Carpinteria resident and investigative journalist Ann Louise Bardach has been on the witness stand for the last several days, testifying in federal court about interviews she conducted with anti-Castro militant Luis Posada Carriles. Bardach, who according to reports spent more than a dozen hours over three days interviewing Posada in 1998, is an unwilling witness in the prosecution’s case against Posada.
At issue are statements Posada made to Bardach during the interview. Bardach said on the stand that Posada admitted to her that he was behind a 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner, as well as several other bombings in tourist areas of Cuba. Posada, 83, is not actually facing charges related to any bombings but is accused of allegedly lying about his role to immigration officials during citizenship hearings.
Bardach, who has published two books on Castro’s Cuba and is considered one of the world’s leading chroniclers of the country, was working for the New York Times as a contract writer at the time of the interview. For years leading up to the trial, she fought federal prosecutors, not wanting to hand over her notes and recordings from her research and not wanting to take the stand. She argued journalists should be protected from having to testify and said forcing journalists to take the stand would discourage sources from trusting reporters.
Posada’s defense attorney has gone on the attack during his cross-examination, questioning whether Bardach asked Posada if she could tape their conversations and whether she exaggerated any admissions he might have made while they were talking.


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She's an established, successful journalist. She should not have to take the stand.
And its pretty common knowledge that if you're being interviewed, you're being recorded.
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 24, 2011 at 1:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
When they said "anti-Castro militant" I thought they were talking about me! :) henry
hank (anonymous profile)
March 24, 2011 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Despite Castro, Cuba has had some awesome international and Olympic volleyball teams - love watching them pound the ball!
EastBeach (anonymous profile)
March 24, 2011 at 7:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hank,
The only difference between you and other “Anti-Castro Militants”, as you so eloquently stated to your US Immigration officer, had you had a clear shot Fidel wouldn’t still be around today.
CManSB (anonymous profile)
March 24, 2011 at 11:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CmanSB, don't talk what you don't know. I'm cuban and I lived inside the monster; nobody can tell me stories, not even Bardach who is considered a "communist" because of her close contact with "charming" Fidel and her way of defending him always. If you want to be informed and to learn the truth, you better read "La Ficcion Fidel" by Zoe Valdes.
localsb (anonymous profile)
March 25, 2011 at 7:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Localsb: "I'm cuban and I lived inside the monster"
Tu eres Cubano tambien? De que parte? Yo, Reparto Naranajo, Havana, El Sevillano. Ah man, there's more of us everytime I open my eyes!
Actually, the comment Cman mentions is 1 I made to the INS (now USCIS) agent interviewing me w/ regards to 'the only metal I'd give Castro." :) henry
hank (anonymous profile)
March 25, 2011 at 3:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ya conozco un Henry, si eres el mismo, te sorprenderas cuando veas quien soy. Saludos! aqui estare siempre tirandole a cuanto castrista se me pare delante. Read the post from BaracuteyCubano about Bardach's trip to the court, it was very bad for her he he he.
http://baracuteycubano.blogspot.com/2...
she has traveled more than 13 times to Cuba and she meet with Fidel several times. The best part is when the lawyer displayed her picture with Fidel, too close to him. Not the best person to testify considering her strong relation with the dictator.
localsb (anonymous profile)
March 25, 2011 at 5:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
She's done nothing wrong. And she shouldn't be forced into testifying to begin with.
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 26, 2011 at 12:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And she's not a Communist. What is this, McCarthy witch hunt. My next post will be in Farsi so only a limited number of people can read it.
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 26, 2011 at 12:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
EZK, you are right, she should not be forced to testify; but since that already happened, her testimonial should not be taken too seriously, considering her long history of supporting Fidel. About the spanish comments, there is always google translator, or just do not read it.
localsb (anonymous profile)
March 26, 2011 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am such a fan of Annie's work.
I honor her bravery.
Keep on...keepin' on sister!
The Sober Spitbath
emenzies (Elizabeth Menzies)
March 27, 2011 at 4:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just because she's interviewed someone doesn't mean she supports them! Hell, just because I might like someone doesn't mean I support their every effort! Do you?!
Geraldo interviewed Manson, does that make him a follower?
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 27, 2011 at 6:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Furthermore, this being an English language news site, with an article in English; if the writer has problems with English how were they able to read it to begin with? Yet it was too tough to comment in English? The Spanish reply wasn't out of inability to understand English but an arrogant attempt to slander and attack under the guise of a foreign language.
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 27, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EZK, calmate los nervios, estas sonando como un paranoico :) henry (err, enrique)
hank (anonymous profile)
March 28, 2011 at 10:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow this reminds me of something I saw just the other day at a big political rally downtown. I think the protesters were demanding higher wages and social justice, but they were chanting in Spanish so I didn't catch everything. Suddenly from across the street, an angry, loud, counter-demonstrator started berating the protesters, yelling "is it too tough to comment in English" and "stop your arrogant attacks under the guise of a foreign language."
Scooter (anonymous profile)
March 28, 2011 at 4:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EZK, let me help you here a little bit. I know it is frustrating when you can not understand something because you don't speak the language. It happened to me many years ago when I came to live to your country. Henry and I just exchanged a few words in Spanish, non related with the post. The ones related with the post, we commented in English as you can read above.
About Bardach, she traveled 13 times to Cuba; not only she interviewed Fidel, but she was very close to him. I will translate here part of the post I mentioned above so you can understand. Lets be clear that I'm not defending Posada Carriles, I'm just pointing out how Bardach is not a reliable witness considering her close relationship with the cuban dictator.
Translation:
"Under heavy and prolonged interrogation of Bardach, she was forced to admit that she has traveled to Cuba in thirteen different occasions and she has met several times with Fidel Castro.
The highlight was when the lawyer asked Hernandez whether she was aware that Fidel Castro would not let anyone touch him, and she said, "Yes, I know". If she was aware that not even his closest friends could get close to him; and she admitted that she knew that perfectly fine. Another question: if she knew about Fidel Castro's close relationship with the Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez, and how not event the "Gabo" will be allowed to embrace Fidel Castro, the U.S. journalist admitted, "Yes I am aware of that." At that instant, Posada's lawyer, took a photo and showed it to the witness, as he said: "How can you explain this picture?". Ann Louise Bardach was intensely pale, surprised. The lawyer then asked the judge permission to show the picture to the jury. The judge quickly replied, "only after I see it and approve it."
When the judge saw the photo, she gave the lawyer permission to be shown to the jury. One could see the surprise on the faces of the jurors. The picture showed Ann Louise Bardach, tightly around FIDEL CASTRO.
Independent observers felt that after two days of testimony from Bardach, the defense won a tremendous victory after showing the close relationship of the witness with the tyrant of Cuba."
localsb (anonymous profile)
March 28, 2011 at 5:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually I do know the language but object to its use here to further bloat egos and delusions of grandeur, and "victory in Cuba."
And none of the above mentioned makes her a Communist. In fact she is quite a Capitalist!
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 28, 2011 at 7:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EZK, you really need to review your Spanish because you are completely lost. Your previous post is all wrong. I should not be wasting my time answering to you. I deal with people like you every day and it is not worth my energies. Just educate yourself a little bit before posting non-sense comments. No seas paranoico, calmate los nervios he he he!
localsb (anonymous profile)
March 29, 2011 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You need to educate yourself before calling people names you obviously know nothing about, i.e. Ms. Bardach. Are you just jealous because she is successful in her profession while all you can do is rant and rave and bluster on a news site?
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 29, 2011 at 4:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EZK (684 comments posted in this web site) vs localsb (7 comments, with 5 out of 7 just replies to yours).
Who is the bluster of this News site? you better find better arguments to express yourself than talking something you know nothing about.
قبل از باز کردن دهان خود را دوباره،
اطمینان حاصل کنید که ذهن تا از همهی چیزهایی که به شما می گویند.
Translation(google): Before you open your mouth again, make sure you have a mind to back up all the things you say.
localsb (anonymous profile)
March 29, 2011 at 9:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
EZK just got owned. Viva Cuba Libre! :) henry
hank (anonymous profile)
March 30, 2011 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And to think it was only last month that EZK and his super-sized ego was claiming that HE owned every debate due to his superior intellect, and vast knowledge of history and civics.
Scooter (anonymous profile)
March 30, 2011 at 12:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And I still own this one, despite the attempt at destruction by stampede of ignorance. How many of you write for Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone? How many books have you fools written and have actually had published? None of you can hold a candle to Ms.Bardach or her work. Have fun wallowing in your filth.
And Scooter, thanks for demonstrating your own inferiority.
Me "owned" ha! The day pigs own me hell will freeze over.
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 30, 2011 at 6:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And how can you condone terrorist attacks by anyone?
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 30, 2011 at 7:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Now under new ownership: EZK! Ya'll come back now, ya hear?! :) henry
hank (anonymous profile)
March 30, 2011 at 10:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)