US Expects Cuba to Release Alan Gross
HAVANA TIMES, Feb. 25 — The U.S. government expects that agent Alan Gross will get a fair trial in Cuba and that he will be allowed to return home, since he has not committed any crime, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley affirmed on Thursday.
Gross, 61, will be tried starting March 4th in the island’s capital for “Acts against the Independence or Territorial Integrity of the State.” The public prosecutor’s office is asking for 20 years in prison for the accused, who has denied his responsibility in espionage activities.
The Maryland resident was allegedly caught distributing illegal satellite equipment as an employee of Development Alternatives Inc. a contractor frequently used by US-AID in countries including Afghanistan and Iraq.
The US State Department had claimed that Gross was only helping Cuban Jews to improve their communications but the leaders of the Jewish community denied any knowledge of him.
The announcement of the trial date appearing on an official Cuban website on Thursday states that United States officials, Gross’ family and attorneys can participate at the trial.
For more on the Alan Gross case see the following articles: