Panama court overturns Posada's pardon

The Panamanian Supreme Court Monday night reversed 183 criminal pardons issued by former President Mireya Moscoso -- among them accused Cuban-American anti-Castro terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, who had been accused of plotting to kill Fidel Castro in Panama. As she wrapped up her presidency in summer 2004, Moscoso signed three executive orders that pardoned 183 people. Among them were up to 60 journalists accused of a variety of charges and three Cuban exiles arrested in 2000 for allegedly planning to plant a bomb at an event at which Castro was scheduled to speak. Panama's former prosecutor and ombudsman sued, declaring the pardons illegal, Panamanian newspapers reported. Posada -- a longtime fugitive who was on the lam dodging charges that he was behind an airline bombing in the 1970s -- was acquitted of more serious charges in Panama and was serving time in a Panama facility when Moscoso suddenly pardoned him. The accused terrorist quickly showed up in Miami and later faced immigration charges in the United States for entering the country illegally. He beat those charges as well, and is free, living in Miami. It's unclear what effect the Panamanian court's decision will have on his freedom here. Venezuela and Cuba have both sought extradition for him, and U.S. courts have refused to hand him over on the grounds that he could be tortured.