CUBAN EXILES MOUNT ATTACK

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30536, 3 September 1964, Page 4

CUBAN EXILES MOUNT ATTACK

(N.Z. Brest Association—Copyright)

PANAMA CITY, September 2. Anti-Castro commandos destroyed on Sunday on the eastern coast of Cuba a radio station where the garrison was commanded by three Russian officers and was comprised of 150 Cuban soldiers, a Cuban exile leader, Manuel Artime, said last night.

The raiding party struck by sea from a secret base, Artime, secretary of the Revolutionary Recovery Movement, told a news conference. The 55-minute attack began at 6 a.m. against the installation at Cabo Cruz on the south coast of Orients Province, Artime said. According to Artime, the radar station was responsible for intercepting many boats carrying refugees fleeing from Cuba. Artime said the attackers travelled in two boats and landed on a reef one mile away from the radar site. He did not specify how many men were in the raiding party. Some of the attackers walked to their objective while others carried out a diversionary attack, Artime said. The exile leader spoke in Panama.

He said that Cuban exile Intelligence sources had determined that three Russians were in command of the radar site. No Detail* Artime declined to give details of the operation, including whether the attackers remained in Cuba or made their way back to the unspecified place whence the raid was launched. Artime arrived in Panama on Monday, declining to say where he came from. He said he doe* not want to embarrass Governments that are friendly to bis organisation. Ho also said he has to bo careful about hi* movement* because he has been marked for elimination by the Castro regime. Accompanying Artime was Rafael Quintero Ibardia, the military co-ordinator of the. organisation.