Cuban Inmate Hostage Siege Enters 6th Day

TALLADEGA, Ala. —  Rebellious Cuban inmates holding 10 hostages at a federal prison had more talks with officials and got routine medical attention, but no food was sent in, the warden said Monday.

It appeared that the seven men and three women hostages were unhurt on their sixth day of captivity, said Roger F. Scott, warden at the Talladega Federal Correctional Institution.

Scott and other federal prison officials declined to comment about any progress or specifics in continuing negotiations with the Cuban inmates who took over a maximum-security unit Wednesday. There were 121 Cubans and 18 non-Cuban inmates in the unit along with the 10 hostages.

Dan Dunne, a federal Bureau of Prisons spokesman, said no food had been sent to the besieged unit since the uprising began. Prison officials said previously that the Cubans had snacks stored in their lockers, but Scott said Monday there was no indication the inmates had stockpiled food in advance of the takeover.

Prison officials have not disclosed the Cubans’ demands. But the rebellion broke out on the eve of deportation to Cuba for 32 of the detainees, who came to the United States in the 1980 Mariel boat lift and were convicted of crimes in this country.

More than 30 of the Cuban inmates took part in rioting at two federal prisons in 1987 when a round of deportations was announced.