DOJ indicts Raúl Castro in 1996 plane shootdown case

The Department of Justice has indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro.

(NBC)- In what many families called a long-awaited step toward accountability, the Department of Justice has indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes that killed four Cuban Americans.

Among those reacting to the news was Miriam de la Pena, whose son was killed in the attack.

“My son was a law abiding American who loved freedom,” she said.

The announcement was celebrated by Cuban Americans in Miami, where Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche made the announcement.

“The United States and President Trump does not and will not forget its citizens,” Blanche said.

An American grand jury indicted Raúl Castro, now 94, along with Cuban fighter pilots accused of carrying out the attack.

The charges include conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, destruction of American civilian aircraft and premeditated murder.

Prosecutors say Castro ordered the shootdown of planes belonging to the Cuban American exile group Brothers to the Rescue, which helped people attempting to flee Cuba.

Cuba has maintained the planes violated its airspace, while the United States says the flights were humanitarian missions operating over international waters.

“Our son is not coming back,” de la Pena said. “It could be 50 years and the criminal is still there. He needs to be put in jail.”

Castro remains influential within Cuba’s communist government, which called the indictment “lies.”

NBC’s Tom Llamas asked whether Castro could stand trial in the United States.

“There’s a lot of ways that we can get them,” Blanche said. “And I certainly hope that any defendant that’s indicted in this country stands trial.”

The Trump administration has continued increasing pressure on Cuba’s government, though President Trump downplayed the possibility of escalation.

“There won’t be escalation,” Trump said. “I don’t think there needs to be. Look, the place is falling apart.”

The indictment comes as families of the victims continue waiting to see what happens next.