HAVANA - Cuban President Fidel Castro on Tuesday accused the United States of being behind decades of terrorism aimed at the communist-ruled island as he launched a giant march in Havana.
Cuban authorities said one million people would take part in the march against terrorism, which started in front of the US Interests Section in the capital.
Castro, 78, said that militants attacking Cuban interests had "always acted under the orders of the government and special services of the United States."
In a 12-minute speech to launch the rally, Castro, clad in his olive military fatigues, said "this is a march against terrorism and in favour of life and peace."
Cuba accuses the United States of supporting terrorism because of the presence in the United States of Luis Posada Carriles, an opponent of Castro wanted for the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner in which 73 persons died.
Castro and his only close regional ally Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez argue US President George W. Bush claims he is fighting terror around the world while, in their view, harboring a terrorist to his liking.
Castro charged that Posada Carrilles' acts "were financed by US governments through the unfortunately well-known Cuban American National Foundation, since it was set up by (President Ronald) Reagan en 1981."
Castro, who on October 20 fell and broke his left ankle and right arm, set out on march appearing fit, with a small Cuban flag in his hand, surrounded by local leaders in red T-shirts.
"Bush, you fascist, capture the terrorist," chanted groups in the crowd summoned to march and bused in to the seafront venue, by government entities. Cuba wants the Cuban-born Posada Carriles, extradited to Venezuela for trial.
Also among the marchers were the regime's number-two, General Raul Castro, the president's brother who is defense minister and Nicaragua's leftist ex-president Daniel Ortega.
Marchers also demanded the arrest and trial of Orlando Bosch, who also has been implicated in the Cubana bombing and other attacks including the murder in Washington of former Chilean foreign minister Orlando Letelier. Bosch was pardoned by George Bush senior and lives in Miami.
Venezuela on Friday officially asked the United States to arrest and extradite Posada Carriles.
The United States has said it does not know the whereabouts of Posada Carriles, 77, who was once on the payroll of the CIA.
But he requested political asylum in Miami last month having been in the United States since March, his attorney, Eduardo Soto, said. And he granted an interview with El Nuevo Herald, a Miami daily, published Tuesday.
Posada Carriles deserves asylum, according to Soto, because he "supported the interests of the United States for approximately four decades."
Posada Carriles was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison in Panama for trying to kill Castro at a summit in the central American country in 2000, but was pardoned in 2004. He was accused with three others of plotting to blow up Castro as he gave a speech.
Venezuela wants him on charges of destroying a Cubana Airlines jet in October 1976. He was tried in Venezuela but escaped from jail in 1985 while his case was on appeal.
Cuba wants Posada Carriles for the 1997 bombings of Havana hotels, one of which killed an Italian tourist. Posada Carriles had admitted to plotting those bombings, according to The New York Times, though he later recanted the admission. He denies involvement in the Cubana bombing.
05/17/2005 13:40 GMT