Excerpts of Declaration of Alan P.

Gross, read by Alan Gross to the Cuban trial court on March 4, 2011: My parents engrained in me the values of honesty, commitment to family and community, as well as willingness to work hard in order to support these values which have remained vitally important to me throughout my personal life and professional career. My nearly four decades of work in economic and community development have been greatly influenced by these values, and this is why most of my work has been dedicated to helping people improve their lives, regardless of their social, political, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and regardless of where they happen to live. It is only by accident of birth that I give this testimony in English as a U.S. citizen. Had my family remained in their birthplace and survived the atrocities of Nazi Germany, I might have been speaking before you in Czech. However, my values would not be different. My wife of nearly 41 years recently reminded me that she is amazed that I have kept my ideals and that I have remained such a trusting person. I suppose that I am trusting to a fault because I surely would not be here today were I less trusting, or if I did not still adhere to my ideals, my values. For the purposes of these proceedings, let me be absolutely clear and unambiguous: I have never, would never, and will never purposefully or knowingly do anything personally or professionally to subvert a government or political system, or bring harm to anyone, whether or not I happen to agree. Outside of the U.S., my political opinion is totally irrelevant to my work. How any sovereign nation, other than the U.S., governs itself is not my business, nor is it my practice or business to express an opinion about the government of any country in which I am a guest. My parents taught me other values as well, one of which is respect. I respect the sovereignty of Cuba. I have learned from my parents and through experience that respect is something that one must have, in order to receive. Surely, I had no intent to disrespect or harm the Government or the people of Cuba. I do deeply regret that my actions have been misinterpreted as harmful and a threat against the security and independence of Cuba. Surely, this runs counter to what I had intended. Had I known prior to traveling here, or

had I been told by the Cuban authorities when they were expected to tell me at the airport, I would never repeatnever [have] brought anything here. I have neverrepeatneverever been in any kind of trouble, legal or otherwise, anywhere in the world. I did nothing in Cuba that is not done on a daily basis in millions of homes and offices around the world. I have an immense fondness for the people of Cuba, and I am deeply sorry for being a trusting fool. I was duped. I was used. And my family and I have paid dearly for thisespecially my wife who has bared the brunt of this.