Raul Castro and several others with conspiracy to kill US nationals,” Blanche said at a ceremony honoring four volunteers killed in 1996 when Cuban jets shot down two planes operated by a Miami-based exile group.

“Mr. Castro, and the others are charged with additional crimes as well, including destruction of aircraft and four individual counts of murder,” he said.

Court records show that the indictment against Castro, filed in federal court in Miami, accuses him of one count of conspiracy to kill US nationals, four counts of murder and two counts of destruction of aircraft.