Obama says Cuba has agreed to address cases of US fugitives

Obama says Cuba has agreed to address cases of US fugitives
BY NEDRA PICKLER ASSOCIATED PRESS
04/16/2015 3:22 PM 04/16/2015 3:23 PM

WASHINGTON
Cuba has agreed to work on resolving the cases of U.S. fugitives
harboring from justice on the island as part of the effort to normalize
relations between the two nations, President Barack Obama told lawmakers
as he made the case for removing the former Cold War foe from the list
of state sponsors of terrorism.

In a message to Congress dated Wednesday, Obama acknowledged that Cuba
has gone so far as to provide housing, food ration books and medical
care to some of the fugitives wanted by the United States to stand trial
or serve sentences on serious charges. However, he argued that Havana
has been more cooperative with the United States in some recent cases,
returning two fugitives in 2011 and two more in 2013.

"Cuba has agreed to enter into a law enforcement dialogue with the
United States that will include discussions with the aim of resolving
outstanding fugitive cases," Obama wrote. "We believe that the strong
U.S. interest in the return of these fugitives will be best served by
entering into this dialogue with Cuba."

Obama's move to remove Cuba from the terror list has been met with some
opposition over the fugitives. New Jersey's Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez
and Republican Gov. Chris Christie have both maintained that the terror
designation should remain, especially while refusing to return Joanne
Chesimard. Chesimard, a member of the Black Panther Party and Black
Liberation Army, has lived in Cuba since escaping prison after her 1977
conviction for killing a New Jersey state trooper.

"It is a national disgrace that this president would even consider
normalizing relations while they are harboring a terrorist murderer who
belongs in prison in New Jersey," Christie, a likely 2016 presidential
candidate, said at a town hall meeting Wednesday in New Hampshire.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest rejected the notion that
whether Cuba returns U.S. fugitives should be related to the decision to
remove the country from the terror list.

"The fact that a country may have some fugitives that need to be brought
to justice here in America does not merit their inclusion on the state
sponsor of terror list," Earnest said. "And I know that's the argument
that's made by some, but it's not an argument that withstands the
scrutiny that's required by a serious designation like being added to
the list of state sponsors of terror."

Another senior administration official said the administration intends
to raise not only high-profile fugitive cases with the Castro
government, but also pursuit of high-priority crimes like Medicare
fraud. The official spoke was not authorized to be quoted by name and
spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Justice Department said the fugitives Cuba returned in 2011 were
Denis Catania and Diana Camacho, who fled charges of murdering a
23-year-old man whose body was found in a burning car in Hammonton, New
Jersey. The Justice Department said in 2013, Cuba turned over Joshua and
Sharyn Hakken after they were charged with kidnapping their 2- and
4-year-old sons from the boys' grandparents, who had legal custody, and
sailing to Cuba.

Obama's message to Congress provides a more detailed argument after he
announced Tuesday that he will remove Cuba from the list after the
required 45 days have passed after notification. Lawmakers could vote to
block the move during that window of time, though Obama would be all but
certain to veto such a measure.

Source: Obama says Cuba has agreed to address cases of US fugitives |
Miami Herald Miami Herald -
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article18694337.html