Florida issues arrest warrant for Raúl Castro over civilian plane shootdown

Florida authorities have secured a state arrest warrant for former Cuban leader Raúl Castro on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder. The case concerns the destruction of two civilian aircraft in 1996.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the new warrant on Monday. The state prosecution office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement are handling the investigation.

On 24 February 1996, Cuban forces shot down aircraft operated by Miami-based Brothers to the Rescue, a group that searched for refugees at sea. Four people were killed.

US investigators allege that Castro helped organise the attack over international waters. Cuba maintained that the planes had violated its airspace.

The Florida proceedings are a state-level case. US authorities separately brought federal charges over the same incident in May, Associated Press reported.

Castro, 95, led Cuba from 2008 to 2018. He previously headed the country’s armed forces.