§ Mr. Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement about the arrests of armed anti-Castro Cubans from islands in the Bahamas.
§ Mr. FisherI would refer the right hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Civil Lord of the Admiralty on 10th April in reply to the hon. Members for Loughborough (Mr. Cronin) and Barking (Mr. Driberg).
The first group of 17 persons, who were orginally detained, were eventually discharged since no arms had been taken ashore and all that happened was that the boat in question had come alongside the Cay and asked to purchase fuel. Such offences against Bahamian law as may have been committed were trivial. The second group of 9 persons were convicted and sentenced to fines totalling £50 each on charges under the Firearms Act, and were also sentenced, on a charge of illegal entry, under the Immigrants' Act, to 6 months' imprisonment if they are not deported. Their arms and ammunition were confiscated. I understand that they will be deported when they have paid the fines.