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Florida Issues No-Bond Warrant for Raúl Castro Murder Plot

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 12:11 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Florida authorities issued a no-bond arrest warrant for former Cuban President Raúl Castro on conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
Chief Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan signed the warrant on Oct. 19, 2026.
The affidavit alleges Castro ordered the Feb. 24, 1996 shootdown of two unarmed Cessnas, killing four people.
A federal indictment filed in May 2026 also charges Castro with murder, conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, and aircraft destruction.

History

Historical Context

During the 1999 Kosovo war, the UN-backed International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia indicted Serbian President Slobodan Miloševic—making him the first sitting head of state charged with war crimes. He faced 66 counts covering genocide, deportation and attacks on civilians, a precedent that later shaped U.S. efforts to hold former leaders accountable for aerial attacks on non-combatants.

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Story summary

Florida authorities issued a no-bond arrest warrant for former Cuban President Raúl Castro on conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
Chief Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan signed the warrant on Oct. 19, 2026.
The affidavit alleges Castro ordered the Feb. 24, 1996 shootdown of two unarmed Cessnas, killing four people.
A federal indictment filed in May 2026 also charges Castro with murder, conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, and aircraft destruction.

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