the first 9-11-kissinger, operacion condor, pinochet

8/10/2019 The First 9-11-Kissinger, Operacion Condor, Pinochet

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THE FIRST 9/11 KISSINGER, OPERACIN CNDOR, PINOCHET

by George Venturini *

The first 9/11 occurred in 1973 in Santiago, Chile and places nearby !resident "ichard

#ilhous $i%on and &r 'enry (lfred )issinger ere the instigators, General (ugusto

!inochet si+ply the e%ecutioner

The nited States has been interfering ith Chile since the arri-al of .oel "oberts !oinsettas

special agent0 in 111 The story of the first 9/11 began, +ost li2ely, on 1 Septe+ber 1974

hen $i%on and his consiglieri5 "ichard 'el+s, &irector of the Central 6ntelligence (gency

and )issinger, $ational Security (d-iser ere discussing a possible C6( co-ert operation

in Chile

#edia sources confir+ed that $i%on had been nearly beside hi+self ith rage at the thought

that #ar%ist0 Sal-ador (llende +ight in the 1974 presidential election in Chile The -ery

na+e of (llende as anathe+a to $i%on 'e had been personally beholden to the president

of !epsi Cola fro+ the +o+ent he had recei-ed that corporation0s account hile a young

layer ith .ohn #itchell0s fir+ in $e or2 6n ti+e #itchell ould share ith $i%on the

fate of 8atergate and other cri+es ut, after the 8atergate0 affaires, only #itchell ended

up in gaol for conspiracy, obstruction of :ustice,andper:ury

!epsi Cola, along ith Chase #anhattan an2, 6nternational Telephone ; Telegraph and

+any other corporations, but abo-e all (naconda Copper #ining Co and )ennecott Copper

Co, had huge in-est+ents in Chile 6t is esti+ated that in the early se-enties those to +a:or

+ining corporations alone controlled beteen se-en and tenty per cent of Chile0s Gross

&o+estic !roduct
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Roberts_Poinsetthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_(crime)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obstruction_of_justicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perjuryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Roberts_Poinsetthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_(crime)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obstruction_of_justicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perjury


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The briefing contains details on a failed coup atte+pt on ?? >ctober E but does not

ac2noledge a C6( role in the assassination of General "enF Schneider 'el+s also

assessed (llende0s Btenacious character and So-iet policy toards Chile &espite the

presence of Co++unists in cabinet, 6ntelligence0 suggested that Chiles Socialists E as he

infor+ed Council +e+bers E Bill e%ercise restraint in pro+oting closer ties ith "ussia

$i%on had ordered the C6( to pre-ent (llende0s election at all cost 'e had e%plicitly told

"ichard 'el+s Bto get rid of hi+, referring to (llende

(t the ti+e, the nited States as still e+broiled in Vietna+ The parallel go-ern+ent0 of

the C6( as running a plan deno+inatedPhoenix E a co-ert action progra++e hich had

been established in 19


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8hen pre-enting (llende0s election failed, the C6( as instructed to destabilise the

go-ern+ent

( +eeting of 1 Septe+ber 1974, ten days after the narro election of (llende, as to

beco+e crucial !robably deter+inant to $i%on0s order to 'el+s to +ount a fullEscale

operation against (llende0s prospecti-e ne go-ern+ent E including, as 'el+s0s notes of

the +eeting reflect, Bto +a2e the econo+y screa+ Hin Chile toI pre-ent (llende fro+ co+ing

to poer or to unseat hi+ E as the ad-ice gi-en by )issinger in his fa+ous e%pression

of conte+pt for the de+ocratic play5 B6 do not see hy e need to stand by and atch a

country go Co++unist due to the irresponsibility of its on people The issues are +uch too

i+portant for the Chilean -oters to be left to decide for the+sel-es

That as no isolated e%pression of )issinger0sRealpolitik The +inutes of a secret 197

+eeting of the $ational Security Council attended by !resident Dord re-eal )issinger

gru+bling5 B6t is an act of insanity and national hu+iliation to ha-e a la prohibiting the

!resident fro+ ordering assassination

( total lac2 of any +oral :udg+ent re+ains the +ar2 of such cynicalRealpolitik The New

York Timesreported on 1< &ece+ber ?414 that, according to recently released tapes of $i%on

at the 8hite 'ouse, )issinger as heard telling $i%on in 1973 that helping So-iet .es

e+igrate and thus escape oppression by a totalitarian regi+e E a huge issue at the ti+e E

as Bnot an ob:ecti-e of (+erican foreign policy B(nd if they put .es into gas cha+bers

in the So-iet nion, he added, Bit is not an (+erican concern #aybe a hu+anitarian

concern Genocide as Bnot an (+erican concern, he said, but B+aybe a hu+anitarian

concern

(s $ational Security (d-iser and/or Secretary of State, or (ssistant to the !resident, or

si+ply as consigliere, )issinger0s opinion ould be sought by successi-e presidents5 Carter,

"eagan, ush Senior, Clinton, ush .unior and e-en >ba+a


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>f course, at that +eeting of 1 Septe+ber 1974, )issinger 2ne full ell that Chile had not

gone Co++unist0 !robably so did $i%onJ it certainly as ithin 'el+s0 2noledge

(llende as a culti-ated +an, by all definitions a bourgeois0 e-en though he as 2non as

the charis+atic founder of the Socialist !arty (llende in fact as a +oderate, ho anted to

de-elop Ba peaceful Chilean ay toards socialis+ 'e had been elected by or2ers,

peasants and the +arginalised, urban loer classes @ducated urban youth celebrated the

Bsocialis+ of red ine and empanadas E stuffed pastry

ut, in the debased language hich had ta2en place ith $i%on in the 8hite 'ouse and in

the ordinary :argon hich ould +ost assuredly reach a gangster such as $i%on, )issinger

did not hesitate to use such language 6t as the ad-ice of the consigliereto the capoEmafia

The ad-ice as reflected in the handritten notes ta2en by 'el+s and preser-ed in those

declassified cables Ta2en in the presence of (ttorney General .ohn #itchell and )issinger,

the notes read5 Bl in 14 chance perhaps, but sa-e ChileKJ orth spendingJ not concernedJ noin-ol-e+ent of e+bassyJ L14,444,44 a-ailable, +ore if necessaryJ fullEti+e :ob E best +en

e ha-eJ ga+e planJ +a2e the econo+y screa+J = hours for plan of action

#inutes of 1< Septe+ber 1974record the first +eeting beteen &irector 'el+s and se-eral

high agency officials on co-ert operations E codena+ed Dubelt0 E against (llende (

special tas2 force under the super-ision of C6( &eputy &irector of !lans, Tho+as

)ara+essines, as established, headed by -eteran agent &a-id (tlee !hillips The

+e+orandu+ noted that the C6( +ust prepare an action plan for $ational Security (d-isor

'enry )issinger ithin = hours

( +e+orandu+ of con-ersation0 of a 1 >ctober 1974 +eeting, held at the 8hite 'ouse

beteen )issinger, )ara+essines and (le%ander 'aig, &eputy $ational Security (d-iser and

later !resident "eagan0s Secretary of State, records a discussion on pro+oting a coup in


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Chile 2non as Trac2 ?0 of co-ert operations to bloc2 (llende The three conspirators

discussed the possibility that the plot of one Chilean retired General, "oberto Viau%, +ight

fail Bith unfortunate repercussions for S ob:ecti-es )issinger ordered the C6( Bto

continue 2eeping the pressure on e-ery (llende ea2 spot in sight

The day after such +eeting, 1< >ctober 1974, )ara+essines passed )issinger0s order on to

the C6( station chief in Santiago, 'enry 'ec2sher The secret cable said, at the -ery

opening5 M6t is fir+ and continuing policy that (llende be o-erthron by a coupM The

Moperating guidanceM +a2es it clear that these operations ere to be conducted so as to hide

the M(+erican hand,M and that the C6( as to ignore any orders to the contrary fro+

(+bassador )orry ho had not been infor+ed of Trac2 ?0 operations

&ated 3 $o-e+ber 1974 is the notice of a +eeting for hich )issinger had a co+prehensi-e

secret/sensiti-e options paper N$SS# 97O prepared The paper as to be sub+itted to the

offices of the Vice !resident, of the Secretaries of State and &efence, and of the &irector of

@+ergency !reparedness 6t as also sent in copy to the (ttorney General, the nder

Secretary of State, the Chair+an, .oint Chief of Staff, and the &irector of Central

6ntelligence !recisely on the day of (llende0s inauguration, it laid out S ob:ecti-es,

interests and potential policy toards Chile S interests ere defined as pre-enting Chile

fro+ falling under Co++unist control and pre-enting the rest of Aatin (+erica fro+

folloing Chile Bas a +odel >ption C E +aintaining an Boutardly cool posture hile

or2ing behind the scenes to under+ine the (llende Go-ern+ent through econo+ic

pressures and diplo+atic isolation E had been chosen by $i%on C6( operations and

options ere not included in the docu+ent

Three cables dated 1 >ctober 1974 passed beteen the C6( headPuarters in Aangley, V(,

and the C6( Station in Santiago They dealt ith the secret ship+ent of eapons and

a++unition for use in a plot to 2idnap the Co++anderEinEChief of the Chilean (r+y,

General "enF Schneider B$eutraliQing Schneider as a 2ey prerePuisite for a +ilitary coupJ


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he opposed any inter-ention by the ar+ed forces to bloc2 (llendes constitutional election

The C6( supplied a group of Chilean officers led by General Ca+ilo ValenQuela ith

sterile0 E that is untraceable E eapons for the operation hich as to be bla+ed on

(llende supporters and thus pro+pt a +ilitary ta2eo-er

eteen the presidential elections and Congress confir+ation of (llende, to e-ents too2

place in Chile >ne as the 2idnapping and assassination on ??E? >ctober of General

Schneider Schneider as a defender of the constitutionalist0 doctrinethat the (r+ys role is

e%clusi-ely professional, its +ission being to protect the countrys so-ereignty and not to

interfere in politics 'e as shot resisting the -iolence by another group led by General"oberto Viau%, at the head of a cryptoE$aQi gang of generals and ad+irals, ho had been

paid S L 4,444 each >nce hospitalised, Schneider died of his ounds on ? >ctober

Viau%s 2idnapping plan had been supported by the C6(, although )issinger later clai+ed

to ha-e ordered the plans postponed at the last +o+ent

Correctly Christopher 'itchens, in a boo2 by the pro-ocati-e title The trial of HenryKissinger, ritten in incendiary E studiedly defa+atory E ords, su++ed up the substance

of the co+bined reading of those cables, and particularly of the +e+orandu+ of

con-ersation0 1 >ctober 19745 B'ere one +ust pause for a recapitulation (n unelected

official in the nited States is +eeting ith others, ithout the 2noledge or authoriQation of

Congress, to plan the 2idnapping of a constitutionE+inded senior officer in a de+ocratic

country ith hich the nited States is not at ar, and ith hich it +aintains cordial

diplo+atic relations The +inutes of the +eetings +ay ha-e an official loo2 to the+ Nthough

they ere hidden fro+ the light of day for long enoughO but hat e are re-ieing is a MhitM E

a bit of stateEsupported terroris+

The other e-ent as the appoint+ent by the outgoing !resident Drei of General Carlos !rats

as Co++anderEinEChief of the (r+y to replace General Schneider
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Schneiderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneider_Doctrinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Viauxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Kissingerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Pratshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Schneiderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneider_Doctrinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Viauxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Kissingerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Prats


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6nstead of a coup, the +ilitary and the country rallied behind (llende0s ratification by Chile0s

Congress on ?= >ctober

S deter+ination to destroy opposition to its do+ination in Aatin (+erica beca+e part of a

+uch broader plan hich too2 the na+e of Operacin ndor E >peration Condor

The +urder of General Schneider as :ust one of the cri+es of >peration CondorJ by then

the !lan as ell on its ay

6n 197 ush Senior E for+erly $i%on0s (+bassador to the nited $ations, and Dord0s

Chief Aiaison >fficer to China E as about to beco+e C6( &irector 6n that capacity he

further de-eloped >peration Condor This as a coordinate operation against opposition

+o-e+ents throughout Aatin (+erica y 197 ush Senior as head of the C6( and

or2ing together ith )issinger and Vernon 8alters, later a 2ey ad-iser to "eagan, to

de-elop !lan Condor

Operacin ndoras a ca+paign ofpolitical repressionin-ol-ing intelligence0 operations

and assassination officially i+ple+ented in 197 by the "ightEing dictatorships of the

Southern Coneof South (+erica The progra++e ai+ed to eradicate alleged Socialistand

Co++unist influence and ideas and to control acti-e or potential opposition +o-e+ents

against the participating go-ern+ents There being no dead bodies, the conspirators could

deny e-erything &ue to its clandestine nature, the precise nu+ber of +urders directly

attributable to >peration Condor is highly disputed 6t is esti+ated that a +ini+u+ of


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1999 boo2, titled !os a"os del lo#o$ Operacin ndor E The olf years5 >peration

Condor, Stella Calloni, an (rgentine in-estigati-e :ournalist spo2e of anticipated re-elations

hich pointed to the i+plication of Condor0s agents in the deaths of presidents >+ar Torri:os

of !ana+a and .ai+e "oldRs of @cuador in 191, ho ere Bconsidered botherso+e to the

e+pire and dictatorships in secret docu+ents that ere in-estigated, and possibly in the

death of Sedish !ri+e #inister >lof !al+e in 19


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+essage that laisse*-fairepolicies ere not the desired ay (s the grand total of SL 134

+illion fro+ the S ban2ing industry, the S Treasury &epart+ent, the 6nternational

#onetary Dund and other international organisations accepted by (lessandri illustrates,

laisse*-fairepolicies only +ade Chile +ore dependent on the nited States

8hen (llende appeared as a top contender in the 19ctober 19


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in appro%i+ately 34,444 -icti+s according to +ost esti+ates, targeted +any tradeEunionists,

relati-es of acti-ists, and others

8ithin the >peration Condor the ChileanEdestabilisation strategy, presided o-er in detail by

)issinger, de-eloped into a series of operations called Trac2 10 and Trac2 ?0 They

represented to approaches of the S (d+inistration to fighting (llende Trac2 10 as a

State &epart+ent initiati-e designed to thart (llende by sub-erting Chilean elected officials

ithin the bounds of the Chilean Constitution and e%cluded the C6( Trac2 10 e%panded to

enco+pass a nu+ber of policies, the ulti+ate goal of hich as to create the conditions

hich ould encourage a coup Trac2 ?0 as the C6( operation o-erseen by )issinger and

C6(0s &eputy &irector of !lans, Tho+as )ara+essines Trac2 ?0 e%cluded the State

&epart+ent and &epart+ent of &efence The goal of Trac2 ?0 as to find and support

Chilean +ilitary officers ho ould support a coup

(long the lines of Trac2 ?0, )issinger prepared #e+orandu+ 930, dated 9 $o-e+ber 1974,

hich su++arises the presidential decisions regarding changes in S policy toards Chile

folloing (llendes election )issinger sent it to the Secretaries of State and &efence, and to

the &irector of the >ffice of @+ergency !reparedness and the &irector of Central

6ntelligence The +e+orandu+ directs S agencies to adopt a Bcool posture toards

(llendes go-ern+ent, in order to pre-ent his consolidation of poer and Bli+it HhisI ability

to i+ple+ent policies contrary to S and he+isphere interests The +e+orandu+ states

that e%isting S assistance and in-est+ents in Chile should be reduced, and no ne

co++it+ents underta2en Durther+ore E according to )issingers +e+orandu+ E Bclose

relations should be established and +aintained ith +ilitary leaders throughout Aatin

(+erica to facilitate coordination of pressure and other opposition efforts

y 1 $o-e+ber 1974 the C6( as able to present asu++ary of its efforts beteen 1

Septe+ber and 3 $o-e+ber 1974 to pre-ent (llende0s ratification as president and to fo+ent

a coup in Chile E according to both Trac2 10 and Trac2 ?0 The su++ary details the

co+position of the Tas2 Dorce, headed by &a-id (tlee !hillips, the tea+ of co-ert operati-es


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Binserted indi-idually into Chile, and their contacts ith Colonel !aul 8inert, the S

(r+y (ttachF detailed to the C6( for the operation 6t re-ies the propaganda operations

designed to press !resident Drei to support Ba +ilitary coup hich ould pre-ent (llende

fro+ ta2ing office on 3 $o-e+ber

(fter all +anoeu-res failed, and (llende as confir+ed, as a declassified +e+orandu+

dated = &ece+ber 1974 re-ealed, in response to a ?7 $o-e+ber directi-e fro+ )issinger, an

interEagency (d 'oc 8or2ing Group on Chile prepared a set of strategy papers co-ering a

range of possible sanctions and pressures against the ne (llende Go-ern+ent These

included a possible diplo+atic effort to force Chile to ithdra E and if necessary to bee%pelled E fro+ the >rganisation of (+erican States as ell as consultations ith other

Aatin (+erican countries Bto pro+ote their sharing of our concern o-er Chile The

docu+ents sho that the $i%on (d+inistration did engage in an in-isible econo+ic bloc2ade

against (llende, inter-ening at the 8orld an2, at the 6nterE(+erican &e-elop+ent an2,

and at the @%portE6+port an2 to curtail or ter+inate credits and loans to Chile before

(llende had been in office for a +onth

The e-idence of such policy0 and +uch cri+inal acti-ity only ca+e to light ith the or2

and subsePuent publication in 197E197< of the +anyE-olu+e "eport of the The Church

Co++ittee E the co++on ter+ referring to the 2nited +tates +enate +elect ommittee to

+tudy 3o,ernmental Operations with Respect to &ntelligence )cti,ities, presided by Senator

Dran2 Church (ccording to the "eport, co-ert nited States in-ol-e+ent in Chile in the

decade beteen 19


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Through Dreedo+ of 6nfor+ation (ct rePuests, and other a-enues of declassification, the

$ational Security (rchi-e has been able to co+pile a collection of declassified records hich

shed light on e-ents in Chile beteen 1974 and 197peration Condor E the stateEsponsored terroris+ of the Chilean

secret police, &6$( The docu+ents, including su++aries of prison letters ritten by

&6$( agent #ichael Tonley, pro-ide e-idence on the carEbo+bing assassination of

>rlando Aetelier and "onni #offitt in 8ashington &C, and on the +urder of Chilean

General Carlos !rats and his ife in uenos (ires, a+ong other operations

These docu+ents, and +any thousands of other C6(, $SC, and &efence &epart+ent

records hich are still classified secret, re+ain rele-ant to ongoing hu+an rights

in-estigations in Chile, Spain and other countries, and unresol-ed acts of international

terroris+ conducted by the Chilean secret police @-entually, international pressure, and

concerted use of the S las on declassification +ay force +ore of the stillEburied record

into the public do+ain E pro-iding e-idence for future :udicial, and historical

accountability


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(t the #arch 1973 parlia+entary elections, (llende0s !opular nity coalition increased its

-ote to =3? per cent, but by then the infor+al alliance ith the Christian &e+ocrats E the

centrists E had ended, and they :oined the opposition ith the "ightEing $ational !arty

!arlia+entary conflict beteen the legislati-e and the e%ecuti-e branches paralysed the

functions of go-ern+ent (t this point the C6( inter-ened +ore deter+inately ith large

financial support for the opposition parties, thus succeeding in generating pressures,

e%ploiting ea2nesses, and +agnifying obstacles There ere couprehearsals ( coupfailed

at the end of .une 1973, and as folloed by a general stri2e in .uly and an e-en +ore

o+inous one at the copper +ines

#uch +ore seriously, on ?< #ay 1973 the Supre+e Court had unani+ously denounced the

(llende Go-ern+ent disruption of the legality of the nation in its failure to uphold :udicial

decisions, and in (ugust 1973 the Court publicly co+plained that the Go-ern+ent as

unable to enforce the la of the land, and on ?? (ugust the opposition in the Cha+ber of

&eputies accused the Go-ern+ent of unconstitutional acts and called upon the +ilitary to

enforce constitutional order

>n ?= (ugust 1973 General !rats as in-ol-ed in a puny but public incident hereupon he

felt it necessary to hand in his resignation (llende at first refused to accept it !rats as

forced by huge ad-erse publicity to insist, and (llende to accept 'is resignation as (r+y

Co++anderEinEChief re+o-ed the last obstacle for the Chilean coup of 1973 General

(ugusto !inochet replaced hi+ as (r+y Co++anderEinEChief the sa+e day 6n late (ugust

1973, 144,444 Chilean o+en congregated at Pla*a de la onstitucin to -ent their rageagainst the rising cost and increasing shortages of food, but they ere dispersed ith tear gas

@arly in the +orning of 11 Septe+ber 1973 the Chilean $a-y occupied Valparaiso, seiQed the

port and closed don the radio and tele-ision stations The !resident ent i++ediately to!a

.oneda, the presidential palace, but by 44 a+ the (r+y had re-olted and closed +ost

radio and tele-ision stations in Santiago The (ir Dorce bo+bed the other stations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_coup_of_1973http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_coup_of_1973http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_coup_of_1973http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_Armyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_coup_of_1973


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The !resident had recei-ed inco+plete infor+ation, and as con-inced that only a sector of

the $a-y conspired against hi+ and his go-ern+ent !resident (llende and &efence #inister

>rlando Aetelierbeca+e unable to co++unicate ith +ilitary leaders The heads of the three

Dorces refused to return the calls fro+ the !resident 8hen Aetelier arri-ed at the #inistry of

&efence he as arrested E the first prisoner of the coup d4(tat

&espite e-idence that all branches of the Chilean (r+ed Dorces ere in-ol-ed in the coup,

!resident (llende as so con-inced of General !inochet0s loyalty that, only at 534 a+,

hen the (r+ed Dorces proclai+ed their control of Chile, and that !resident (llende as

deposed, did he appreciate the e%tent of the coup (llende refused to resign 'e also refused

to surrender, e-en under the threat by the +ilitary that they ould bo+b !a .oneda if he

resisted

y 944 a+ the (r+ed Dorces controlled Chile, e%cept for the city centre of the capital,

Santiago Colleagues in the Socialist !arty offered to (llende refuge in the San .oaPun

industrial Qone in southern Santiago, fro+ hich he could ha-e led a counterE coup ut

(llende refused 'e refused to entertain ad-ances fro+ so+e of the +ilitary, and in one last

potent fareell speech fro+ a re+aining free station e%plained to the nation hy he ould

not resign but 2eep his oath of loyalty to the Constitution and Chile

!inochet ordered an assault on!a .oneda, and the (ir Dorce Co++ander called in a stri2e

by planes The !resident0s personal guard +et the assault ith ar+ed resistance, and four

aircraft bo+bed!a .onedaall but destroying it "esistance lasted until +idEafternoon and

(llende suicided
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Letelierhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Letelier


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(bout si%ty persons lost their life in the initial battle Thousands ould die during the

se-enteen years of the !inochet regi+e

The orst of the +ilitarys -iolent purging fro+ society of thousands of Chilean Aeftists, both

real and suspected E by 2illing orforced disappearance E occurred in the first +onths

after the coup The +ilitary i+prisoned =4,444 of their political ene+ies in the $ational

Stadiu+ of ChileJ a+ong the tortured and 2illed desaparecidos ere to S citiQens5

Charles 'or+an, andDran2 Teruggi

So+e 134,444 people ere arrested in a threeEyear periodJ the dead and disappeared

nu+bered thousands in the first +onths of the +ilitary5unta They included persons fro+

se-eral countries E and +any fro+ Spain !olitical prisoners ere held in stadiu+s, na-y

ships, +ilitary bases, police stations and re+ote buildings They all ser-ed as detention and

+any as torture centres E altogether +ore than 1,134 $o, so+e of these for+er secret

detention and torture centres are being transfor+ed into +e+orials and +useu+s, so Chileans

can re+e+ber the horrors of +ilitary dictatorship E of $i%on, and )issinger, fro+ 11Septe+ber 1973 to 11 #arch 1994 6n that ti+e up to ?,744 persons ere disappeared0

(fter !inochet lost the election0 in the 19 plebiscite, the "ettig Co++ission E officially

The National ommission for Truth and Reconciliation , na+ed after a for+er (+bassador of

!resident (llende E in Debruary 1991 sub+itted its "eport on hu+an rights abuses The

"eport ascertained that ?,?79 persons ere 2illed for political reasons 6n


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and another in .une ?44 They confir+ed the nu+ber as less than 3,444 2illed and reduced

the nu+ber of cases of forced disappearanceJ so+e ?,444 people ere arrested, i+prisoned,

and tortured Testi+ony gathered by the Co++ission fro+ al+ost 3peration Condor

( docu+ent ritten on 1 >ctober 1973, shortly after the coup, by the S $a-al (ttachF

based in Valparaiso reports positi-ely on e-ents in Chile during the coup 'e characterises

BSepte+ber 11 as Bour &E&ay and states that MChiles coup de etat HsicI as close toperfect The report pro-ides details on Chilean +ilitary operations during and after the coup,

as ell as gloing co++entary on the character of the ne regi+e

S (+bassador &a-ido as a political ad-iser at the S @+bassy in Chile fro+ 1971 to

197= 6n Santiago he as an @+bassy insider hen the C6( and the &6$( ere

organising the assassination gang hich later +urdered leading Chilean opposition figures,Carlos !rats in uenos (ires and >rlando Aetelier in 8ashington

( +e+orandu+ dated 1< $o-e+ber 1973, sent by the (ssistant Secretary of State for 6nterE

(+erican (ffairs to Secretary of State )issinger, reports that su++ary e%ecutions in the

nineteen days folloing the coup totalled 3?4 E +ore than three ti+es the publicly

ac2noledged figure The report also contained infor+ation on ne econo+ic assistance :ust

authorised by the $i%on (d+inistration The +e+orandu+ also pro-ided a fact sheet on

hu+an rights in Chile0, ith e%tensi-e details on the nu+ber of persons arrested beteen

11491973 and 11119735 13,44, ith the brea2don of persons originally arrested,

detained in the $ational Stadiu+ in Santiago, released, detained, 2illed hile atte+pting to

escape, pro-ided ith safeEconducts, departed fro+ Chile and dead


20/59

To (+erican citiQens had been listed as Bdead since the coup by the pre-ious report They

ere Charles 'or+an and Dran2 Teruggi, and they had been e%ecuted by the +ilitary after

the coup The +urders ere the sub:ect +atter of a telegra++e 11 Debruary 197=, ritten by

(+bassador to Chile &a-id !opper in Santiago and directed to Secretary of State )issinger

The telegra++e reported on a +eeting beteen the (ssistant Secretary and the5untaDoreign

#inister, General 'uerta The (ssistant Secretary had raised the +atter Bin the conte%t of the

need to be careful to 2eep relati-ely s+all issues in our relationship fro+ +a2ing our

cooperation +ore difficult

( hea-ily e%cised 1 (pril 197 6ntelligence "eport fro+ the &efence (ttachF in Santiago

describes the groth of &6$(, Bthe sole responsible agency for internal sub-ersi-e

+atters 6t is possible to sur+ise that +any of the e%cised portions pro-ide details about the

strained relations beteen &6$( and the Chilean (r+ed Dorces because of &6$(0s

e%clusi-e poer The report states that the head of &6$(, Colonel #anuel Contreras, Bhas

reported e%clusi-ely to, and recei-ed orders only fro+, !resident !inochet

The S Go-ern+ent sponsored and collaborated ith &6$( and ith the other

intelligence0 organisations for+ing the nucleus of Condor, despite the fact that the +ilitary

dictatorships ere 2illing and torturing tens of thousands of people C6( docu+ents sho

that the C6( had close contact ith +e+bers of &6$(, and its chief #anuel Contreras

Contreras as retained as a paid C6( contact until 1977, e-en as his in-ol-e+ent in the

AetelierE#offit assassination as being re-eled

( declassified letter dated < .une 197, o-er the signature of the Aegal (ffairs (ttachF to the

S @+bassy in uenos (ires, and directed to General aeQa, &irector General of

6n-estigations in Santiago pro-ides intelligence obtained through the interrogation of a

captured Chilean leftist, .orge 6saac Duentes The docu+ent records S collaboration ith

Chiles security forces, including the pro+ise of sur-eillance of sub:ects inside the nited

States Duentes as detained through >peration Condor 6t has been established that the D6

aided !inochet in capturing Duentes, ho as detained and tortured in !araguay, then turned
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DINAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DINAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Contrerashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DINAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Contreras


21/59

o-er to the Chilean secret police and disappeared0 (stonishingly, the sur-eillance of Aatin

(+erican dissident refugees in the nited States as pro+ised to Condor figures by

(+erican intelligence0

( 1 .uly 197 +e+orandu+ is a+ong the declassified docu+ents 6t as ritten by a senior

+e+ber of the $ational Security Council to !resident Dord0s $ational Security (d-isor,

General rent Scocroft, and con-eys concern about a-ering S policy toards Chile in

light of reports of hu+an rights -iolations The +e+orandu+ re-eals a di-ision ithin the

S @+bassy o-er dealing ith Chile, ith a nu+ber of officials belie-ing that all S

+ilitary and econo+ic assistance should be ter+inated until the regi+es hu+an rights recordi+pro-ed (ccording to the sender, by reducing aid and sending B+i%ed signals to the

Chileans, the nited States could ris2 precipitating a crisis situation in Chile The sender

concludes his +e+o by reco++ending that Scocroft schedule a special +eeting in hich

S agencies can Bclarify guidelines for future policy

( subsePuent +e+orandu+ (ugust 197, by the sa+e senior officer of the $ational Security

Council, calls Scocroft0s attention to !inochet0s plans to -isit the nited States, and his

rePuested +eeting ith !resident Dord The +e+orandu+ states that the $SC as2ed the S

(+bassador to Chile, &a-id !opper, to discourage the +eeting by telling the Chileans that

!resident Dord0s schedule is full Dearing that such a -isit ould Bsti+ulate criticis+ and foster

e+barrass+ent, the riter suggests an Binfor+al tal2 ith Chiles (+bassador Trucco

>peration Condor as at its pea2 in 197


22/59

source abroad about >peration Condor The cable reports that Chile is the centre of

>peration Condor, and pro-ides infor+ation about Bspecial tea+s hich tra-el Banyhere

in the orld to carry out sanctions up to assassination against terrorists or supporters of

terrorist organiQations Se-eral sections relating to these special tea+s ha-e been e%cised

The cable suggests that the assassination of the Chilean (+bassador to the nited States,

>rlando Aetelier, +ay ha-e been carried out as an action of >peration Condor

( long docu+ent dated ?1 .anuary 19? pro-ides a su++ary of infor+ation concerning

&6$(, hich in late 1977 had been rena+ed entro Nacional de &nformaciones E

$ational 6nfor+ation Centre, C$6 This report includes infor+ation not directly pro-ided tothe D6 by #ichael Tonley, the &6$( agent responsible for the assassination of

Aetelier, but dran fro+ analysis of his correspondence ith his &6$( handler05 details

about +eetings beteen !inochet and neoEDascist 6talian terrorists and spies, codena+es and

acti-ities of &6$( personnel, collaboration beteen &6$( and antiECastro CubansJ the

creation of a fa2e terrorist organisation to ta2e the bla+e for a &6$( 2idnapping in

(rgentinaJ &6$( in-ol-e+ent in relations beteen Great ritain and $orthern 6relandJ

and Tonleys fear that infor+ation about 2idnappings and assassinations of pro+inent

critics of !inochet ould so+eho be traced bac2 to hi+

Dro+ 197< onards, &6$( and its (rgentine counterpart, S6&@, ere Condor0s frontE

line troops The infa+ous death flights0, theorised in (rgentina by Auis #ara #enda E

hich had already been used during the (lgerian 8arof 19=19


23/59

The largest cacheof infor+ation on >peration Condor thus far as found, as already noted,

by sheer accident on ?? &ece+ber 199? in !araguay5 the terror archi-es0

#aterial declassified in ?44= shoed that Secretary )issinger as briefed on Condor and its

+urder operations0 on (ugust 197


24/59

The docu+ent hich had so +uch orried (+bassador 8hite as found a+ong1


25/59

nder S pressure, in 199 Contreras as tried and con-icted in Chile 6n an affida-it sent

to the Chilean Supre+e Court in &ece+ber 1997, he stated that no +a:or &6$( +issions

ere underta2en ithout !inochet0s authorisation

>n 1 Debruary 1999 !resident Clinton ordered the S national security agencies to Bretrie-e

and re-ie for declassification docu+ents that shed light on hu+an rights abuses, terroris+,

and other acts of political -iolence in Chile fro+ 19ne &efence &epart+ent intelligence0 report, dated 1 >ctober

197n 34 .une 1999 the $ational Security (rchi-e, the Center for $ational Security Studies and

'u+an "ights 8atch hailed the release of +ore than ?4,444 pages of S docu+ents on

Chile The records, esti+ated to total +ore than ,344 in nu+ber, ere declassified pursuant

to the 1 Debruary 1999 8hite 'ouse directi-e

The (d+inistration0s decision to underta2e such a declassification re-ie ca+e in the

after+ath of !inochet0s arrest on 1< >ctober 199 in Aondon and as pro+pted by

international pressure, rePuests fro+ Congress, and calls by the fa+ilies of so+e of

!inochets +ost fa+ous -icti+s E including those of Charles 'or+an, >rlando Aetelier

and "onni #offitt


26/59

The 34 .unes release of docu+ents as the first tranche0 co-ering 1973 through 197, the

!inochet regi+es bloodiest years of repression Thousands of other records ere e%pected to

be released before the end of 1999

"epresentati-es of the Center0 and of the 8atch0, hoe-er, e%pressed serious concern that

the C6( had declassified only a fraction of its secret holdings on operations in Chile The

C6(, of course, had the +ost to offer but also the +ost to hide, co++ented the director of

the (rchi-e 'e pointed to the dearth of docu+entation on the C6(0s 2non intelligence0

support for &6$( and on >peration Condor

>n >ctober 1999 the S Go-ern+ent released additional 1,144 docu+ents on Chile

(+ong the+ as a declassified State &epart+ent report on the case of Charles 'or+an, the

(+erican citiQen ho as 2illed by the Chilean +ilitary in the days folloing the coup This

docu+ent as released once before in 194, pursuant to a lasuit filed by the 'or+an

fa+ily (t that ti+e, significant portions ere blac2edEout The -ersion released on that dayre-ealed hat as censored5 the State &epart+ents conclusions that the C6( +ay ha-e had

Ban unfortunate part in 'or+ans death

>n 34 .une ?444 the S Go-ern+ent released hundreds of for+erly secret C6(, &efence,

State, and .ustice &epar+ents, and $ational Security Council records relating to the deaths of

Charles 'or+an and Dran2 Teruggi, both of ho+ ere 2illed by the Chilean +ilitary in the

days folloing the 1973 coup The +urders of 'or+an and Teruggi ere later dra+atised in

the 19? CostaEGra-as fil+.issing &ocu+ents on another (+erican, oris 8eisfiler, ho

disappeared in Chile in 19, ere also released

The S pro-ided +aterial support to the +ilitary regi+e after the coup, although criticising

it in public ( docu+ent released by the C6( on 19 Septe+ber ?444, titled C6( acti-ities


27/59

in Chile0, re-ealed that the C6( acti-ely supported the +ilitary5unta after the o-erthro of

(llende and that it +ade +any of !inochets officers into paid contacts of the C6( or S

+ilitary, e-en though so+e ere 2non to be in-ol-ed in hu+an rights abuses &6$(

Chief #anuel Contrerasas a paid asset fro+ 197 to 1977 The C6(0s official docu+ents

state that, at one ti+e, so+e +e+bers of the intelligence0 co++unity reco++ended +a2ing

Contreras into a paid contact because of his closeness to !inochetJ the plan as re:ected on

Contreras0 poor hu+an rights record, but the single pay+ent as +ade due to +isE

co++unication0 C6( contacts continued ith hi+ long after he dispatched his agents to

8ashington &C to assassinate for+er Aetelier and his ?Eyear old (+erican assistant,

"onni #offitt

The $ational Security (rchi-e called on the S intelligence0 organisations E $S(,

C6(, &6( and other &efence &epart+ent bureaus at the S Southern Co++and E to

di-ulge in full their files on co++unications assistance to the +ilitary regi+es in the

Southern Cone The (rchi-e is still aiting, but C6( censors continue to dictate hat

Chileans and (+ericans ali2e should 2no about this sha+eful history

)issinger re+ains a -ery +uch sought after person5 as ill be seen further on, Drench .udge

"oger Ae Aoire atte+pted to Puestion hi+ in #ay ?441 as a itness for alleged S

in-ol-e+ent in >peration Condor and for possible S 2noledge in connection to the

disappearance0 of fi-e Drench citiQens in Chile during the !inochet regi+e 6n .uly ?441

Chilean .udge .uan GuQ+n obtained the right to Puestion hi+ in connection ith the

assassination of (+erican :ournalist Charles 'or+anThe :udge0s Puestions ere relayed to)issinger through diplo+atic routes but ere not ansered The rePuest pro+pted a heated

reaction fro+ the ush .unior0s (d+inistration (n official conde+ned the Chilean Supre+e

Court decision to send Puestions to )issinger, saying the +o-e increased unease about the

then proposed 6nternational Cri+inal Court in The 'ague The (d+inistration source said5

B6t is un:ust and ridiculous that a distinguished ser-ant of this country should be harassed by

foreign courts in this ay The danger of the 6CC is that, one day, S citiQens +ight face

arrest abroad and prosecution as a result of such politically +oti-ated antics 6n (ugust ?441

(rgentine .udge "odolfo Canicoba sent a rogatory letter to the S State &epart+ent,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DINAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Contrerashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hormanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DINAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Contrerashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Horman


28/59

rePuesting a deposition by )issinger to aid the :udges in-estigation of >peration CondorJ in

Septe+ber ?441 the fa+ily of +urdered General Schneider filed a ci-il suit in 8ashington,

&C >n 11 Septe+ber ?441, on the anni-ersary of the !inochet coup Chilean hu+an rights

filed a cri+inal case against )issinger, !inochet, the (rgentine dictator Videla and the for+er

!araguayan dictator StroessnerJ late in ?441 the raQilian Go-ern+ent cancelled an in-itation

for )issinger to spea2 in SWo !aulo because it could not guarantee his i++unity fro+ :udicial

action 6n ?44? .udge altasar GarQRn of the Spanish)udiencia Nacionalsought to inter-ie

)issinger o-er hat the nited States Go-ern+ent 2ne about >peration Condor 6n

Debruary ?447 a rePuest for the e%tradition of )issinger as filed in the Supre+e Court of

ruguay on behalf of ernardo (rnone, a political acti-ist ho as 2idnapped, tortured and

disappeared0 by the dictatorship as supported by Condor and )issinger

'ardly any rePuest has been successful because of the protection afforded by all nited

States presidents and their ad+inistrations to )issinger

6n addition to the or2 ith his consulting fir+, )issinger (ssociates 6nc, )issinger acts asso+e 2ind of pri-ate $ational Security (d-iser and Secretary of State0 to so+e thirty

transnational corporations around the orld, such as (+erican @%press, (S@( ron

o-eri, (tlantic "ichfield, 6anca Na*ionale del !a,oro E the "o+e ban2 hich +ade

illegal loans to Sadda+ 'ussein through the no defunct CC6

The an2 of Croo2s and Cri+inals 6nternational0 E as it as nic2na+ed E because it as

not sPuea+ish in dealing ith disreputable clients and funding to cri+inals and dictators,

frePuently handled +oney for SEsupported dictators such as #anuel $oriegaand Sa+uel

&oe >ther account holders included the #edellin drug Cartel and (bu $idal 6f legal0

funds ere hard to co+e by, the fraudulent CC6 as readyJ illegal sources ser-ed,

including soEcalled (rab0 +oney siphoned through the courtesy of lin2s beteen ush

Senior, the Saudi royal fa+ily and the in Aaden fa+ily
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Noriegahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Doehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Doehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medellin_Cartelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Nidalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Noriegahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Doehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Doehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medellin_Cartelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Nidal


29/59

The C6( held nu+erous accounts at CC6 These ban2 accounts ere used for a -ariety

of illegal co-ert operations, including transfers of +oney and eapons related to the 6ranE

Contra scandal &uring the "eagan (d+inistration the C6( also or2ed ith CC6 in

ar+ing and financing the(fghan mu1ahideenfor the(fghan aragainst theSo-iet nionin

the days hen >sa+a in Aaden as a S hero, using CC6 to launder proceeds fro+

traffic2ing heroin gron in the !a2istanE(fghanistan borderlands, boosting the flo of

narcotics to @uropean and S +ar2ets (t least to for+er C6( directors, "ichard 'el+s

and 8illia+ Casey ere in-ol-ed in CC6 before it folded folloing re-elations that it

laundered +oney for the #edellin drugs Cartel

Dor the past thirty years other pri-ate benefactors of )issinger ha-e been Chase #anhattan

an2, CocaECola, Diat, Dluor, DreeportE#c#o"an #inerals, 'einQ, 'unt >il, #erc2 ; Co,

Shearson Aeh+an 'utton, nion Carbide, Vol-o and 8arburg

6n a 1 Debruary ?411 inter-ie 'enry )issinger $obel !eace !riQe 1973 as an%ious to

praise ?449 $obel !eace !riQe arac2 >ba+a for his foreign policy 'e had already said,long before the inauguration of !resident >ba+a in .anuary ?449, that >ba+a0s co+ing into

office could gi-e ne i+petus to S foreign policy, partly because Bthe reception of hi+ is

so e%traordinary around the orld )issinger spo2e li2e an oracle hen he said that

BH!resident >ba+a0sI tas2 ill be to de-elop an o-erall strategy for (+erica in this period

hen really a $e 8orld >rder can be created 6t0s a great opportunity M and BHthe

!residentI can help usher in the $e 8orld >rder ut hat 2ind of $e 8orld >rder X

Driendly Dascis+ X >r of the 2ind hich organised >peration.enu E a $i%onE)issingerinnocuous na+e for the secret0 bo+bing of Ca+bodia in early 1974, and the not so secret0

in-asion of Aaos in 19lea (legria, a Socialist

disappeared0 by #anuel ContrerasJ 8illia+ eausire, a Chilean/ritish business+an
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra_scandalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra_scandalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_mujahideenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_mujahideenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_civil_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra_scandalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra_scandalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_mujahideenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_civil_warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union


30/59

abducted at the uenos (ires (irport and brought to Villa Gri+aldi0 a notorious torture

centre in Santiago and then disappeared0J the already +entioned >rlando Aetelier +urdered

in 8ashington ith his assistant "onnie #offittJ and General Carlos !rats E but also

citiQens of other South (+erican countries

#artn (l+ada0s a !araguayan educator as i+prisoned in 197=, nearly tortured to death,

and 2ept in prison for about three and a half years 'is ife as 2illedJ Sheila Cassidy a

ritish born but (ustralian educated physician as tortured but sur-i-ed to tell the storyJ to

Cuban diplo+ats in (rgentina, Crecencio GalaYega 'ernndeQ and .esZs Ce:as (rias

transited through >rletti0 detention and torture centre in uenos (ires, ere Puestioned by&6$( and S6&@, ith the 2noledge of the C6( and the D6 and subsePuently

disappeared0J [el+ar #ichelini and 'Fctor GutiFrreQ "uiQ, for+er ruguayan deputies,

ere assassinated in uenos (iresJ .uan .osF Torres, for+er oli-ian president as

assassinated in uenos (iresJ .orge [affaroni and #aria @+ilia 6slas de [affaroni

disappeared0 in uenos (ires

(tte+pts ere +ade on the life of (ndrFs !ascal (llende, nephe of Sal-ador (llende, in

Costa "icaJ of Carlos (lta+irano a Chilean Socialist leader, and of Volodia Teitelboi+, a

Chilean Co++unist,in #e%icoJ and on the life of @+ilio (ragonFs,the Cuban (+bassador

in uenos (ires

Dor+er S Congress+an @dard )ochbeca+e aare in ?441 of relations beteen 1974sthreats on his life and >peration Condor ChristianE&e+ocrat and for+er !resident of Chile

fro+ 19


31/59

international outrage hich al+ost led to the brea2ing of diplo+atic relations beteen

Seden and (rgentina

Dour Drench citiQens fell -icti+ of !inochet They ere5

E (lfonso Chanfreeau, a +e+ber of the .o,imiento &*/uierda Re,olucionaria E

"e-olutionary AeftEing #o-e+ent, #6" >n 34 .uly 197= he as arrested by the &6$(

'is ife @ri2a as also arrested the ne%t +orning Bso that her husband ould tal2

6+prisoned for 1 days at a torture centre in the +iddle of Santiago, the couple ere brutally

tortured @ri2a as transferred to other detention centres and then e%pelled to Drance ith

their daughter $atalia (lfonso Chanfreau as transferred on 13 (ugust 197= to the Villa

Gri+aldi0 here his legs ere crushed ith a -ehicle, before being ta2en bac2 to the pre-ious

torture centre 'e disappeared0 afterards

E .eanE-es Claudet as a +e+ber of #6" in charge of international relations (rrested

on to occasions in 1973, he re+ained in detention for one year >n his release he as ta2en

to the Drench @+bassy and put on a flight to Drance Dro+ Drance, Claudet helped to set up a

#6" cell in (rgentina 'e ent to uenos (ires on 34 >ctober 197 'e as arrested on 1

$o-e+ber 197 by agents of the (rgentine secret police S6&@, in the fra+eor2 of

>peration Condor ( &6$( representati-e in uenos (ires, in a +e+orandu+ addressed

to his superiors, subsePuently infor+ed the+ that .eanE-es Claudet BYa no existe E no

longer e%ists

E George )lein as an ad-isor to !resident (llende 'e as by the side of (llende hen!a

.onedaas bo+bed >n 13 Septe+ber he as ta2en aay ith ?4 other persons in a

du+per lorry and disappeared0 @-idence collected during the in-estigation of the case

relates that he +ight ha-e been ta2en to the !eldehue grounds, here he as 2illed by

+achine gun fire


32/59

E \tienne !esle as in charge of land refor+ at the 6nstitute for the &e-elop+ent of

(griculture and Dishing in Te+uco 'e as arrested there on 1? Septe+ber, released and

rearrested on 19 Septe+ber 1973 'e disappeared0 fro+ that dayJ it as reported that he had

been 2illed and then du+ped into the sea

(rgentine poet .uan Gel+an as tortured but his son and daughter ere disappeared0

Gel+an sur-i-ed to see2 redress fro+ Spanish :ustice

ernardo Aeighton, a Chilean Christian &e+ocrat as targeted by >peration Condor(ccording to C6( docu+ents released by the$ational Security (rchi-e, in 197 in #adrid,

6talian terrorist connected ith Gladio0 Stefano &elle Chiaie +et ith &6$( agent

#ichael Tonley and Cuban Virgilio !aQ "o+ero to prepare, ith the help of Drancos

secret police, the +urder of Aeighton 'e and his ife ere later se-erely in:ured by gunshots

hile in e%ile in "o+e

Car+elo Soria, a Spanish born Chilean diplo+at and a +e+ber of the nited $ations

@cono+ic Co++ission for Aatin (+erica and the Caribbean in the 1974s, as assassinated

by &6$( agents as a part of >peration Condor !inochet ill be personally indictedin this

case

The international prosecutions of hu+an rights cri+es of the +ilitary go-ern+ents of the

Southern Cone began in 197peration Condor The fore+ost e%a+ple is the Spanish case against

!inochet starting in 199


33/59

Nationalommission on the %isappearance of Persons, for+ed in 193, began in-estigating

CondorErelated hu+an rights abuses

( pioneer and ad-ocate of uni-ersal :urisdiction, .udge altasar GarQRn of the )udiencia

Nacionalould gain orldide recognition by securing the arrest of !inochet in Aondon in

199 for cri+es co++itted in Chile in the 1974s This ushered in the heyday of international

:ustice

The !inochet case inspired -icti+s of abuse throughout Aatin (+erica to challenge

transitions fro+ dictatorship hich alloed the perpetrators of atrocities to go unpunished

These te+porary acco++odations ith the anciens r(gimesdid not e%tinguish the thirst of

-icti+s and relati-es to find out the truth and to bring their tor+entors to :ustice 6nternational

and national courts ruled that a+nesties could not stand in the ay of a state0s duty to

in-estigate the orst international cri+es

>n 14 >ctober 199 .udge GarQRn issued an international arrest arrant hen he learned that

!inochet as in Aondon for a +edical chec2Eup !inochet as arrested on 1< >ctober (t the

heart of the indict+ent ere the deaths and disappearances0 of (rgentines, Chileans,

Spaniards and others during !inochet0s dictatorship

The charges included 9= counts of torture of Spanish citiQens, the 197 assassination of

Spanish diplo+at Car+elo Soria, and one count of conspiracy to co++it torture E

allegations of abuses had been +ade nu+erous ti+es before !inochet0s arrest, including since

the beginning of his rule, but ne-er acted upon Still struggling ith the conditions set by the

difficult transition to de+ocracy,the Chilean go-ern+ent of the oncertacin,then headed

by !resident @duardo Drei,opposed his arrest, e%tradition to Spain, and trial
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmelo_Soriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_transition_to_democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_of_Parties_for_Democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_of_Parties_for_Democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eduardo_Frei_Ruiz-Taglehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraditionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmelo_Soriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_transition_to_democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_of_Parties_for_Democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eduardo_Frei_Ruiz-Taglehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extradition


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6nitially, .udge GarQRn sought the indict+ents because of the +urder of Spanish citiQens, but

later he broadened his :urisdiction on the basis of cri+es against hu+anity regardless of the

nationality of the -icti+s This as no rash decisionJ it as the logical result of at least to

years of painsta2ing in-estigation in Spain into both the (rgentine and Chilean dictatorships

'ad he not in-estigated the cri+es co++itted in (rgentina, .udge GarQRn E Puite li2ely E

+ight not ha-e reached !inochet (nother :udge before hi+ had been e%posed and had

yielded to pressure fro+ political, +ilitary and business circles, and placed the case aside

The Chilean case fell on .udge GarQRn lap because of that surrender of :udicial independence

6n-estigation of the (rgentine case led .udge GarQRn to >peration Condor Since 199< .udgeGarQRn had gathered +ountains of incri+inating e-idence on Condor, including docu+ents

fro+ the C6(, &6$( and the D6 ased in Santiago, >peration Condor had or2ed

closely ith the &6$(, and reported directly to !inochet

.udge GarQRns original e%tradition arrant called for !inochet to stand trial for genocide,

terroris+ and torture5 (rt ?3= of the 19!ey Org7nica del Poder 5udicial E >rganic Aa

of the .udicial !oer, specifically confers on Spanish courts :urisdiction for these cri+es

GarQRn further charged !inochet ith cri+es against hu+anity,0 as defined by the 19=&@! sent an 6nternational #ission of @nPuiry to study the present state of

co+plaints against !inochet and against Chilean (r+y officers in general This #ission

or2ed in Santiago fro+ 3 to 14 #arch 1999 6t as co+posed of #essrs Claude )atQ, a

barrister in !aris and Secretary General of the D6&', (ntonio &onate, a Spanish :udge and

+e+ber of the .udges for &e+ocracy (ssociation0, and .uan Carlos, barrister in uenos

(ires and +e+ber of

the Aegal (ction Co++ittee0 The #ission found -arious obstacles to bringing a legal case

against !inochet 5 1O &ecree Aa of 19 (pril 197 granting a+nesty for acts occurring fro+

11 Septe+ber 1973 to 14 #arch 197, the period in hich the +ost serious cri+es ere

co++itted by the Chilean dictatorship, ?O a full interpretation of constitutional and legal te%ts

gi-ing :urisdiction to +ilitary courts o-er ci-il courts, 3O the i++unity en:oyed by !inochet

as Senator for life, appointed under (rt= of the 194 Constitution

There as no e-idence hich ould allo the #ission to anticipate the re+o-al of these

obstacles to allo prosecution of !inochet #ore generally, the #ission noted that out of

3,197 cases brought before Truth and Reconciliation ommissiononly 19 had resulted in

con-ictions since 1994, the year of Chile0s transition to de+ocracy These ere +ainly

con-ictions of loEle-el officers
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codepu.cl%2F&ei=N2tpTdv5C4jSuwOlh5zkAg&usg=AFQjCNHjf2Bh5MHnfyX150XxLPoIviVBvQhttp://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codepu.cl%2F&ei=N2tpTdv5C4jSuwOlh5zkAg&usg=AFQjCNHjf2Bh5MHnfyX150XxLPoIviVBvQhttp://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codepu.cl%2F&ei=N2tpTdv5C4jSuwOlh5zkAg&usg=AFQjCNHjf2Bh5MHnfyX150XxLPoIviVBvQhttp://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codepu.cl%2F&ei=N2tpTdv5C4jSuwOlh5zkAg&usg=AFQjCNHjf2Bh5MHnfyX150XxLPoIviVBvQhttp://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codepu.cl%2F&ei=N2tpTdv5C4jSuwOlh5zkAg&usg=AFQjCNHjf2Bh5MHnfyX150XxLPoIviVBvQhttp://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codepu.cl%2F&ei=N2tpTdv5C4jSuwOlh5zkAg&usg=AFQjCNHjf2Bh5MHnfyX150XxLPoIviVBvQhttp://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codepu.cl%2F&ei=N2tpTdv5C4jSuwOlh5zkAg&usg=AFQjCNHjf2Bh5MHnfyX150XxLPoIviVBvQhttp://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codepu.cl%2F&ei=N2tpTdv5C4jSuwOlh5zkAg&usg=AFQjCNHjf2Bh5MHnfyX150XxLPoIviVBvQ


38/59

Certainly these obstacles could be for+ally re+o-ed, but the Constitution then in force,

dran up in 194 by !inochet hi+self, conferred a pri+ary role on the Senate, in -ie of its

poer to no+inate Supre+e Court :udges and to lift the i++unity of !inochet The #ission

ac2noledged the i+portant in-estigations acco+plished by .udge .uan GuQ+n Tapia, ho

ould gain international recognition for being the first :udge to prosecute !inochet on hu+an

rights charges after !inochets return to Chile fro+ Aondon (s at 1< #arch 1999 .udge

GuQ+n as in charge of 1 cases co-ering se-eral thousand -icti+s, folloing substantial

e-idence of cri+es co++itted by !inochet and other +ilitary officers .udge GuQ+n held

that the cri+e of illegal detention folloed by disappearance0 is a cri+e not affected by any

a+nesty la

>n ?= #arch 1999 the 'ouse of Aords rendered its final decision on the case y a -ote of

si% to one it as held that !inochet as not entitled to absolute i++unity, but only as fro+

&ece+ber 19 and only ith respect to so+e charge as brought by Spain The :udg+ent

held that before that date !inochet had i++unity fro+ legal proceedings in @nglish courts (

narro -ie of an international treaty signed and ratified by se-eral countries, includingritain, Chile and Spain, as the ground for the decision This in-alidated +ost, but not all,

of the charges against !inochetJ but the outco+e as that e%tradition could proceed

These :udg+ents are historic and constituted a ne step forard in the e-olution of

international cri+inal la and the e%ercise of uni-ersal :urisdiction

The D6&' elco+ed the ne ruling by the 'ouse of Aords, partially confir+ing the

preceding decision of the sa+e :urisdiction, dated ? $o-e+ber 199, hich had been

in-alidated the folloing 17 &ece+ber

The decision confir+ed the ad-ance of 6nternational Aa in the fight against i+punity and

responded to the rePuire+ent of :ustice for -icti+s


39/59


40/59

in effect that any for+er head of state lost their i++unity once they engaged in cri+es

against hu+anity $o, hoe-er, the restriction of i++unity as argued for in a +ore

clearly legally grounded ay, by e%plicit reference to an international treaty signed, ratified

and E in theory E +ade effecti-e by, a+ong others, ritain, Chile and Spain

6t folloed that i++unity as not recognised fro+ cri+es co-ered by the nited $ations

Con-ention (gainst Torture hen the con-ention ca+e into effect in ritain on &ece+ber

19 !inochet had i++unity before that date but no i++unity after Therefore, +ost of the

charges brought by Spain could not be of consePuence in ritish courts for the e%tradition of

!inochet >nly to of the charges could be considered5 one of torture and another ofconspiracy to torture

The case as returned to the 'o+e Secretary, .ac2 Stra, so that he +ight reconsider his

position ,is-9-,isthe (uthority to proceed0 to e%tradition The ruling on the basis of hich

Stra had issued his first (uthority had no been o-erruled, and therefore he ould ha-e to

consider the case afresh

.udge GarQRn asted no ti+e in sub+itting further allegations to the Cron !rosecution

Ser-ice hich ould +eet the rePuire+ents laid don by the Aa Aords 'e proffered =3

additional charges of torture and conspiracy to torture hich had ta2en place after

&ece+ber 19 'e further argued that all cases of disappearance0 should be considered

under the 199? nited $ations &eclaration on the !rotection of &isappeared !ersons as cases

of torture

!inochet0s layers applied for a :udicial re-ie of the 'o+e Secretary0 earlier (uthority to

proceed0J and, further, they rePuested a rit of ha#eas corpus for the release of !inochet

fro+ house arrest The Aa Aords ad:ourned the hearings to 1 (pril on both rePuests to

gi-e ti+e to the 'o+e Secretary to reconsider his position >n that date the 'o+e Secretary


41/59

ane issued an (uthority to proceed0, on the ground that hat charges re+ained ere

sufficient for the e%tradition of !inochet There ere no apparent reasons to stop e%tradition

proceedings, either on hu+anitarian grounds of !inochet alleged illEhealth or on political

grounds5 consideration for a budding de+ocracy in Chile and the pass-partout national

interest0 !inochet0s layers application for a :udicial re-ie as turned don on ?7 #ay

1999 They could ha-e +ade another, si+ilar application, but on 7 .une the defence tea+

decided against this @%tradition proceedings ould finally co++ence

>n >ctober 1999 "onald artle, &eputy Chief #etropolitan #agistrate ruled that under the

199 @%tradition (ct it as clear that !inochet could indeed be e%tradited to Spain, sub:ect tothe 'o+e Secretary0s final decision The &eputy #agistrate alloed the additional charges

proffered by .udge GarQRn and, i+portantly, decided that charges of conspiracy and of

disappearance0 before &ece+ber 19 could be included, on the ground that conspiracy is

a continuous offence and Bthe effect on the fa+ilies of those ho disappeared can a+ount to

+ental torture

6t as clear that !inochet0s legal defences ere Puic2ly running out So his layers, citing

frail and deteriorating health, as2ed that !inochet be released (s e-idence, they pro-ided a

report fro+ a +edical e%a+ination E done ithout the presence of physicians called by the

prosecution and ithout the appropriate neurological, gerontological, and psychiatric

specialists

>n $o-e+ber 1999 the 'o+e Secretary rePuested that !inochet sub+it hi+self to

independent +edical tests to ascertain hether in fact he as as ill as he clai+ed to be $o

specific details had been pro-ided at this point, nor as the prosecution pro-ided ith a copy

of any report


42/59

(fter so+e +edical tests, the 'o+e Secretary ruled in .anuary ?444 that !inochet should not

be e%tradited This triggered protests fro+ hu+an rights nonEgo-ern+ent organisations, and

led the elgianGo-ern+ent, along ith si% hu+an rights groups E including (+nesty

6nternational E i++ediately to file a co+plaint against Stras decision before the

6nternational Court of .ustice elgiu+, as ell as Drance and SitQerland, had filed

e%tradition rePuests in the a2e of Spains rePuest Dor the first ti+e se-eral @uropean :udges

had applied the principle of uni-ersal :urisdiction, declaring the+sel-es co+petent to :udge

cri+es co++itted by for+er heads of state, despite local a+nesty las

>n 1? .anuary ?444 the D6&' sent an open letter to the 'o+e Secretary 6n it, it indicated

that it as Be%tre+ely preoccupied by your latest decision to free the for+er Chilean dictator,

(ugusto !inochet, for +edical reasons0 The D6&' finds this decision shoc2ing as it

supposes that !inochet0s failing health condition ould absol-e hi+ of any responsibility

ith regards to cri+es co++itted during his dictatorship Durther+ore, although this

decision is said to be based on +edical e%pert reports hich conclude that B!inochet ould

be unfit to stand trial, and that no change to that position can be e%pected, the D6&' as

concerned by the fact that the +edical reports had been e-aluated in secret by the 'o+e

Secretary, rather than by a court, and ithout any possibility for the prosecution to challenge

the +edical e%a+inations

Bour office E rote the D6&' E has repeatedly +aintained that the !inochet case as

a :udicial +atter for the courts, yet, it appears that the +edical e%a+inations and reports

relating to (ugusto !inochet0s health ha-e not been sub:ect to :udicial super-ision The

D6&' thus rePuests that a counter +edical e%a+ination be underta2en and that the

prosecution be entitled to see and challenge the +edical reports Durther+ore, it should be up

to the courts and not a political official to decide hether (ugusto !inochet is fit to undergo

trial on torture and cri+es against hu+anity

&espite all that, the 'o+e Secretary decided to release !inochet on the ground that,

according to the e%a+ination, the defendant had suffered to s+all stro2es and ould be
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgiumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amnesty_Internationalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amnesty_Internationalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Court_of_Justicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_jurisdictionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgiumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amnesty_Internationalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amnesty_Internationalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Court_of_Justicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_jurisdiction


43/59


44/59


45/59

prosecution sub+itted a recent tele-ised inter-ie that !inochet had gi-en for a #ia+iEbased

tele-ision netor2, hich raised doubts about his alleged +ental incapacity The :udges

agreed and, on ?7 (ugust ?44= E in a 9 to -ote, the Supre+e Court confir+ed the

decision that !inochet should lose his senatorial i++unity fro+ prosecution, this ti+e ith

regards to the forced disappearances during the Operacin ndor

!inochet as charged ith se-eral cri+es on ? &ece+ber of that year E including the 197=

assassination of General !rats, and the >peration olom#ocase hich cost 119 li-es E and

as again placed under house arrest ]uestioned by his :udges in order to 2no if, as

!resident, he as the direct head of &6$(, he ansered5 M6 do not re+e+ber, but it is nottrue (nd if it ere true, 6 do not re+e+berM

>n 13 &ece+ber ?44= .udge GuQ+n indicted !inochet o-er the disappearance0 of nine

opposition acti-ists and the 2illing of one of the+ during the regi+e 6n .anuary ?44 the

Chilean (r+y accepted institutional responsibility for past hu+an rights abuses The

Supre+e Court re-ersed the Court of (ppeals ruling in thePratscase on ?= #arch ?44, andthereby affir+ed !inochets i++unity

6n the >peration olom#o case, in-ol-ing the 2illing of 119 dissidents, the Supre+e Court

decided on 1= Septe+ber ?44 to strip !inochet of his i++unity The folloing day he as

acPuitted of the hu+an rights case due to his illEhealth Aate in $o-e+ber he as again

dee+ed fit to stand trial by the Supre+e Court and as indicted on hu+an rights, for the

disappearance0 of si% dissidents arrested by Chile0s security ser-ices in late 197=, and again

placed under house arrest, on the e-e of his 94th birthday

>n 9 Septe+ber ?44< !inochet as stripped of his i++unity by the Supre+e Court and

indicted by .udge (le:andro #adrid E .udge GuQ+n0s successor in the case E for

2idnappings and torture at the Villa Gri+aldi0 detention centre and on other grounds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Pratshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Colombohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Colombohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DINAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Guzm%C3%A1n_Tapiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Colombohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Colombohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_Chilehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Grimaldihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Pratshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Colombohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DINAhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Guzm%C3%A1n_Tapiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Colombohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_Chilehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Grimaldi


46/59

>n ?< Septe+ber ?44< the 6nterE(+erican Court, in the case of (l+onacid (rellano

confir+ed the inco+patibility beteen the a+nesty decree and the (+erican Con-ention of

'u+an "ights and therefore decided that the a+nesty had no legal effect

>n 1 >ctober ?44< .udge (le:andro Solis interrogated !inochet, ho as then under house

arrest for his role in the torture of ?3 sur-i-ors and the disappearance0 of 3< others in the

Villa Gri+aldi0 torture centre Durther+ore, !inochet as indicted in >ctober ?44< for the

assassination of &6$( bioche+ist @ugenio erriosin 199 >n 34 >ctober !inochet as

charged ith 3< counts of 2idnapping, ?3 counts of torture, and one of +urderfor the torture

and disappearance0 of opponents of his regi+e at Villa Gri+aldi0

>n ?7 $o-e+ber ?44< !inochet as again ordered to house arrest for the 2idnapping and

+urder of to bodyguards of Sal-ador (llende ho ere arrested on 9/11 and e%ecuted by a

firing sPuad of the Cara-an of death The day after .udge Vctor #ontiglio charged !inochet

in the ara,an of deathcase, and ordered hi+ tohouse arrest

Still charged of a nu+ber of cri+es, !inochet died on 14 &ece+ber ?44< E ironically on

'u+an "ights &eclaration &ay, possibly de+ented, possibly unable to distinguish the ti+e

hen he as pray of de+entia fro+ that hen he found it con-enient to si+ulate it, possibly

unconscious, hence unEhaunted by his cri+es, and anyay ithout ha-ing been con-icted inany case, at least in life

(t the end of ?414 !inochet ill be tried in a#sentia ith 1= other Chilean officers before a

Drench court
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenio_Berrioshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_arresthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenio_Berrioshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_arrest


47/59

6n the days hich folloed !inochet arrest on 1< >ctober 199 in Aondon, the fa+ilies of

nine Drench citiQens ho had been disappeared0 or ere e%ecuted in Chile or in (rgentina

E but for acts hich could be attributed to the Chilean +ilitary 5unta E beteen 11

Septe+ber 1973 and 9 Debruary 1977, filed co+plaints in Drance to obtain the truth and

:ustice that they had not obtained in Chile 6sabelle "opert filed the first co+plaint on behalf

of her brother, @nriPue "opert, ho as arrested on 11 Septe+ber 1973 in front of !a

.onedaand then found dead on ?4 >ctober 1973 at the Santiago +orgue

The co+plaints filed by the fa+ilies of (lfonso Chanfreau, .eanE-es Claudet, Georges

)lein and \tienne !esle ere the only ones to be recognised as ad+issible by the Drench

courts The courts ha-e in fact affir+ed the continuing nature of the cri+e of enforced

disappearance, since the -icti+s0 bodies ha-e ne-er been found 6n Drench la this cri+e of

disappearance0 is categorised as arrest and illegal detention, aggra-ated by torture and

barbarous acts

The Puestion e+erged i++ediately as to the e%traEterritorial :urisdiction of Drench courts

ased on the or2 of theNational ommission for Truth and Reconciliation E the "ettig

Co++ission, theNational Reparation and Reconciliation orporation E set up in 1994 and

199? respecti-ely and relating only to -iolations of the right to life, and the National

ommission on Political Prison and Torture E set up in ?443 and 2non as the Valech

Co++ission, the Chilean State officially recognised 3,197 -icti+s of disappearances0 or

e%ecutions and ?,=


48/59

The trial in Drance also per+itted proceedings to be brought again in Chile y the end of the

dictatorship in 1994 it had been possible to file only a fe co+plaints and these had been

discontinued through al+ost auto+atic application of the a+nesty la (nd by the ti+e of

!inochet0s return to Santiago in ?444 the dictatorship0s -icti+s had filed


49/59

$one of the proceedings in Chile concerned those accused of acts co++itted against the four

DrancoEChilean -icti+s The trial about to ta2e place in !aris as ithout precedent

The D6&' and its affiliates in Chile and in Drance, orporacin de Promocin y %efensa

delos %erechos del Pue#lo, C>&@!, the!igue des droits de l4Homme,Aeague of the

"ights of #an and the CitiQen, A&', as ell as the (ssociation of for+er Chilean political

prisoners in Drance and the (ssociation Drance Aatin (+erica had :oined the lasuit as ci-il

parties as early as .uly 1999, and in that capacity ere appearing alongside the fa+ilies of the

four Drench+en y inter-ening as a ci-il party in a cri+inal trial, a party ho as not

directly the -icti+ of the cri+e lodges a clai+ for da+ages Such party +ay ta2e part in the

trial, adducing itnesses, sub+itting e-idence, state+ents and e%pert opinions

(s pre-iously noted, the in-estigation of the case had been opened by .udge "oger Ae Aoire

on 34 >ctober 199 'e as the :udge ho had atte+pted to Puestion )issinger in #ay ?441

as a itness for alleged S in-ol-e+ent in >peration Condor and for possible S

2noledge in connection to the disappearance0 of fi-e Drench citiQens in Chile during the

!inochet regi+e

The in-estigation as closed by .udge Sophie ClF+ent, ho issued an order for indict+ent

before the our d4)ssises E the highest Drench cri+inal court on ?1 Debruary ?447

Drance issued international arrest arrants against 19 persons, including !inochet 'e as

being prosecuted for his direct personal cri+inal responsibility in the torture and

disappearance0 of the four -icti+s, as Co++anderEinEChief of the Chilean Aand (r+y and

head of the +ilitary 5unta, and fourteen for+ers senior leaders of the dictatorship ere

charged of the 2idnapping, torture and disappearance0 of four Drench and/or Drench/Chilean

citiQens5 (lfonso Chanfreau, .eanE-es Claudet, Georges )lein and \tienne !esle

6nitially, according to a 1? Debruary ?44 announce+ent by the D6&', C>&@!, and

the A&', the trial as to ha-e ta2en place beteen 19 and ?3 #ay ?44 6t as postponed


50/59

The proceedings ere finally scheduled to ta2e place before the !aris our d4)ssisesfro+

to 17 &ece+ber ?414

!inochet had died :ust a fe ee2s before .udge Sophie ClF+ent issued an order for his

indict+ent The other accused ere5

1O .a-ier Secundo @+ilio !alacios "uh+ann, for+erly a General of the Chilean Aand (r+y,

responsible for leading the attac2 on Aa #oneda !residential !alace,

?O >s-aldo "o+o #ena, for+erly a Aand (r+y Co++ander assigned to &6$(,

3O (ndres "igoberto !acheco Cardenas, for+erly an (ir Dorce Colonel and Co++ander of

the base at #aPuehue,

=O !aul Schaeffer Schneider, for+erly the head of Colonia &ignidad0 and a for+er $aQi ar

cri+inal,

O .uan #anuel Contreras SepZl-eda, for+erly the head of &6$( and a for+er General of

the Chilean Aand (r+y,


51/59

1O @+ilio Sando-al !oo, for+erly an (ir Dorce +ilitary reser-ist, at the ti+e of trial a

co+pany director in Te+uco

Dour of the listed defendants had died before the trial could begin (ll the others ere aged

beteen 9 and 9 6n the absence of an e%tradition treaty beteen !aris and Santiago,

Drance as not in a position to force the presence of the defendants $one as present at the

trial, although they ere su++oned by the Court They ere entitled to be represented by a

layer in application of the in a#sentiaprocedure, but all refused

(ll 1= of the li-ing defendants ere tried in a#sentia, +a2ing the case highly sy+bolic

The Drench and DrancoEChilean -icti+s at the heart of the trial ere5

1O (lfonso Chanfreau, a Drench citiQen, born in Santiago in 194 'e had +arried @ri2a

'ennings ith ho+ he had a daughter, $atalia ( +e+ber of the .o,imiento &*/uierda

Re,olucionaria E "e-olutionary AeftEing #o-e+ent, #6", he beca+e a Santiago city

official folloing the coup on 11 Septe+ber 1973 >n 34 .uly 197= Chanfreau as arrestedat his ho+e by &6$( operati-es Gerardo Godoy Garca and >s-aldo "o+o #ena too2

part in this operation 'is ife @ri2a as arrested the ne%t +orning Bso that her husband

ould tal2 6+prisoned for 1 days at the Aondon 30 torture centre in Santiago, the couple

ere brutally tortured, by >s-aldo "o+o, #iguel )rasnoff #artchenc2o and #arcelo #oren

rito in particular @ri2a as transferred to other detention centres and then e%pelled to

Drance ith their daughter $atalia (lfonso as transferred on 13 (ugust 197= to the Villa

Gri+aldi0 here his legs ere crushed under a -ehicle, before being ta2en bac2 to theAondon 30 centre 'e disappeared0 afterards and so+e itnesses indicated that he as

ta2en to the Colonia &ignidad0, a place set up by !aul Schaeffer, a for+er $aQi ar

cri+inal, here prisoners ere tortured and the agents of &6$( ere trained

?O .eanE-es Claudet, a Drench citiQen, born in 1939 in #aipZ, a suburb of Greater Santiago,

ho as +arried to (rhel &anus, ith ho+ he had to sons, \tienne and "oger .eanE-esClaudet or2ed as an engineer and as a +e+ber of the .o,imiento &*/uierda


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#apuche peasants in the Te+uco region 'e as first arrested on 1? Septe+ber 1973, then

release, and then reEarrested on 19 Septe+ber at his or2place by soldiers earing the

Chilean (ir Dorce unifor+, including @+ilio Sando-al !oo, a reser-e officer The group as

co++anded by #iguel #anriPueQ, a ci-ilian pilot and landoner against ho+ !esle had

led e%propriation operations hich benefited the #apuche 6ndians !esle disappeared0 fro+

that day and his fate re+ains un2non There is consistent e-idence that he as ta2en to

#aPuehue, the air force base south of Te+uco, here torture as syste+atically used and

also applied by ci-ilians So+e persons reported that he as 2illed and that his body as

thron into the sea fro+ the pri-ate airplane of #iguel #anriPueQ

B(+ongst other things, these hearings ill pro-ide an opportunity to listen to historical

testi+ony !inochet is dead, but this trial of the dictator, albeit posthu+ous, is the only trial of

the hole syste+ of repression that he established rote .a:tres8illia+ ourdon, Claude

)atQ and en:a+in Sarfati and Sophie Thonon, layers for the -icti+s and the ci-il parties

BThe detention of (ugusto !inochet in Aondon in 199 helped re-i-e the procedures initiated

by the -icti+s of the Chilean dictatorship both in Chile and abroad The current trial, because

of the nature of the cri+es, not eligible for statute of li+itation, transcends borders and

contributes to the fight against i+punity orldide 6t is no e%pected that the truth hich

ill co+e out of this trial ill be heard in Chile and ill facilitate recognition of the realities

of these cri+es hich are still far too little 2non said 'ira+ Villagra and Dederico

(guirre, C>&@! layers in Chile

The trial opened as planned on &ece+ber ?414 6t as based on co+plaints filed in 199 by

the -icti+s fa+ilies,ho +aintain that the Chilean :ustice syste+ failed fully to in-estigate

the four disappearances The trial as of historic -alue in se-eral respects eyond

recognition of the indi-idual responsibility of the accused, the trial ould be the opportunity

to establish and punish the syste+ of repression set up and operated by the !inochet

dictatorship hich reigned in Chile fro+ 1973 to 1994 Durther+ore, proceedings ere
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_france_chile_trialhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_france_chile_trialhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_france_chile_trial


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connected to significant e-ents at the start of the dictatorship hich ould thro light on the

ay it functioned and +a2e its modus operandiperfectly clear5

the bo+bing of!a .onedaand the arrest of the ad-isers of Sal-ador (llendeJ

the syste+atic repression of opponents E a+ongst ho+ ere acti-ists of the

"e-olutionary AeftEing +o-e+ent, #6" and persons lin2ed to the for+er go-ern+ent E

such as those in-ol-ed ith the great land refor+ e+bar2ed on by (llendeJ

the e%tre+ely hierarchical operation of &6$(, the5unta0s political police force under the

direct orders of (ugusto !inochet and #anuel ContrerasJ

Operacin ndor, hich ai+ed at eli+inating opponents of the region0s dictatorial

regi+esJ

the cri+es syste+atically co++itted under !inochet in torture centres such as Aondon 30,

Villa Gri+aldi0, or Colonia &ignidad0

This trial sa a nu+ber of itnesses ho tra-elled fro+ Chile to appear beside the plaintiff

fa+ilies There ill be not only itnesses to the e-ents, such as the arrest, abduction,

detention and torture of the four -icti+s, but also e%perts ho ill gi-e e-idence of the

conte%t of those e-ents and the internal condition in Chile, such as the Chilean layer and

for+er nited $ations "apporteur, "oberto GarretRnJ #artn (l+ada, ho disco-ered the

>peration Condor archi-esJ the (+erican :ournalist .ohn &inges, a specialist on >peration

Condor, the Drench +agistrate Aouis .oinet, and personalities fro+ the orld of hu+an

rights

Through the trial Drance did render to the -icti+s0 fa+ilies that :ustice hich had not been

rendered in Chile

'oping for :ustice, the i-es, children and brothers and sisters of the four +en ho -anished

beteen 1973 and 197 attended the trial fro+ its beginning on &ece+ber Thus, for

instance, @ri2a and $atalia Chanfreau ere there, and so ere "oberto and (nneE#arie

!esle


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6n an unusual +o-e, the top State !rosecutor had inter-ened to tell the Court that the trial had

been Bindispensable and necessary e-en though the accused ere not present The trial, he

said, is not +eant to B+o-e the cursor of history toards :ustice but to :udge +en ho Blet

their basest instincts guide the+ using torture for Bpoer by fear

>n 17 &ece+ber ?414 the !resident of the !aris our d4 )ssises announced a land+ar2

decision on relation the disappearance0 of (lfonso Chanfeau, .eanE-es Claudet, Georges

)lein and \tienne !esle

The Court sentenced to life in gaol .uan #anuel Contreras SepZl-eda, ho at the ti+e headed

!inochetspolitical police, and !edro >cta-io @spinoQa ra-o, $o ? in the political police

unit Three others, 'er+n .ulio rady "oche, #arcelo Aus #oren rito, #iguel )raQnoff

#artchen2o ere gi-en 34Eyear prison sentences Si% ere sentenced to ? years5 Gerardo

Godoy @rnesto Garca, asclay 'u+berto [apata "eyes, @nriPue Aautaro (rranciaba Cla-el,

"aZl 6turriaga $eu+ann, Aus .oachi+ "a+reQ !ineda, .osF >s-aldo "i-eiro >ne recei-ed

a ?4Eyear sentence5 "afael Drancisco (hu+ada Valdera+a, and one 1 years5 @+ilio

Sando-al !oo >ne defendant, 77EyearEold Gen .osF >cta-io [ara 'olger, as acPuitted

The Court0s decision en

the first 9-11-kissinger, operacion condor, pinochet

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