September 10, 1968

By William Montalbano and Clarence Jones

Monday it was Antonio. Before that, Ernesto and Michelta.

Pseudonyms for members of Cuban exile terrorist groups that have claimed, in ubiquitous press releases, responsibility for a wave of bombings in Miami since January.

Bombs exploded Sunday night at the home of the Mexican consul here, and at the headquarters of an exile social organization. Monday, an unexploded bomb was found in the parking lot of a Cuban-owned pharmacy.

Metro police count 36 bombs that have exploded, or were set to explode, in Dade County this year. There has been no personal injury, but considerable property damage. Miami police have made four arrests for illegal possession of explosives. All four cases are still pending.

Although a number of terrorist organizations exist, police say the total local membership of all of them may be no more than 20.

At least six different groups have claimed responsibility for attacking targets in the city ranging from ships, a plane, cars, homes, offices, businesses, and consulates.

The means are the same: Dynamite or plastic explosives. The ends are extortion and intimidation, sometimes political, often simply criminal.

The rationale cited by the terrorists is that they are striking a blow for the liberation of Cuba. In fact, they are troubling U.S. officials infinitely more that Fidel Castro.

In a recent unpublicized meeting in New York, detectives from Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York - all cities where bombs have exploded - met to exchange information and explore possible ties between the various terrorist groups. The FBI, which had primary jurisdiction in attacks on ships and planes, as well as extortion, is also investigating.

The wave of bombings began January 20, when a cargo plane was extensively damaged by an explosion at Miami International Airport.

A group that identified itseld as Poder Cubano said it bombed the plane because it had been used to flu food and medicine to Cuba via Mexico.

In press releases signed by "Ernesto" and distributed to news media in Miami after each attack, Poder Cubano describes itself as a secret anti-Communist exile organization whose aim is to prevent trade with Cuba.

In addition to the plane, the group has claimed responsibility for the bombing of a British ship in the port of Miami. It also says it placed explosives aboard another British vessel and two Japanese freighters.

Poder Cubano apologized for the explosion in Miami and said that it - like the other three - was timed to go off while the ship was in international waters.

Five days after the attack on the plane, three businesses were attacked in Miami, two of them Cuban-owned firms that accepted packages for shipment to Cuba.

Exiles describing themselves as Cuban Power claimed the attacks in calls to the news media. Since then, the same group has planted bombs at Cuban-owned restaurants, business, Spanish, Mexican, Canadian and British tourist offices, and cars and offices of consular officials from countries that retain ties with Cuba.

In Los Angeles, where a rash of attacks occurred in July, police found red, white, and blue bumper stickers with the legend "Unete Cuban Power" ("Join Cuban Power").

Poder Cubano disclaims any connection with Cuban Power, despite the fact in English "Poder Cubano" translated as "Cuban Power."

The attacks claimed by Poder Cubano and Cuban Power have been marked by the use of plastic explosives and appear entirely political.

Not so with the work of a Miami group that calls itself La Mano Blanca (The White Hand), and has claimed attacks at exile-owned restaurants and shops.

Police say the organization uses politics as a disguise for extortion.

The terrorists through the press release spokesman Michelta say the money is to be used against Castro, but police say none of it goes any further than the coffers of the White Hand.

"We've got a pretty good idea of who they are," said one Metro Police official, "but to prosecute on an extortion case, we need a victim who will testify. So far we haven't found anybody willing to testify."

The White Hand's method of operation, according to police, is to leave unfused dynamite in a Cuban-owned business, inform the owner it is there, and threaten to fuse it the next time unless a payoff is made.

Police in Miami and other cities with substantial Cuban populations identify other purely criminal groups as the Secret Anti-Communist Army, Canary, Tactical Combat Group, and All for Cuba, and say the different names may be intended to create the impression there is a number of such groups when in fact there is only one.

Sunday night's bombings brought a Monday press release from a new entry into the terrorist field, this one called the 7^th of December Movement, and unknown to authorities.

The neatly typed single-spaced released signed by "Antonio" said the attacks on the consul's home and the social club had the only aim of disciplining the exile community and seeking material support for action groups, thus accelerating the efforts to "liberate our fatherland".

The group said it had established cells in New Jersey and New York as well as Miami. December 7^th, 1896 marks the death of Cuban patriot Antonio Maceo.