CUBA: SUPREME COURT COMMUTES BOMBER'S DEATH SENTENCE TO 30 YEARS

December 4, 2010: Cuba has commuted the death sentence of a Salvadoran man convicted of killing an Italian tourist during a 1997-1998 hotel bombing spree to 30 years in prison, a state-run Internet site said.
The Supreme Court began hearing Raul Ernesto Cruz Leon's appeal of the capital sentence for "terrorism of a continuous character" on December 2.
"The court announced its decision to substitute the original sentence for one of 30 years, the maximum that could be imposed," the Cubadebate website reported.
Cruz Leon, 39, confessed to bombing six hotels and tourism- related establishments in 1997 and 1998, killing the Italian tourist and wounding a number of other people.
Cuba charged that the Miami-based Cuban American National Foundation, an exile organization that opposes the Castro government, was behind a total of 15 bombings over 18 months. The group has denied the bombings. (Sources: Reuters, 04/12/2010)