1.
GV COURTROOM.
0.05

2.
CU RELEASED ACCUSED.
0.10

3.
SV PILOT STANDS BY MICROPHONE.
0.13

4.
CU COURT OFFICIAL.
0.16

5.
SV PILOT.
0.19

6.
CU MAGDALANA BRAVO
0.24

7.
SV ACCUSER SHOWS EXHIBITS PAN TO PILOT (SOF).
0.46

8.
SV PEOPLE WATCH.
0.49

9.
SV PROSECUTOR SPEAKS (SOF).
1.01

10.
SCU ACCUSED MEN ISTEN TO DEFENCE COUNSEL (SOF).
1.12

11.
SV DEFENCE COUNSEL SPEAKS (SOF).
1.21

12.
CU PILOT LISTENS TO QUESTION (SOF).
1.27

13.
CU PILOT REPLIES TO QUESTION (SOF).
2.11


SPANISH BACKGROUND CONVERSATION:



TRANSCRIPT: INTERVIEWER: MR. LIPPERT, WHY DID YOU GO TO WORK FOR THE CIA IN THE FIRST PLACE.



TRANSCRIPT: LIPPERT: VARIOUS DIFFICULTIES, AND I HAD JUST BEEN MARRIED A FEW MONTHS. MY WIFE WAS IN CUBA AND I ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT CALLED THE CIA AND MENTIONED......



INTERVIEWER: THEY WERE PAYING YOU 400 DOLLARS A MONTH. DO YOU THINK YOU WERE ADEQUATELY PAID FOR THE RISK YOU WERE TAKING?



LIPPERT: UP TO HALF AN HOUR AGO I DIDN'T REALISE THE SERIOUSNESS OF EVERYTHING".




Initials AK/N/MR/GH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ACCUSED OF BEING IN THE ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF EXPLOSIVES AND OF CONSPIRING AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT; A CANADIAN PILOT WAS FOUND GUILTY BY A CUBAN MILITARY COURT ON NOV.23.THE PILOT, RONALD LIPPERT, AGED 31, WAS SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS IMPRISONMENT.

LIPPERT WAS ARRESTED ON OCTOBER 24TH AFTER A NUMBER OF GRENADES, DETONATORS AND OTHER EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS WERE FOUND CONCEALED IN CANS OF FRUIT WHICH HE HAD FLOWN INTO CUBA IN A LIGHT AIRCRAFT BELONGING TO A CANADIAN BUSINESSMAN.IN EVIDENCE, LIPPERT SAID HE WAS EMPLOYED BY THE AMERICAN CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.

ANOTHER CANADIAN, CO-PILOT WILLIAM MILNE, WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY OF CONSPIRING WITH LIPPERT AND WAS ACQUITTED.LIPPERT'S AUNT, A CUBAN WOMAN NAMED MARIA MAGDALANA VOLTA BRAVO, WAS FOUND GUILTY OF RECEIVING ANOTHER SHIPMENT OF ARMS, AND WAS GIVEN A SENTENCE OF 9 YEARS IMPRISONMENT.

THE TRIAL WAS CONDUCTED BEFORE A NUMBER OF OBSERVERS, INCLUDING THE CANADIAN AMBASSADOR AND CANADIAN JOURNALISTS.DURING THE PROSECUTION'S CASE, PARTICULAR EMPHASIS WAS LAID ON THE CONTENTION THAT, BECAUSE OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY'S PART IN THE AFFAIR, IT WAS THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT THAT WAS REALLY ON TRIAL.

WHEN LIPPERT SPOKE TO THE 5 JUDGES, HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE HAD ALREADY SIGNED A CONFESSION.HE SPOKE OF THE ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY THE CIA TO TEACH HIM SECRET METHODS OF COMMUNICATION; OF THE MOVE MADE BY HIS WIFE FROM CUBA TO JAMAICA; OF CARRYING TWO SMALL CARGOES OF EXPLOSIVES INTO CUBA; OF VERBAL REPORTS MADE TO CIA OFFICIALS.WHEN THE JUDGES RETIRED TO CONSIDER THEIR VERDICT, THE PRESSMEN COVERING THE TRIAL WERE INVITED TO INTERVIEW THE DEPENDENTS.