Reuters

MIAMI, Aug. 24 -- Cuban exile groups have collected 105,000 signatures on a petition asking the U.S. government to indict Cuban President Fidel Castro and his
brother Raul Castro on murder charges over the shooting down of two planes crewed by exiles in 1996, officials of the groups said today.

The petition is part of an effort by the Miami-based Brothers to the Rescue, the Cuban American National Foundation and the conservative group Judicial Watch to
pressure President Bush and his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, to pursue indictments against the Castros.

The petition, which has no legal weight, was signed by people in the United States and abroad, including Cuba, officials with the groups said at a news conference.

"The reality is that if the Bush administration doesn't indict Fidel, the Cubans might not be there for them in 2004 [the next presidential election]," said Judicial Watch
Chairman Larry Klayman, who repeated the same message to the Florida governor.

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