A South Florida judge has signed a state arrest warrant for former Cuban leader Raúl Castro for his involvement in 1996 shootdown of two humanitarian planes, NBC6 has learned.
The warrant was signed by Miami Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is set to hold a news conference at Florida International University later Monday morning to provide more details on the new state case. The news conference is scheduled for 10 a.m.
Castro was already indicted by the United States on May 20 for his alleged role in the 1996 downing of two planes operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue.
That indictment charged Castro and five others—Lorenzo Alberto Perez-Perez, Emilio Jose Palacio Blanco, Jose Fidel Gual Barzaga, Raul Simanca Cardenas, and Luis Raul Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez—with multiple charges: four counts of murder, two counts of destruction of aircraft, and conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals.
Castro, now 95, was Cuba’s defense minister at the time of the shootdown. The five others charged were pilots allegedly involved in the operation.
This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.