Washington (HRNW)- The United States is preparing a possible criminal indictment against former Cuban President Raul Castro, 94, in connection with the 1996 shooting down of two civilian airliners.<\/p>\n
According to media reports, the US Department of Justice is moving toward filing charges linked to the incident in which Cuban military jets shot down two aircraft operated by the \u201cBrothers to the Rescue\u201d group, killing four people. The case has remained one of the most sensitive points in US-Cuba relations for decades.<\/p>\n
Reports say CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently visited Havana and met Cuban officials, including Raul Castro\u2019s grandson, as part of broader diplomatic contacts related to the case and regional tensions.<\/p>\n
US officials say any indictment would require approval from a grand jury, and legal preparations are currently underway. The incident dates back to February 24, 1996, when the aircraft were downed near Cuban airspace, with disputed accounts of whether they were inside Cuban or international airspace.<\/p>\n
The move comes amid renewed US pressure on Cuba, including sanctions and heightened diplomatic tensions, while Havana has not yet issued an official response.<\/p>\n
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