TAMPA, FL \u2014 Two Tampa men were among 10 people aboard a Florida-registered speedboat that engaged in a deadly shootout with Cuban border guards in waters off the island nation\u2019s north coast Wednesday morning, with one of the Floridians killed, reports said.<\/p>\n
The combatants on the boat were armed Cubans living in the U.S., Cuba\u2019s government said. The group, which opened fire on the soldiers who were seeking to identify the people on the boat, was trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism, according to officials. <\/p>\n
Four people on the speedboat were killed \u2014 including Michel Ortega Casanova of Tampa \u2014 and another six were injured. A Cuban officer was also injured.<\/p>\n
The other men killed were Pavel Alling Pe\u00f1a, Ledi\u00e1n Padr\u00f3n Guevara and Hector Duani Cruz Correa, said Carlos Fern\u00e1ndez de Coss\u00edo, deputy minister of foreign affairs of Cuba. <\/p>\n
The six injured on the speedboat were Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara, Conrado Galindo Sariol, Jos\u00e9 Manuel Rodr\u00edguez Castell\u00f3, Leordan Enrique Cruz G\u00f3mez, Amijail S\u00e1nchez Gonz\u00e1lez and Roberto \u00c1lvarez \u00c1vila.<\/p>\n
S\u00e1nchez Gonz\u00e1lez and Cruz G\u00f3mez are wanted by Cuban authorities \u201cbased on their involvement in the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission of actions carried out in the national territory or in other countries, in connection with acts of terrorism.\u201d<\/p>\n
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Thursday that the U.S. is working to determine if the victims were American citizens or permanent residents. <\/p>\n
Items seized from the boat included assault rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, Molotov cocktails, night vision equipment, bulletproof vests, assault bayonets, camouflage clothing, ammunition of various calibers, combat rations, communication equipment and a large number of insignia from counterrevolutionary terrorist organizations, Fern\u00e1ndez de Coss\u00edo said. <\/p>\n
One of the four killed \u2014 Michel Ortega Casanova of Tampa \u2014 was a man on an \u201cobsessive and diabolical\u201d quest for Cuba\u2019s freedom from current circumstances, his brother in Florida said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Misael Ortega Casanova said his brother was an American citizen who had lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years and still agonized over the suffering that Cubans endure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey became so obsessed that they didn\u2019t think about the consequences nor their own lives,\u201d Misael said. <\/p>\n
Misael said he didn\u2019t recognize any of the other names released by the Cuban government. He also said that he was unaware of his brother\u2019s plans.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one knew. My mother is devastated,\u201d Misael said. <\/p>\n