Posted on 10/11/2009 7:35:14 PM PDT by Saije
A fugitive who has been living in Cuba for four decades to avoid prosecution for his role in an airline hijacking surrendered to federal law enforcement authorities in New York on Sunday, ending his distinction of being one of the F.B.I.’s longest-known fugitives.
Louis Armando Peña Soltren, 66, was arrested at 1:30 p.m. after debarking his plane from Havana...An F.B.I. spokesman said Mr. Soltren had arranged his return to Kennedy International Airport with the F.B.I. and State Department because he wanted to see his family, including his wife, who lived in either Puerto Rico or Florida.***
Nearly 41 years ago, Mr. Soltren had come to the very same airport, where he boarded Pan American Flight 281 bound for Puerto Rico on Nov. 24, 1968. As the Boeing 787 was flying just south of Bermuda, carrying 96 passengers and seven crew members, Mr. Soltren stormed the cockpit with two other men, armed with guns and knives they had smuggled onboard in a baby’s diaper bag, according to the decades-old indictment. (It was signed by the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, Robert M. Morgenthau, who was 49 at the time.)
The men ordered the pilot to change course for Havana — a startlingly common occurrence at the time. In 1968, more than 30 planes were hijacked or attempted to have been hijacked to Cuba, including two that day.***
Mr. Soltren never left Cuba, where he was protected from prosecution. On an island full of fugitives from the United States government, he eventually became known as one of the longest staying guests. (In recent years the American government has estimated the number of federal fugitives in Cuba at about 70.)***
It was not immediately clear if the Cuban government played any role in Mr. Soltren’s return.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
A 787????
Sick dying needs a free operation...
Obama probably wants him for a cabinet position.
Yes, well he’s gottas be fit and able for that...
So send him here for the free operation he’ll get while he’s in the pen...
A.G Sulzberger. Pinch's kid.
Father & son both impervious to facts ...
Likely a 707.
He’s going to be the Air Travel Czar.
All kidding aside, if you were him, can you think of any administration that would be more likely to let you off the hook for hijacking a plane to Cuba in 1968?
Half of the administration probably sat around their dorm rooms smokin a J and penciling out plans to do it themselves at one time or another.
Thinking more like a 727 - mid-sixties? A 707 back then was used for long range flights ....
You might be right. Another great plane.
Thinking it would have been a 727 - the 707 back then was used for long distance trips.
I guess he saw that the USA was now as socialist as Cuba, so he wanted to come home and live in ObamaZombieLand.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.