Evening star., 1962-11-18
sABoTEURS
2Other Cuban U.N. Aides
Implicated in I errorist Plot


time worker for Garcia. Both
were held under 100000 bond.
Both were active in pro-Castro
Organizations, including the July
26th Movement founded by
Fidel Castro, the Casa Cuba
Club in New York and the Fair
Play for Cuba Committee.
The three men were charged
with violating the law which
prohibits injury to or destruc-
ton of national defense facili-
ties during peacetime and with
failing to register as foreign
agents. The maximum penalty
for the combined offenses
would be 20 years Imprisonment
and $4,000 fine.
The Federal complaint filed
against them charged that they
conspired to gather information
concerning United States mill
tary installations and "to obtain
and possess i1cendiary devices
and other explosive materials
for the purpose Of injuring and
destroying national defense ma
terials, premises and utilities"
in New York.
The Government charged that
in furtherance of these activi-
ties, the three men agreed to
procure the help Of as many
pro- Castro Cubans as possible.
In addition to the three men,
Ada Marie Dritsas, 26, a
teacher and recreation super
visor described as an associate
of Sueiro, was held under $25,-
900 bond as a material witness.
Named as conspirators but
not arrested because of dip
lomatic immunity were Jose
1 Gomez Abad, 81. and his wife,
Elsa, 20, a telephone operator
for the Cuban mission. They
were married last May.
Departure Asked
The Government lost no time
asking for their immediate
departure" from these shores.
The United States delegation
sent a note toSthe Cuban mis-
sion less than three hours after
the last arrest and a copy was
sent to U. N. Acting Secretary
General y Thant. The note
lsaid:
1.-THE United States Mission
to the United Nations wishes
to call to the attention of the
permanent mission Of Cuba to
the United Nations the illegal
and reprehensible actions on
the part of Roberto Santieste-
ban Casanova, Jose Gomez
Abad and Elsa Montero de
Gomez who are assigned as
members Of the permanent
mission.
"The apprehension and ar
rest of Santiesteban by repre-
sentatives of this government
today resulted from his actions !
as a participant in conspiracy
to commit sabotage within this
country. Santiesteban does not
possess diplomatic immunity.
He will be subject to prosecu-
tion under United States Fed
eral statutes.
"Jose Gomez Abad and Elsa
Montero de Gomez also actively
participated as co-conSpirators
in this criminal conspiracy.
Their activities are a gross vio-
lation of their status as mem
berS of a permanent mission to
the United Nations. The United |
States Government considers
this criminal activity a most
flagrant abuse of the privileges
of residence.
"The permanent mission of /
Cuba is requested to effect the
immediate departure of Jose
Gomez Abad and Elsa Montero
de Gomez from the United
States. The Acting Secretary
General of the United Nations
has been informed of these
actions and Of the contents of
this note"
Protest Expected
The Cuban delegation will
protest to the U. N. over the
arrest of Santiesteban, the AS
Sociated Press reported.
The Cuban delegation itself
withheld comment but it was
believed the Cubans would base
their protest on the claim that |
Santiesteban had diplomatic
immunity.
The United States delegation
contended Santiesteban had
not been granted diplomatic
immunity under the U. N. pro-
cedure by which the United
States must approve it. How
ever, it is expected the Cubans
would say that Santiesteban is
covered because he entered the.
United States more than six
weeks ago with a diplomatic
passport and visa.