HAVANA - Fidel Castro Monday lashed out at Washington over its handling of the "Cuban Five" espionage case.

"The position of the government of the United States concerning the five Cuban heroes is not sustainable," the former top Cuban leader wrote in his regular column carried by official daily Granma.

"Washington cannot sustain its lies against a small and blocked country, which also has been a victim of terrorist acts," said the 85-year-old.

The "Cuban Five" were five Cuban nationals arrested in America in 1998 for espionage charges and were sentenced to imprisonment from 15 years to up to two life sentences.

One of the five, Rene Gonzalez, was released earlier this month, but has to stay in the United States on probation for another three years.

The Cuban authorities said the five were only monitoring anti-Castro groups based in Florida to prevent terror attacks on the island country and has been calling for the immediate return of Gonzalez and the release of the other four.