Argentina arrests alleged torturer

[Judi Lynn]

Argentina arrests alleged torturer
Published on 24 March 2010 - 10:45am

The Argentinian authorities have arrested a man accused of being responsible for the torture and killing of about 600 people during the military regime which ruled the country between 1976 and 1983.

Carlos Galian, also known as Pedro Bolita, allegedly worked at the ESMA, a naval school where opponents of the military regime were tortured and killed. Mr Galian is also linked to the so-called death flights on which drugged opponents were thrown out of planes over the Atlantic Ocean. Out of an estimated 5,000 people who were detained at ESMA; only about 100 survived.

Sixteen other ESMA staff members are currently on trial for their alleged role in the torture and killing that took place there. Among these 16 accused is former captain Alfredo Astiz who is being held responsible for the disappearance of the French nuns Alice Domon and Leonie Duquet.

More:
http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/argentina-arrests-alleged-torturer

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Argentina arrests torturer blamed for 600 deaths
by Staff Writers
Buenos Aires (AFP) March 23, 2010

Argentina has arrested an accused torturer under the 1976-1983 military dictatorship who is blamed for some 600 cases of torture and homicide, including prisoners thrown alive from planes, a court source told AFP Tuesday.

Carlos Galian, 64 -- also known by the alias Pedro Bolita -- "has been accused of human rights violations while he worked at the Naval Mechanics School, between 1976-1978, against at least 600 people," a court source said, speaking privately.

About 5,000 regime opponents went through the school, essentially a killing field, and just about 100 are known to have survived.

Galian was linked to the "death flights" on which opponents, real or perceived, of the military government were tossed out of planes into the Rio de la Plata or Atlantic Ocean.

More:
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Argentina_arrests_torturer_blamed_for_600_deaths_999.html