Hero's welcome for Cuban spy freed from US prison

Havana (AFP) - A second member of the "Cuban Five" intelligence agents returned home to a hero's welcome Friday, after spending more than 15 years behind bars in the United States on spy charges.

Fernando Gonzalez was released Thursday from a maximum-security prison in Arizona and then deported to Cuba, after serving his time in a case that for years has been a major thorn in US-Cuban relations.

Cuban television broke from its regular programming to announce his arrival in a triumphant broadcast.

"The hero of the Republic of Cuba and anti-terrorist fighter," as proclaimed by the announcer, was met at the Havana airport by President Raul Castro, clad in his general's uniform.

Castro gave Gonzalez a crisp salute and then a strong hug when he got off the plane.

Gonzalez, in his first remarks to the press, said he felt "immense joy" to find himself back in his home country with his family and repeated his vow to do all he can to get the last three of the "Cuban Five" released.

The men were part of a spy ring that infiltrated the Key West Naval Air Station and Cuban exile groups in Miami.

They were arrested in September 1998 in connection with the killings two years before of four members of the "Brothers to the Rescue" Cuban exile group whose planes were shot down by Cuban fighter jets.

Gonzalez was found guilty and sentenced in 2001 for not registering as a foreign agent and for possessing false identity papers.

He was the second member of the group to be released and return to Cuba, following Rene Gonzalez, who left prison after completing his sentence in October 2011. The two men are not related.

The other three agents are serving life sentences in the United States.

Cuba has acknowledged that the five were its agents but says they were spying on exiles to prevent terror attacks.