Argentina 'dirty war' suspect dead

[AlphaCentauri]

A retired Argentinian military officer suspected of abducting babies during the country's 1976-1983 "dirty war" has been found shot dead, days before he was due to testify in court, authorities said.
The body of Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Navone was found with a gunshot wound to the head at a hotel 700km northwest of Buenos Aires, police said.
Police said a handgun was found at Navone's side, and an autopsy had been ordered to determine if the officer had been murdered.
Navone was due to testify next week as part of an investigation into the abduction of babies of political prisoners during the country's 1976-1983 military rule.
Marina Barbagelata, one of Navone's lawyers, said the former officer had important information about the fate of the abducted babies.
"It is highly probable there are people who could feel threatened by the testimony," she said on Tuesday.

Kidnapped babies

In December, another military officer linked to abuses during the period of military rule was found dead.
Hector Febres, a coast guard officer, was found dead on December 10 in his prison cell, poisoned by cyanide.
Authorities believed he was ready to reveal details about kidnapped babies, and two other officers have been implicated in the case.
During military rule, about 200 babies were kidnapped from their parents, of whom 88 have been identified due to efforts by human rights activists.
Under the military government about 30,000 political opponents "disappeared," most of whom were murdered, rights groups say.
Argentina has since revived human rights trials dating back to the "dirty war" era.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/89490DBD-789F-4229-974A-7C358D5B69D6.htm

[Judi Lynn]

1. Argentina relives scandal of babies stolen from political prisoners

Argentina relives scandal of babies stolen from political prisoners
By Paul Scheltus in Buenos Aires
Thursday, 28 February 2008

The 9-millimetre gun and the letter found next to the lifeless body of Lt-Col Paul Alberto Ravone seemed to indicate suicide. Argentine human rights groups, however, suspect foul play as he is not the first key witness in a baby-theft trial to turn up dead.

In a series of cases gripping Argentina, men and women are on trial for stealing newborn babies from political prisoners during the military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983. Couples faithful to the regime illegally adopted the babies, supposedly raising them free of "subversive doctrines". Meanwhile, their mothers were "disappeared," in many cases thrown from planes into the sea, in what was known as the "Dirty War".

Ravone, 65 and retired, was due to testify on 3 March in a case involving the theft of twins born to a political dissident in a military hospital in 1976. Shortly before, the twins' parents had been arrested and joined the ranks of the 30,000 desaparecidos or disappeared.

Although the police suspect suicide, the human rights group Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo expressed their doubts after Ravone's body was found on Monday. Estela de Carlotto, the leader of the group searching for their abducted grandchildren, claims that witnesses are being "eliminated."

More:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/argentina-relives-scandal-of-babies-stolen-from-political-prisoners-788588.html