Chilean justice reopens 1973 bombing of the Presidential palace

[Judi Lynn]

Friday, July 8th 2011 - 21:14 UTC
Chilean justice reopens 1973 bombing of the Presidential palace

Retired Chilean Air Force head Fernando Matthei denied this week any knowledge of the identities of the pilots involved in the air strike that helped solidify the 1973 military coup d’etat and subsequent 17-year dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.



La Moneda under fire from a wing of
Hawker Hunters

Matthei was called to testify in the ongoing investigation into the death of former President Salvador Allende. The operation, which took place on the morning of Sept. 11, 1973, was carried out by a group of Chilean Air Force Hawker Hunter jets.

Through the air strike, the renegade military junta sought to take control of the La Moneda Presidential Palace, where the besieged President Allende had fought off attacks since 8 a.m. The air strike neutralized rooftop snipers loyal to the president, who eventually died of gunshot wounds to the head. The current investigation seeks to clarify who fired the gun that morning.

Matthei testified on Tuesday before Judge Mario Carroza, who in January took on the investigation of 726 claims of human rights violations that took place between Sept. 11, 1973 and March 11, 1990, including the death of Allende.

Though Matthei was not named head of the Air Force until 1978—well after the coup—the now-retired commander was director of the Academy of Air Warfare (AGA) in 1973. Prior to that position, he had served in the Air Force for nearly 30 years.

More:
http://en.mercopress.com/2011/07/08/chilean-justice-reopens-1973-bombing-of-the-presidential-palace