Reuters AlertNet Lite - Italy wants life in jail for "Dirty War" Argentines

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Italy wants life in jail for "Dirty War" Argentines

28 Feb 2007 16:59:44 GMT
Source: Reuters

ROME, Feb 28 (Reuters) - An Italian prosecutor demanded life sentences on Wednesday for four Argentine officers accused of kidnapping and killing three Italian citizens in the early years of the 1976-83 dictatorship known as the "Dirty War".

Angela Maria Aieta, Juan Pegoraro and his daughter Susanna were Argentines of Italian citizenship who were among thousands of people who "disappeared" at the hands of death squads in the regime's crackdown on leftists and their suspected sympathisers.

The suspects, who are being tried in absentia, include some of the most infamous names linked to "Task Forces" operating at the Navy Mechanical School (ESMA), a clandestine torture centre in Buenos Aires.

Alfredo Astiz, known as the "Blond Angel", is wanted in Spain, France and Sweden on similar charges. Jorge "Tiger" Acosta is also wanted in France and Sweden. The others are Jorge Vildoza and Hector Antonio Febres.

The prosecutor also wants a medical examination on admiral Emilio Massera, a member of Argentina's first military junta, to see if he can be tried as the Navy chief ultimately responsible for the deaths.

Wanted in Spain, France and Germany, he was declared mentally incompetent after a brain seizure a few years ago.

None of the suspects are expected to be extradited to Italy because, like others investigated by Italy in hundreds of cases of Italians who disappeared during the military dictatorship, they are also wanted by prosecutors in Argentina.

Some of those have gone to trial but no suspects were extradited as they were covered by amnesties, or, after these were overturned in 2005, face trial in Argentina.

The Argentine officers' Italian defence lawyers will present their case on March 14 and a sentence is expected soon after.

Astiz is one of dozens of suspected death squad members who Argentina is now trying for some of the 18,000 officially listed disappearances. Human rights groups put the toll closer to 30,000.

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Last updated:Wed Feb 28 17:00:32 2007