The Miami Herald
Mar. 03, 2002

Whereabouts of intruders in Cuba incident unknown

                      HAVANA - (AP) -- The whereabouts of 21 young men who crashed through the gates of the Mexican Embassy in
                      a stolen bus remained unknown Saturday, a day after they were evicted from the mission by Cuban police acting
                      at Mexico's request.

                      It was still unclear what would happen to the men after the two-day episode, which was sparked by rumors that
                      Mexico was offering refuge to Cubans who wanted to leave the island.

                      Relatives of some of the men said they did not know where they were being held. Mexican officials said they knew
                      but were not going to release details.

                      ''We think it is up to the Cuban government'' to decide whether that information should be made public, Mexican
                      Ambassador Ricardo Pascoe Pierce said Saturday.

                      Cuba has offered no information on the men since a Friday morning communiqué reporting their eviction. The
                      group stole a bus Wednesday night and crashed into the Mexican Embassy gates, then rushed inside in an
                      unsuccessful bid to leave Cuba. Cuban police took the men from the embassy Friday morning, at Mexico's
                      request.

                      Meanwhile, a young man who evidently had been drinking vaulted over the metal fence around the seafront
                      American mission in Havana on Saturday.

                      The unidentified man in his early 20s entered the U.S. Interests Section grounds about 10:30 a.m., said a U.S.
                      official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The source said the man was an ``intruder.''

                      While being interviewed by U.S. immigration officers, the man asked whether he could go home and the officers
                      helped him back to his house, the American official said.