Cuba announced Wednesday that six suspects of Cuban origin have been charged with terrorism. Authorities claim the individuals were aboard a Florida-flagged speedboat that allegedly opened fire on Cuban soldiers in waters off the island's northern coast. The Prosecutor's Office stated the suspects are in pretrial detention and due process will be followed.
The government asserts that 10 heavily armed Cubans from the U.S. on the boat attempted to infiltrate the island for terrorist acts. Cuban soldiers returned fire, killing four suspects. The White House confirmed at least one American was among those killed, and another U.S. citizen was among those arrested.
Cuban authorities reported recovering numerous high-powered weapons and ammunition from the vessel. Terrorism charges in Cuba can carry sentences up to 30 years or the death penalty, though a moratorium on executions has been in place since 2003. One victim's brother described his sibling as being fixated on overthrowing Cuba's government.