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Spy chief defends Peru's Fujimori | Spy chief defends Peru's Fujimori |
(3 days later) | |
Peru's ex-security chief has testified that former President Alberto Fujimori is innocent of human rights violations. | Peru's ex-security chief has testified that former President Alberto Fujimori is innocent of human rights violations. |
Vladimiro Montesinos, currently serving a jail term for arms smuggling, is alleged to have organised death squads in the 1990s during Mr Fujimori's rule. | Vladimiro Montesinos, currently serving a jail term for arms smuggling, is alleged to have organised death squads in the 1990s during Mr Fujimori's rule. |
However, he told the court Mr Fujimori had no responsibility for the killings. Prosecutors claim Mr Fujimori ordered two massacres in which 25 people died. | |
The former president, who faces up to 30 years in jail, denies the charges. | The former president, who faces up to 30 years in jail, denies the charges. |
Montesinos, whose testimony has been keenly anticipated, told the court in Lima that he had chosen to testify even though he could remain silent under the law. | Montesinos, whose testimony has been keenly anticipated, told the court in Lima that he had chosen to testify even though he could remain silent under the law. |
He said Mr Fujimori bore no responsibility for any of the offences with which he is charged. | He said Mr Fujimori bore no responsibility for any of the offences with which he is charged. |
Montesinos also denies any involvement in the death squad cases. He faces a separate trial over the killings. | |
Left-wing rebels | Left-wing rebels |
Montesinos, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence, was Mr Fujimori's intelligence chief during his 1990-2000 rule. | Montesinos, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence, was Mr Fujimori's intelligence chief during his 1990-2000 rule. |
As such, he was privy to the government's policies and strategy in its war against left-wing rebels. | As such, he was privy to the government's policies and strategy in its war against left-wing rebels. |
FUJIMORI CHARGES 1991 Barrios Altos killings: 15 dead1992 La Cantuta killings: 10 dead1992 illegal detention: journalist Gustavo Gorriti and businessman Samuel DyerSeparate trial on corruption and illegal wiretapping charges Profile: Alberto FujimoriProfile: Vladimiro Montesinos | |
Mr Fujimori's trial relates to two massacres carried out by a death squad known as La Colina, in which a total of 25 people died. | Mr Fujimori's trial relates to two massacres carried out by a death squad known as La Colina, in which a total of 25 people died. |
In 1991, La Colina raided a barbecue in a poor suburb of Lima known as Barrios Altos and killed 15 people. | In 1991, La Colina raided a barbecue in a poor suburb of Lima known as Barrios Altos and killed 15 people. |
The following year, they kidnapped nine students and a professor. | The following year, they kidnapped nine students and a professor. |
They were taken away from the campus and summarily executed. Their remains were later found in an unmarked grave. | They were taken away from the campus and summarily executed. Their remains were later found in an unmarked grave. |
It is alleged the death squad was under the direct command of the Peruvian president. | It is alleged the death squad was under the direct command of the Peruvian president. |
Mr Fujimori is also charged with ordering the illegal detention and interrogation of a prominent journalist, Gustavo Gorriti, and businessman Samuel Dyer, in 1992. | Mr Fujimori is also charged with ordering the illegal detention and interrogation of a prominent journalist, Gustavo Gorriti, and businessman Samuel Dyer, in 1992. |
The former president fled to Japan in 2000 after his administration was brought down by a scandal involving Montesinos. | |
He was detained in Chile at the Peruvian authorities' request in 2005 and extradited from Chile to Peru last year. |
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