3 Cubans Who Flew to U.S. in 1996 Are Freed

Three Cubans who have been in jail since they fled to the United States more than two years ago were freed on Christmas Eve, their attorney said Friday.

The men were released Thursday from an Immigration and Naturalization Service detention center in Bradenton, Fla., lawyer Dario Diez said.

Adel Regalado Ulloa, Jose Roberto Bello Puente and Leonardo Reyes Ramirez flew to the United States in a small plane Aug. 16, 1996.

The plane landed in the Gulf of Mexico, but the men and pilot Adolpho Perez Pantoja were rescued by a Russian freighter.

The three men said when they were picked up that they had forced Pantoja to fly them to the United States, and they were charged with air piracy by the U.S. Justice Department.

However, at their federal trial last year, the men said they had lied to protect Pantoja, who had returned to Cuba. Pantoja testified against the men at the trial, but a jury in Tampa found them not guilty.

The INS refused to release the men and renewed the air piracy charge at their asylum hearing.

Last week, an INS judge rejected the charge and said the men should be granted asylum.

Diaz said the INS is expected to appeal the ruling. Until the appeal is decided, the men will stay with friends and family in Florida.