Four Cubans Seized as an Assassin Band

Special to The New York Times

HAVANA, Jan. 17—The national police announced today the arrest of four men in an alleged plot to assassinate government and military leaders. A cache of arms to be used in the plot was seized.

For machine guns, nine rifles, and nearly 3,000 rounds of ammunition were found by police raiders in an apartment in suburban Marianao after Fernando Flores, a lawyer; Manuel Vasquez, a former policeman; Julio Rodriquez and Manuel Delgado were arrested.

The police linked the four to a group of former police officers on the administration of former President Carlos Prio Socarras, who now lives in Miami, Fla. At least three former policemen are being sought as members of the plot.

Two socially prominent Cuban leaders have been tortured in jail in Santiago de Cuba, it was stated here yesterday. They had been arrested a week ago.

The two men, Armando hart and Antonio Buch, are supporters of Fidel Castro, leader of an armed movement against the regime of President Fulgencio Batista. Señor Hart is a Havana lawyer whose father is a former Court of Appeals judge. Señor Buch is the son of a prominent Santiago physician.

In Havana, Dr. Andres Domingo Morales del Castillo, secretary to the Cuban President, said any reports of the prisoners being tortured were “propaganda.”

“President Batista always wants to guarantee the lives of prisoners,” he added.