- Title: ARGENTINA: POLICE CHIEF ASSASSINATED IN BOMB EXPLOSION ON HOLIDAY BOAT.
- Date: 2nd November 1974
- Summary: 1. CU PAN FROM Guard to coffin with wreaths. 0.11 2. CU Wreaths ZOOM OUT to guards standing by coffin. 0.19 3. SV Road sign. 0.24 4. GV ZOOM IN Officials by the river. 0.35 5. GV ZOOM OUT Wreckage in river and officials on bank. 0.46 6. SV Wreckage on river bank, with officials. (2 shots) 1.01 7. SV PAN Armoured car by roads
- Embargoed: 17th November 1974 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: EL TIGRE, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Reuters ID: LVAAQIQ14H01DB8O8QGU5SDJ89RD
- Story Text: Argentine Police Chief Alberto Villar and his wife were killed on Friday (1 November) when their holiday boat was blown apart by a powerful explosion just after it had sailed out of the port of El Tigre, 18 miles (30 kms) from Buenos Aires.
The left-wing Montoneros guerrialla group has claimed responsibility for the assassination. Sources in Buenos Aires said a Montoneros communique accused Commissioner Villar of organising the right-wing "Triple A" death squad, which has killed at least 25 leftists in recent weeks.
The Montoneros supported the late President Juan Peron, but two months ago declared open war on the Government of his widow, whose policies have moved to the right.
Following the assassination, Deputy Police Chief Luis Margaride cancelled all police leave and put Argentina's 18,000-strong federal police force on full alert.
SYNOPSIS: Commissioner Villar was the first career police officer to head Argentina's federal force since the military coup of nineteen sixty-six. The post was usually held by top-ranking army officers. He was recalled from retirement in January to cope with the threat of increasing guerrilla activity.
There was a tense moment during the police investigations at El Tigre, when a parcel left outside a shop was suspected of containing a bomb. Soldiers approached it cautiously -- a policeman intervened and removed the parcel and in the relief of the moment one of the soldiers accidentally fired his rifle.
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