PAGE 01 UMClASSlf IEO _ ___ ---- SANTIA 05483 EKCIBE - 082108Z Ol·OF 02 ·------ j- 63 ACTION ARA-04 INFO OCT-01 1 SS-14 CIAE-00 • IS0-00 I0-03 L-01 NSC-05 SY-02 NSCE-00 SCCT-01 PM-01 PRS-01 OMB-01 042 W INR-05 DHA-02 ORM-01 004583 R 082005Z AUG 75 FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4305 AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES AMCONSUL SAO PAULO AMEMBASSY BRASILIA USMISSION USUN USCINCSO DIA Chile Project #S199900006 U S Departm¢ State neclass Release LExase _De ___ Eiemption s e o SECTION 1 OF 2 SANTIAGO_ 5483 LIMDIS NOFORN EO 11652 XGDS-2 TAGS CI PINS SHUM SUBJECT ANALYSIS OF DEATHS AND DISAPPEARANCES OF CHILEAN EXTREMISTS REFS Al STATE 183642 B STATE 184296 l SUMMARY _WE CONCLUDE THAT REPORTS DESCRIBING DEATHS OR DISAPPEARANCES OF 119 CHILEAN EXTREMISTS OUTSIDE OF CHILE ARE PROBABLY UNTRUE THOUGH MOST OR ALL CONCERNED ARE PROBABLY DEAD MOST PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION WE CAN PIECE TOGETHER FOR WHAT WILL-PROBABLY REMAIN SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY IS THAT GOC SECURITY FORCES ACTED DIRECTLY OR THROUGH THIRD PARTY PLANTED REPORTS IN OBSCURE PUBLICATIONS TO PROVIDE SOME MEANS OF ACCOUNTING FOR DISAPPEARANCE OF NUMEROUS VIOLENT LEFTISTS GOC SECURITY FORCES MAY HAVE -- PAGE 02 SANTIA 05483 01 OF 02 082108Z KILLED SOME OR ALL OF THEM END SUMMARY 2 WHAT DO WE KNOW Date Printed 01 17 1999 FIRST LIST SANTIAGO 5039 APPEARED DOC_NUMBER l975SANTIA05483 Page - l CHANNEL n a k P fi i ' '- 1 IN ARGENTINA MAGAZINE LEA- STORY WAS THAT 60 CHILEAN 1 f' JiJt i EXTREMISTS HAD BEEN KILLED OUTSIDE OF CHILE AS RESULT OF '' _ _ • •-• INTERNAL PURGES IN EXTREMIST GROUPS ARISING OUT OF CONFLICTS OVER MONEY IDEOLOGY ETC KILLINGS WERE ALLEGED TO RAVTAKEN PLACE IN ARGENTINA MEXICO FRANCE COLOMBIA VENEZUELA AND PANAMA lu•r 3 LEA IS OBSCURE J UBLICATION WHICH MAY HAVE APPEARED FOR ONLY ONE ISSUE MAY HAVE USED FALSE PUBLISHING ADDRESS AND APPEARS TO BE TIED TO LOPEZ REGA AND RIGHT-WING ARGENTINE GROUPS 4 SOURCE OF LEA STORY IS ALLEGEDLY OBSCURE MEXICAN NEWS SERVICE CALLED FONEL UNKNOWN TO US AND TO CHILEAN FONMINISTRY THERE IS NO CO FIRMATION FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE OR COUNTRY THAT SUCH PURGES HAVE OCCURRED NOR HAVE THE BODIES OF THE 60 PERSONS NAMED BEEN PRODUCED OR IDENTIFIED 5 SECOND LIST SANTIAGO 5185 FIRST APPEARED IN JUNE 25 ISSUE OF 0 DIA OF CURITIBA BRAZIL ARTICLE ALLEGED THAT AN ADDITIONAL 59 CHILEAN EXTREMISTS DIED WERE WOUNDED OR ESCAPED IN ARMED CONFRONTATIONS WITH ARGENTINE SECURITY FORCES IN SALTA AREA STORY WAS DATELINED BUENOS AIRES BUT WAS NOT ATTRIBUTED TO ANY WIRE SERVICE 6 0 DIA EXISTS BUT IT IS AN O SCURE MORE-OR-LESS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER PUT OUT BY ONE PERSON IN CURITIBA SAO PAULO 1595 WHO CLAIMS HE GOT THE STORY FROM A FRIEND ON A RECENT TRIP TO BUENOS AIRES SAO PAULO 1608 THERE IS NO CONFIRMATION THAT SUCH A CLASH IN SALTA OR ANYWHERE ELSE ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE 7 THERE IS SOME REASON TO BELIEVE O DIA LIST WAS DISTRIBUTED IN SANTIAGO BY A GOC SOURCE ONE SANTIAGO NEWSPAPER SPECIFICALLY SO STATED THERE IS NO INDICATION ANY HIGH-LEVEL GOC ELEMENT INVOLVED IN DISTRIBUTION OF 119 PERSONS WERE ON PEACE COMMITTEE LIST PAGE 03 SANTIA b5483 01 OF 02 082108Z OF 163 DISAPPEARED PERSONS PRESENTED TO SANTIAGO APPEALS COURT AND SUPREME COURT IN MAY AND HANDED PERSONALLY TO SUPREME COURT PRESIDENT EYZAGUIRRE AND MIN JUSTICE SCHWEITZER MOST OF 119 HAD BEEN OBJECTS OF PREVIOUS AMPARO HABEAS CORPUS REQUESTS SANTIAGO 5190 ORDINARILY THESE REQUESTS INCLUDE SWORN STATEMENTS THAT PERSONS CONCERNED HAD BEEN DETAINED 9 PEACE COMMITTEE ALSO CLAIMS TO HAVE DIRECT•· EVIDENCE IN 77 OF THESE CASES AND INDIRECT EVIDENCE IN ANOTHER 26 ·nate Printed 01 17 1999 DOC_NUMBER 1975SAN'l'IA05483 Page - 2 CHANNEL n a l VifH r rin THAT THEsE PERSONS WERE DETAINED IN CHILE BY GOC SECURITY 1 FORCES WE HAVE SEEN SEVERAL COMMITTEE FILES ON INDIVIDUALSl f '• INCLUDED IN THE 119 AND THEY APPEAR CONVINCING SOME vuv _ v •MIGHT BE FALSIFIED TO A GREATER OR LESSER DEGREE BUT WE DOUBT ALL ARE FURTHER COMMITTEE CLAIMS THAT IN FOUR CASES GOC HAD OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED PERSONS WERE DETAINED SANTIAGO 5405 IN NO CASE DOES COMMITTEE HAVE KNOWLEDGE THAT PERSON WAS EVENTtJALLY RELEASED OR SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED • RELATIVES ALL 119 NAMES ARE ON ICRC'S REFINED LIST OF PERSONS PRESUMED DETAINED BY GOC SANTIAGO 5428 AND BRITISH EMBASSY SANTIAGO TOLD US GOC HAD ASSURED EMBASSY THAT TWO PERSONS WHO SUBSEQUENTLY APPEARED AMONG 119 WERE IN GOC CUSTODY AND IN GOOD CONDITION SANTIAGO 5280 t - 10 THREE BODIES ONLY TWO OF THEM AMONG THE 119 AND THE OTHER OF SAME TYPE OF CASE HAVE APPEARED IN BUENOS AIRES ACCOMPANIED BY ALLEGED CHILEAN IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS HOWEVER FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE SWORN TO DETAILED STATEMEN' ' S THAT BODIES DO NOT BELONG TO THEIR MISSING RELATIVES IN TWO OF THE THREE CASES THEY HAVE FURTHER CLAIMED THAT ALLEGED IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS ARE CRUDE FORGERIES 11 POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS PRESS STORIES ARE TRUE AS PRINTED -- · FOR VARIETY OF REASONS CITED ABOVE IT IS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT LEA ANDO DIA STORIES AT FACE VALUE FURTHER WE KNOW OF NO- RESPONSIBLE SOURCE SENIOR GOVERNMENT CIVILIAN ADVISER FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL SENIOR CHILEAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER PEACE COMMITTEE OFFICIALS AND CLERGYMEN DEFENSE LAWYERS AND MANY OTHERS WHO WILL PUBLICLY ACCEPT STORIES AS TRUE AFTER PERIOD OF INITIAL ACCEPTANCE E G EL MERCURIO JULY 25 EDITORIAL - SANTIAGO PAGE 04 SANTIA 05483 01 OF 02 082108Z 518 5 SANTIAGO PRESS DROPPED STORY AND EVEN LEADING EL MERCURIO EVENTUALLY QUESTIONED LISTS AND CALLED FOR FULL INVESTIGATION SANTIAGO 5384 NNN PAGE 01 SANTIA 05483 63 Date Printed 01 17 19 99 02 OF 02 082116Z DOC_NO U ER 1975SANTIA05483 Page - 3 ---·CHANNEL n a ACTION ARA-04_ INFO OCT-01 CIAE-00 SS-14 IS0-00 I0-03 041 W L-01 • R 082005Z AUG 75 FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4306 AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES AMCONSUL SAO PAULO AMEMBASSY BRASILIA USMISSION USUN USCINCSO NSC-05 SY-02 NSCE-00 SCCT-01 -------------- PM-01 DHA-02 INR-05 ORM-01 OMB-01 004714 DIA SECTION 2 OF 2 SANTIAGO 5483 LIMDIS NOFORN 12 LISTS ARE A PLANT BY FORCES OPPOSED TO PRESENT GOC AT LEAST ONE SEN RO GOC CIVILIAN ADVISER SPECULATED ON THIS LINE WE WOULDN'T BE SO STUPID AS TO DO SOMETHING THIS CLUMSY MOTIVATION IN ADDITION TO EMBARRASSING GOC IN CONJUNCTION WITH ABORTIVE UNHRC VISIT WOULD BE TO PRESSURE GOC INTO DISCLOSING WHAT HAPPENED TO DISAPPEARED EXTREMISTS COMRADES WE DO NOT QUESTION ASSERTION THAT ALL OR MOST OF 119 WERE OPPONENTS OF PRESENT GOC ALTHOUGH NOT ALL ARE WERE MEMBERS OF EXTREMIST MIR NOR DO WE DOUBT THAT MIR OTHER ORGANIZED OPPONENTS OR PERHAPS EVEN INDIVIDUAL PEACE COMMITTEE STAFFERS WOULD BE WILLING TO PLANT SUCH LISTS TENDING TO UNDERCUT THIS THEORY HOWEVER IS POSSIBILITY THAT SOME ONE CONNECTED WITH GOC DISTRIBUTED O DIA LIST ·BEFORE PUBLICATION IN CHILE MORE IMPORTANT EVEN ASSUMING THE OPPOSITION HAD THE CAPABILITY FOR MOUTING SUCH AN OPERATION IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THEY WOULD OR PAGE 02 SANTIA 05483 02 OF 02 082116Z COULD HAVE USED THA RIGHT-WING CONTROLLED LEA AND·THE 0 DIA CHANNELS TO DISSEMINATE THE LISTS FINALLY IF THIS WERE AN OPPOSITION MANEWER AND ANY OF THE 119 WERE 'STILL DETAINED GOC COULD DISPROVE ARTICLES BY PRODUCING ALIVE AND WELL SOME OF PERSONS NAMED IN LISTS -- SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT YET OCCURRED -- OR BY RELEASING SOME INFORMATION ON HOW THEY ACTUALLY DIED Date Printed 01 17 1999 DOC_NUMBER 1975SANTIA05483 Page - 4 CHANNEL n a 11 Mr1 is u n v __ _ 13 THE GOC PLANTED THE STORIES - TO ASSUME THIS ONE MUST EXFLAIN WHY GOC OR SOME AGENCY OR OFFICIAL WOULD FEELUI U1 · ' COMPELLED TO CONCOCT A COVER STORY ON DISAPPEARED PERSONS WE SEE THREE POSSIBLE REAONS A UNHRC WOULD INEVIABLY LOOK INTO QUESTION OF DISAPPEARED PERSONS AND SOME KIND OF PRIOR PUBLIC EXPLANATION ' OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM WAS URGENTLY NEEDED Bl PRESSURE WAS ON GOC FROM PEACE COMMITTEE LIST AND IN COURTS AND C EYZAGUIRRE AND SCHWEITZER MAY HAVE BEEN DEMANDING EXPLANATION FROM-GOC ON WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE PEOPLE WE CONCLUDE THAT GOC MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN IMPELLED TO PLANT LISTS 14 ADDITIONALLY IT WOtTLD BE PLAUSIBLE TO ASSUME THAT ARGENTINE SECURITY FORCES AND OR RIGHT-WING GROUPS SUCH AS AAA AND LOPEZ REGA ELEMENTS EXTENDED AT LEAST TACIT COOPERATION TO GOC IN THIS tATTER LEA APPARENTLY HAS SOME ·CONNECTION WITH LOPEZ REGA AND ARGENTINES HAVE NEITHER CONFIRMED NOR DENIED ALLEGED CLASH IN SALTA 15 IF THESE ASSUMPTIONS ARE JUSTIFIED IT SEEMS TO US PROBABLE THAT MOST OR ALL OF THE 119 ARE DEAD NONE HAS BEEN HEARD FROM __ AND THAT SOME OR ALL MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED WHILE DETAINED OR PERHAPS IN ENCOUNTERS WITH GOC SECURITY FORCES WITHIN CHILE THE EVIDENCE IS CIRCUMSTANTIAL ' BUT IT IS CONSISTENT WITH RECURRENT SECOND AND THIRD-HAND REPORTS OF THE·DEATHS OF VIOLENT LEFTIST EXTF EMISTS AT THE HANDS OF THESE FORCES · 16 SEE ALSO 1 WHICH CONFIRMS IN SEVERAL RESPECTS PLAUS IBILITY OF AR ENT THAT SOME ELEMENT OF GOVERNMENT WAS INVOLVED IN PLANTING TWO LISTS TOTALLING 119 PERSONS PO - PAGE 03 SANTIA 05483 02 OF 02 082116Z Current Ha dling Restrictions Current Classification - Date Printed 01 17 1999 -' - - DOC_NUMBER 1975SANTIA05483 Page - 5 CHANNEL n a