Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Cuban diplomat expelled for spying Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 14:23:38 EST Message-ID: \SE A;WORLD \HD Cuban diplomat expelled for spying \BY Bill Gertz \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES A Cuban diplomat in New York was expelled from the United States yesterday for spying, the State Department said. "We deplore Cuba's misuse of its United Nations mission for spying," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher. The expulsion, announced in unusually blunt terms, marked the first time since 1989 that a foreign government official has been declared persona non grata for espionage, despite a presidential order in 1990 that called for increased use of expulsions for counterespionage purposes. Mr. Boucher said the diplomat, Carlos Manuel Collazo, was ordered to leave the country within 48 hours after Cuban Mission officials failed to respond adequately to charges raised Monday that he was a spy. Mr. Collazo was posted to the Cuban Mission to the United Nations as a third secretary, Mr. Boucher said. "He is being asked to leave the United States for activities inappropriate to his responsibilities at the United Nations," Mr. Boucher said. "In other words, the FBI has considerable information which demonstrates that the individual was engaged in espionage activities." No other details were available about Mr. Collazo's activities or whether the spy case damaged U.S. national security. Leslie Wallace, an FBI spokeswoman, said Mr. Collazo's expulsion followed an extensive FBI counterintelligence probe. "His actions have been a source of concern to the FBI and the subject of an extended investigation since his arrival in the United States," she said. She did not say when he arrived in the country. FBI intelligence officials have said Cuba's intelligence service remains aggressive in spying inside the United States despite a halt in spying by the former communist states of Eastern Europe and a modest decrease in Russian spying. Cuba, Vietnam and China are continuing to conduct spy operations, primarily the secret acquisition of technological information, the recruitment of Americans as agents and the collection of information on Americans who are viewed as opponents of the communist regimes. "Our traditional people are just as active, if not more so - the Chinese, Vietnamese, the Cubans," Wayne Gilbert, FBI intelligence chief, said in April. Fifty Cubans - 30 diplomats and 20 staff - are posted at the U.N. Mission. FBI officials said a large percentage of the U.N. Mission personnel are intelligence officers. The diplomats' travel is restricted to the area close to New York City. The Cuban government could retaliate by expelling an American diplomat, said one State Department official. The United States does not have diplomatic relations with Cuba and both countries maintain interest sections at Swiss embassies here and in Havana. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM