DATE=9/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238406
TITLE=PERU REBELS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AUTHORITIES IN PERU SAY THEY HAVE FOILED A PLOT BY
LEFTIST GUERRILLAS TO DISRUPT NEXT MONTH'S LOCAL ELECTIONS. NINE
SUSPECTED REBELS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED. WE HAVE MORE FROM SOUTH
AMERICA CORRESPONDENT GEORGE MEEK.
TEXT: POLICE IDENTIFY THE ARRESTED SUSPECTS AS MEMBERS OF THE
TUPAC AMARU REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT, PERU'S SECOND-LARGEST
GUERRILLA GROUP, WHICH SEIZED HUNDREDS OF HOSTAGES AT THE
JAPANESE AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE IN LIMA NEARLY TWO-YEARS AGO.
POLICE SAY THE SUSPECTS INCLUDE THE TUPAC AMARU'S COMMUNICATIONS
CHIEF (MARIANO ZAMBRANO, ALIAS ALEJANDRO), AND THE HEAD OF AN
IMPORTANT MILITARY GROUP (JOSE RODRIGUEZ, ALIAS MIGUEL). A
SPOKESMAN FOR THE TUPAC AMARU REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT IN EUROPE
DENIES THOSE ARRESTED ARE ACTUALLY REBELS. THE SPOKESMAN SAYS
THEY ARE CIVILIANS WHO WERE FORCED TO INCRIMINATE THEMSELVES BY
POLICE.
CAPTURED TERRORIST SUSPECTS ARE USUALLY PRESENTED TO REPORTERS,
BUT THIS WAS NOT DONE AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY IN LIMA
WHERE AUTHORITIES ANNOUNCED THE ARRESTS. REPORTERS WERE SHOWN A
LARGE QUANTITY OF WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION SEIZED FROM THE REBELS
IN RECENT WEEKS.
DEFENSE MINISTER JULIO SALAZAR SAID THE REBELS PLANNED TO ATTACK
POLITICAL, BUSINESS, MILITARY, AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS AS WELL AS
DISRUPT THE ELECTIONS. HE SAID THEY ALSO TARGETED MILITARY
INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUCCESSFUL OPERATION
TO RESCUE THE HOSTAGES HELD BY THE TUPAC AMARU AT THE JAPANESE
AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE.
IN THAT OPERATION 71 OF THE 72 REMAINING HOSTAGES WERE FREED
ALIVE, AND ALL 14 OF THE REBELS HOLDING THEM WERE KILLED.
(SIGNED)
NEB/GM/RAE
10-Sep-98 10:01 AM EDT (1401 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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