Argentine 'dirty war' suspect convicted [View All]

[UpInArms]

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/world/11432509.htm

MADRID, Spain - A Spanish court on Tuesday convicted a former Argentine naval officer of committing atrocities during his country's "dirty war" more than two decades ago and sentenced him to 640 years in prison.

The trial of Adolfo Scilingo, 58, was Spain's first of a suspect accused of committing human rights abuses in another country. Spanish law says crimes against humanity can be tried in this country even if they are alleged to have been committed elsewhere.

Relatives and friends of people who died during Argentine military rule from 1976-83 hugged each other in the courtroom upon hearing the verdict. Some wore stickers with pictures of their missing loved ones on their clothes.

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Scilingo had come to Spain voluntarily in 1997 to testify before a judge investigating atrocities allegedly committed by military regimes in Argentina and Chile. He admitted to participating in two so-called "death flights" in which 30 drugged, naked detainees were thrown from planes during Argentina's 1976-83 dictatorship.

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