MIAMI (AP) -- A confessed member of a spy ring was sentenced to seven
                  years in prison for attempting to infiltrate U.S. military installations in Florida
                  for the Cuban government.

                  Alejandro Alonso, a U.S. citizen born in Des Moines, Iowa, was the first
                  member of the group to be sentenced. He had pleaded guilty to being an
                  agent for a foreign country. Five others who have pleaded guilty are awaiting
                  sentencing.

                  "I can only say that I did wrong," Alonso said after sentencing Friday. "I am
                  repentant. I apologize to this court and to the whole world."

                  Alonso was charged with trying to penetrate U.S. military bases, infiltrate
                  anti-Castro exile groups and manipulate U.S. media and political
                  organizations.

                  Prosecutors said his assignment was to report on the Cuban-exile group
                  Democracy Movement. He joined exile demonstrations, disclosed the names
                  of participants and reported on related U.S. Coast Guard activity,
                  prosecutors said.

                  He was one of 10 people arrested in September 1998 in connection with the
                  spy ring. Four others were added to the list of defendants in May 1999.

                  After his arrest, Alonso told investigators where to find a fake identification
                  kit, a page of codes, and a pad of water-soluble paper used for secret
                  messages.

                    Copyright 2000 The Associated Press