Up to 20 Cuban singers said seking Canadian asylum

Up to 20 Cuban singers said seking Canadian asylum
Tue Oct 25,12:47 AM ET

As many as half the members of Cuba's 40-member National Choir skipped their downtown Toronto hotel on Sunday to seek asylum in Canada, the president of the Cuban-Canadian Foundation said on Monday.
Among the asylum seekers is baritone Ernesto Hermes Cendoya Sotomayor, foundation president Ismael Sambra said.
The choir began a cross-Canada tour on October 18 and were due to fly to Vancouver in the coming days, Sambra said.
"We're trying to help those young people who are seeking asylum," said Sambra. "Unfortunately some went back to the hotel to get their clothes and were held by the state security officials."
Spokespeople at the Prime Minister's Office, Immigration Canada and Foreign Affairs said they had not yet been advised of the defections but were checking into the case.
Sambra estimated about 20 people had sought asylum and that at least one person was in Ottawa. The majority remained in Toronto he said and a few may have tried to seek asylum in the United States.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051025/wl_canada_nm/canada_cuba_col_3