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Peru | 12 September, 2006 [ 14:11 ]

14 years have passed since the capture of "Shining Path" leader Abimael Guzmán

The safehouse in Lima's Surco district where Guzmán was captured on Sept. 12, 1992

(LIP-wb) Fourteen years ago on this day, September 12, 1992, Abimael Guzman, leader of Peru's maoist guerilla goup "Shining Path" (Sendero Luminoso) was captured in a safe house in Lima's Surco district.

Guzman, a former philosophy professor born in Arequipa, now 71 years old, was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole after a three-day trial. He is currently incarcerated at the San Lorenzo Island naval base, near the city of Lima.

A total of about 70,000 people were killed by both guerrillas and security forces during the 1980s and early 1990s. After Mr Guzman's capture he was presented to the media, wild-eyed, caged and dressed in a striped prison uniform. The government of the day reportedly considered shooting him - but in the end he was tried behind closed doors by military judges. They wore hoods to avoid being targeted for revenge by the Shining Path.

In 2003, more than 5,000 individuals presented an appeal to Peru's Constitutional Court asking that the verdicts against Guzmán and more than other 1800 prisoners convicted of terrorism be voided. The court agreed, declaring that the military trials had been unconstitutional and ordering new trials before civilian courts. The new trials began in 2003. Since then, more than 400 prisoners who had been found guilty by military courts have been freed. The majority are still awaiting trial.

Guzmán's re-trial was scheduled to begin on November 5, 2004. After the three judges, Dante Terrel, Carlos Manrique, and José de Vinatea, failed to prevent Guzmán from disrupting the preeliminary hearing by shouting slogans and gesturing defiantly to the spectators, several politicians and members of the press accused them of being too lenient towards Guzmán. Two of the judges subsequently recused themselves. Guzmán's third trial began a year ago.


We are asking our readers:

Do you think that 14 years after ringleader Abimael Guzman was captured, the Sendero Luminoso has been compleely defeated and is no longer a threat?

We appreciate your comments on this subject.

tags : Peru history anniversary ShiningPath SenderoLuminoso Abimael Guzman capture

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