By Dick Nellius
Reporter of The Miami News
A young Cuban exile was held in Dade County Jail today on federal charges of trying to hijack an airliner with a BB gun and force the pilot to fly to Havana.
Luis Medina Perez was brought here from Key West late yesterday, and will be
held in lieu of a $25,000 bond pending federal grand jury action.
The FBI said Medina, a veteran of the Bay of Pigs invasion, tried to hijack a National Airlines prop?jet on a flight from Miami to Key West Tuesday. Medina said he wanted to rescue relatives in Cuba.
Meanwhile, three airlines carrying most of the passenger traffic between the two cities, have tightened up their security measures.
National and Argonaut Airlines said they were taking extra care to screen passengers. In addition, Southeast Airlines petitioned Washington for permission to arm
flight crews.
Most airlines already have reactions worked out in event of a hijacking attempt. The National cress sprang a trap on Medina and Capt. K. I. Carlile disarmed the exile.
To prove he was serious in threatening to kill everyone if the plane wasn't diverted, Medina gave the stewardess some worn newspaper clippings. Medina at 16 was the youngest to go ashore at the Bay of Pigs; he was wounded in the leg and was one of 60 wounded ransomed a year later. He then toured the country helping raise funds to ransom other invasion prisoners.