MPs urged to sign Miami 5 appeal

They put down a Commons Early Day Motion (EDM) calling on the US administration "to make a humanitarian gesture" and grant visitation rights to Olga Salanueva and Adriana Perez, wives of Gerardo Hernandez and Rene Gonzalez.

The two men are among five Cubans falsely accused and detained in the US for their activities to combat terrorism.

"This House expresses concern at the continued lack of visitation rights," said the EDM, which has already been signed by nearly 30 MPs.

Lead sponsors are Labour MPs Michael Connarty and Grahame Morris, Green MP Caroline Lucas, Lib Dem Mike Hancock and Plaid Cymru MP Hywel Williams.

The motion notes that "Amnesty International believes that denying the men visits from their wives is unnecessarily punitive and contrary to standards for humane treatment of prisoners and states' obligations to protect family life."

Last October, Mr Gonzalez became the first of the Miami Five to be released from jail following 13 years of imprisonment. But his parole conditions mean he must remain in Florida for a further three years among the very terrorists he infiltrated.

Cuba sent the five men to Miami to infiltrate and monitor terrorist groups.

At the request of the US government, important information was passed to the FBI in 1998. But instead of arresting the terrorists, the FBI used the information to identify and arrest the five anti-terrorists.

rogerbagley@peoples-press.com