NATION : Noriega’s Lawyers Meet Castro

MIAMI —  Attorneys for jailed Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega met in March with Cuban President Fidel Castro, who provided documents that will help Noriega’s defense against drug smuggling charges, a defense attorney said today.

Steve Kollin, a Miami attorney who represents Noriega, confirmed a report in the Miami Herald that defense attorneys had met with Castro in Havana.

“Fidel Castro met with some of Gen. Noriega’s lawyers and discussed certain sensitive issues with us,” Kollin said. “He further provided us with certain documentation.”

Kollin declined to provide any other information about the meeting, including the identities of which defense attorneys participated. “We’re not going to have any other comment on this,” he said.