Summoned to court as ``Manuel Viramontes also known as Gerardo Hernandez,'' the accused spymaster in a South Florida-based Cuban spy ring pleaded innocent Friday to conspiring to commit murder and other charges.

A day earlier, the chief suspect in the spy ring cracked by the FBI in September was nowhere to be found in court when three of his alleged ring members were arraigned.

After first indicting him as Viramontes, then later as John Doe No. 1, case prosecutor Caroline Heck Miller now asserts that the suspect is Gerardo Hernandez, a Cuban agent who ran a ring of spies who snooped on South Florida exile organizations.

The government's latest indictment on the case also accuses Viramontes as conspiring to commit murder in the February 1996 rocketing of two Brothers to the Rescue planes by Cuban MiG fighter jets.

South Floridians Pablo Morales, Armando Alejandre, Mario de la Peña and Carlos Costa were killed in the attack.

U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard has set the trial date for September, although defense lawyers doubt it can begin on time.