Panama City, Panama, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Panama has pardoned four men accused of trying to kill Cuban leader Fidel Castro, potentially hurting already-tense ties between the two countries.

The BBC reported the names of Luis Posada Carriles, Gaspar Jimenez, Guillermo Novo and Pedro Remon were on a list of presidential pardons announced by outgoing leader Mireya Moscoso, who has less than a week in office left.

They were convicted in April for threatening public security and falsifying documents, but were not charged with trying to kill Castro because of a lack of evidence.

Cuba had threatened to cut diplomatic ties if they were pardoned. In reply, Panama withdrew it ambassador from Cuba Tuesday.

In Washington, U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli denied the United States had anything to do with the case.

"This was a decision made by the government of Panama," he said. "We never lobbied the Panamanian government to pardon anyone in this case."