ARGENTINA: THREE PRIESTS MURDERED IN RETALIATION FOR BOMBING OF FEDERAL POLICE SECURITY HEADQUARTERS.

Record ID: 319167

  • Title: ARGENTINA: THREE PRIESTS MURDERED IN RETALIATION FOR BOMBING OF FEDERAL POLICE SECURITY HEADQUARTERS.
  • Date: 6th July 1976
  • Summary: 1. GV EXTERIOR OF San Patricio church 0.08 2. LV Armed police on streets outside church (2 shots) 0.24 3. SV Armed policeman crossing road 0.26 4. GV Police guarding road junction outside church (2 shots) 0.37 5. LV Policeman points gun and calls for car to stop 1.00 6. SV People looking on 1.05 7. SV Two policemen interview
  • Embargoed: 21st July 1976 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
  • Country: Argentina
  • Reuters ID: LVA6VJK0PIXIFZLFW7MDNDBTD3J3
  • Story Text: Three Argentine priests and two seminarians were found shot dead in a Buenos Aires suburb on Sunday (4 July). A message scrawled on the church walls claimed that the five men were killed for being sympathisers of the left-wing Monteneros urban guerrilla group.

    SYNOPSIS: The dead men were members of the Roman Catholic Palatine order. their bullet-riddled bodies were found in their quarters in the parish house by an altar boy who was to have assisted them in saying Sunday mass. Police believe the killings to be the work of so-called right-wing death squads, in retaliation for a bombing of the security headquarters of the federal Police on the second of July. There were reports of at least 18 people killed in the explosion and 66 others injured.

    The pre-dawn murder of the priests followed the discovery of 15 other people who were also thought to be victims of revenge attacks. The deaths were the latest in a series of similar events throughout Argentina. Since the military coup in March this year, which deposed President Maria Estela Peron, at least 456 people are known to have been killed in politically-motivated acts of violence. So the police take no chances when they interview anybody - including casual passers-by.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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