WASHINGTON · Repeating and strengthening previous allegations about Cuba's alleged weapons of mass destruction program, a Bush administration official Tuesday told Congress in written testimony that the island "remains a terrorist and [biological weapons] threat to the United States."

"I believe the case for the existence of a developmental Cuba [biological weapons research and development] effort is strong," said John Bolton, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security. Bolton made the allegations as part of a 25-page written statement on the development and spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

Bolton also said Cuba has been successful at hiding details of its weapons program thanks to data passed to Havana by convicted spy Ana Belen Montes, the former senior Cuba analyst for the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency. Montes is serving 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty in 2002 of spying for Cuba.

Montes "participated in interagency coordination of a national intelligence estimate on [biological weapons], and passed some of our most sensitive information about Cuba back to Havana," Bolton's written testimony said. "Additionally, Montes' espionage materially strengthened Cuba's denial and deception efforts; the data Montes passed gave Havana ample opportunity to generate controlled information that could, via defectors and émigrés, reach Washington."

Bolton never verbalized his Cuba allegations during remarks before the House Committee on International Relations on Tuesday. Instead, he answered questions about the threats posed by Pakistan, Iran, North Korea and Libya. Asked about his stronger comments on Cuba after the hearing, Bolton shrugged and said his written statement spoke for itself.

During his testimony, Bolton said the United States has no evidence implicating senior Pakistani government officials, such as President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, in taking part in the network that was selling nuclear secrets to countries such as Libya.

Bolton first made allegations about Cuba's weapons program in May 2002, on the eve of former President Carter's trip to the island. At the time, Bolton's charge, which was repeated by other officials, was much more circumscribed. He said Cuba had "at least a limited developmental offensive biological warfare research and development effort." Bolton also said at the time that Cuba was providing some of its technology to rogue states.

"This was a very clear indication from the Bush administration that they're going to lay it out for all to see," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami. Ros-Lehtinen and others have complained in the past that intelligence officials have not allowed information on Cuba's weapons program to get out.

Cuban President Fidel Castro has denied the allegations. Carter said that in preparation for his visit to the island he was never given any information about the allegations.

A spokesman for the Cuban Interests Section in Washington ridiculed Bolton's allegations on Tuesday.

"Those are the usual, ridiculous lies that this man habitually makes about Cuba," said Lazaro Herrera Martinez, first secretary of the Interests Section. "It is ridiculous to say Cuba poses a threat to the national security" of the United States.

Rafael Lorente can be reached at rlorente@sun-sentinel.com or 202-824-8225 in Washington.

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