Accused Chilean kidnapper for Pinochet regime denies knowing victims

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/24/accused-chilean-kidnapper-for-pinochet-regime-denies-knowing-victims

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A Sydney woman wanted in Chile over the alleged kidnapping of seven people during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet denies having known or ever seen them.

Adriana Rivas, 66, was arrested by NSW police in February and remains in custody following a request from Chile for her extradition.

During a bail application at Central local court on Friday, her lawyer Frank Santisi said she denied accusations she was a “co-perpetrator” and denied knowing or ever seeing the alleged victims.

He said the kidnappings were said to have occurred in the 1970s, some 40 years ago, when Chile was “effectively under martial law”.

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“When one starts reading the extradition material, what is being said about these seven people was that they were in fact arrested, not kidnapped. Arrested,” Santisi said.

He said it was unclear “when it was that these persons became detained unlawfully, if at all”.

“The material suggests that they were tortured and ultimately killed,” the lawyer said.

The lawyer said Rivas worked for someone who reported to the head of DINA – which Santisi described as a CIA equivalent – but she wasn’t an agent and her work was mundane with the exception of some special events.

Her tasks included collecting laundry, making coffee and translating, the court heard.

Santisi said there were serious questions as to whether alleged victims were arrested by DINA agents or other arms of the military – and there was nothing in the material to show with any certainty if Rivas was present.