NCJ Number
134772
Journal
Terrorism Volume: 14 Issue: 4 Dated: (October/December 1991) Pages: 209-219
Date Published
1991
Length
11 pages
Annotation
The Cubana airline crash off Barbados on October 6, 1976 is examined in light of political terrorism in the Caribbean.
Abstract
This incident, which resulted in the death of 78 people, was an example of international terrorism. The motivation that underlay the action of the anti-Castro terrorists was to force a realignment in the relationship between Cuba and the countries of the Anglophone Caribbean. The Cubana disaster had two principal effects on Caribbean political culture. First, the issue of which of the countries that were affected by the tragedy had jurisdiction to try the alleged perpetrators of the terrorist act resulted in conflict between some Anglophone Caribbean political leaders. Second, as a direct result of the security threats the Cubana disaster posed, Barbados, which had previously placed little emphasis on defense and security, established an army: the Barbados Defense Force. In addition, not only Barbados, but the other Eastern Caribbean countries began to place unprecedented emphasis on their security concerns. 41 notes (Author abstract modified)