Members of the Canadian Che Guevara solidarity brigade demanded today the release of five anti-terrorist Cuban fighters unfairly held in US prisons.

In remarks to Prensa Latina, Johanna Lanfranco, a second time visiting member of the brigade, said many Canadians are joining initiatives to known Cuba and fight for the release of Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez.

The Cuban Five, as they are also worldwide, were detained in the United States in 1998 and given harsh sentences for monitoring Miami-based terrorist groups operating against Cuba.

Rene Gonzalez served his sentence and was given additional three-year supervised release punishment.

From the Julio Antonio Mella international camp, in Caimito, Artemisa province, in western Cuba, also Canadian Taizo Shinkoda considered unfair for this anti-terrorists to remain imprisoned.

He decried the US economic, commercial, financial blockade imposed on Cuba for over 50 years, as it affects also the links of other nations, like his country, with Cuba.

Dave Thomas, who has been the brigade's coordinator for three years, said that the best of visiting the Cuban capital and other provinces is to know first hand the Island's reality, which is distorted by Canadian media.

A first batch of the Che Guevara brigade (over 40 members) arrived in Cuba yesterday. They are scheduled to meet with representatives of different sectors of society, do voluntary work and attend International Workers Day celebrations.