A U.S. immigration judge has ruled that Luis Posada Carriles, a Cuban exile wanted in Venezuela on terrorism charges, cannot be deported to Cuba or Venezuela.
In his ruling, Judge William Abbott cited international conventions barring U.S. officials from extraditing people to countries where they may face torture.
He did not rule out the possibility of sending Mr. Posada Carriles, a former CIA operative, to another country.
Lawyers for Mr. Posada Carriles argued he would be tortured if sent to Venezuela, which accuses him of plotting the 1976 bombing of a Cuban jetliner. He denies involvement in the attack that killed 73 people.
Venezuela has said there is no evidence it would use torture, and has accused the United States of wrongfully protecting Mr. Posada Carriles.
He was arrested earlier this year for illegally entering the United States.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.