World News 14-12-2004 Pinochet Arrested For Murder who: General Augusto Pinochet what: Arrested for murder where: Chile when: Yesterday snippet: "Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet was yesterday ordered to be placed under house arrest," reports The Scotsman, "after he was charged with kidnapping nine dissidents and murdering one of them during his 1973-90 regime." "The families of the tens of thousands who were murdered, tortured or `disappeared` during the ex-general`s 17-year reign have been pursuing him through the courts for years, without success," says The Mirror. "This is great news for all those Chileans who do not accept impunity in the violations of human rights," says Viviana Diaz, president of the Association of Relatives of Disappeared Persons, quoted by the BBC. "Gen Pinochet`s lawyers quickly announced that they would lodge an appeal before the Santiago court of appeals," says The Telegraph, "and, if necessary, take the case to the Chilean supreme court, which ruled three years ago that Gen Pinochet was mentally and physically unfit to stand trial." Yesterday he was declared competent by Judge Juan Guzman, who issued the arrest warrant. After studying an interview the 89-year-old gave to a Miami television channel in November 2003, Judge Guzman said his decision was "easy" and remarked that the General appeared mentally agile. [... more]

What The Papers Say is delivered to thousands of readers every morning by web, WAP and email. Sign up today!