ASTIZ Alfredo

The new Government of Argentina, which came to power in a military coup, has promised to return the country of its former glory. But instead, it incited people to your gang of sadists, who plunged the country into an abyss of terror and riots.

From 1976 to 1982, Argentina carried out war within its own borders. All were considered enemies, whose views differed from the official government ideology. The ruling military junta has called this lawlessness "process of national revival". But it was only euphonious euphemism for mass bloodshed. The victims of this "process" are all those who had at least once in the hands of the communist newspaper. "Cog" of the state machine of terror were dubious character like Lt. Alfred Astiza.

Tanks on the street

The officer corps, to which he belonged and astasia, took the "purification" of Argentine society. In South America, the military has long been infamous for its interference in the affairs of civil government, so that the Argentine army is not an exception. Military dominated the state apparatus of Argentina from 1930 to 1982. During this period, the only civil government, passed a full term in office, was the office of Juan Peron. For many years, for which there were six military coups, people in military uniform deciding the fate of the people, to be exact - robbed this mineral-rich agricultural country.

March 23, 1976 are accustomed to all the inhabitants of Buenos Aires was awakened by the rattle of tank tracks. But it did not cause panic among them. This has repeatedly happened in the Argentine capital.

At this time the people asked General Jorge Videla. He explained that the mass unemployment, inflation, reaching eight per cent, the violence of "Left" have forced the military to take power into their own hands. Videla, . seizing the radio and telecentres, . inspired Argentines: "Since all the constitutional mechanisms have been exhausted and became apparent inability to restore normal social processes, . armed forces found it necessary to put an end to anarchy, . destabilizing the nation,
. The new government, filled with profound national spirit, meet the vital interests of the country and its citizens ".

In the general's voice sounded determination that inspired the people of Argentina more hope than fear. Since 1966 in the rural regions rampaged leftist guerrilla forces, looting, killing, kidnapping Chinyayev atrocities against the civilian population. Country inevitably sink into anarchy and chaos, waging an endless struggle against the guerrilla groups, the most significant of which was the so-called People's Revolutionary Army. There is a view that if the terrorists have created a climate of fear in society, resulting in the Army was forced to leave their barracks, and fifteen thousand innocent victims could live peacefully and to this day. But weary of infighting people warmly welcomed the saw and his supporters with their ideas about the "process of national revival".

Until I saw was saying his own people and the world that his government would respect human rights, was formed in secret terror machine, which was soon to bring down evil and suffering on unsuspecting people.

The officer corps of the Argentine armed forces in his own eyes was an elite group, unfulfilled national spirit and pride more than any other layer of Argentine society. Many officers willing to accept an order to lead a campaign of terror waged for "reeducation" compatriots. Among them was Alfred and Astiz, who was prepared for the inglorious fate of the executioner, but his name remains forever inscribed in one of the darkest and most shameful pages of history of Argentina.

Death squads

Alfred Astiz, Navy Lt., son of rich parents, drank to the bottom of a poisoned chalice offered by Saw. He fully believed the general when he said that the enemies of the nation are those in the Argentina. With zeal and enthusiasm worthy of Cardinal Spanish Inquisition, he plunged into the activities of the so-called "Naval School", which under the guise of a very respectable institution actually turned out to be the place of executions.

This was taken to thousands of "bad" ones, where they were subjected to savage torture, and then taken away to death. Just managed to return to the family and friends. These torture centers were organized not only here. Army, Air Force and the police succeeded in their desire to excel in the field of prosecution of "domestic enemies". Were formed death squads. Each of them was a special place, equipped as a "hellish Center, where the dissidents were driven, which, according to the authorities, destroyed the Argentine way of life and national traditions.

One of the few victims who survived after the visited feet Astiza and its people - Twenty-seven pregnant teacher at a medical school Isabel Gamba de Negrotto. She grabbed punishers, at gunpoint into a car loaded "fordfalkon green color - this brand later became a symbol of death - and brought to the building of naval engineering school. A young woman describes his suffering: "When they brought me into the room, they began kicking his feet and beat on the head.

Then they stripped me and started hitting something with a rubber on the legs, buttocks and shoulders. This lasted a very long time, I fell a few times, but they made me every time to rise and stand leaning on the table ... They insulted me, demanding to be told about people, about which I knew nothing, and things that I had no notion.

I begged them to leave me alone, so I have not had a miscarriage. I was so hurt that I had no strength to speak. They started torturing me electric shocks, putting the wires to the chest, thighs and armpits. This did not stop to question. Then began to introduce the wire into the vagina, and so could not hear my cry, gag bag. Someone called loudly Colonel. He came and told to increase the voltage until I speak, but I did not even know what I was supposed to speak. They continued to pour me water, and electric shock torture. Two days later I had a miscarriage ".

The officers of the junta imagined enemies everywhere. This took the form of paranoia and suspicion, . that is clearly seen in the comments of the fifth army corps commander, General Adel Vilas, . observation made in a few months after the beginning of the process: "Until now, our struggle against subversive elements affected only the tip of the iceberg ..,
. Need to destroy the sources that feed and form the subversive ideology, but such sources are primarily universities and secondary schools ".

The junta has persecuted children, students, trade unionists, journalists, teachers - all fell into the whirlpool of terror. "Suspicious" grabbed at random. When they were pushed into cars, they chanted their names and addresses of passers-by who then reported to the families that their relatives caught up in the street.

The military often got rid of the witnesses of their crimes, throwing people out of helicopters. It is believed that about five thousand nameless victims were killed exactly. Others secretly buried in the pampas, in the rural cemeteries in secluded corners of the country in general unmarked graves.

Astiz and his henchmen in the walls of the Naval Academy have resorted to the most refined torture faced by men, women and children.

Many of those who met with Astizom, compared him with Dr. Josef Mengele was a Nazi death camp Auschwitz. The fair-haired blue-eyed Astiz, nicknamed the "angel of death", reveled in his sadistic work. From the very beginning of the reform process "Astiz was taken for the most vile and dirty job, from which refused even to many of his colleagues.

Raul Vilarano, who later confessed to the many atrocities committed by them, together with Astizom, told how he and his men looked for victims. They just wandered the streets and assaulted the first counter, giving the will of any baser desires. One of those bystanders was Dagmar Hagelin.

Dagmar was arrested on Jan. 27, 1977. She was a Swede, but grew up in Argentina. The girl was barely eighteen years. Gifted student, she was fond of classical music and was interested in socialist ideas, but was far from clandestine activities. One day she rang the doorbell to his friend, and then there were two strangers in a naval uniform. Dagmar started running, but it caught up with a bullet. As it turned out, shot Astiz. The body of a girl in the trunk loaded Ford Falcon "and taken to unknown destination.

Unlike other "missing", Dagmar was from a rich family, and close enough to the powers that. Her father, a successful businessman, was friends with the Swedish Ambassador. But, despite all efforts, he was never able to find his daughter. Dagmar - one of thousands of innocent victims of terror unleashed by the military junta against its own people. The girl's body was never found. When the Swedish ambassador was given a new appointment, he refused the customary diplomatic protocol, requiring the ceremony of farewell to the leaders of the host country. This was done in protest against the bloody regime of General Videla.

Jewish newspaper editor Jacobo Timerman, who was suspected of sympathizing with the "enemies of the state, was subjected to savage torture. But he managed to survive. Timerman published a book "Prisoner without a name, the camera without a number," which describes his suffering: "At the time of electric shocks experienced such a feeling as if you tear into pieces. After this no longer feel the shock. Days and nights spent in a dark cell with no windows, make you lose sense of time. For months the prisoner did not give a wash, almost no food. Sometimes for two days kept in tiny solitary confinement, blindfolded, hands tied behind their backs. Natural needs to cope directly under him ... "

. Peak of his career Astiz achieved when, under the guise of a simple peasant boy Gustav Niц?o, who lost relatives in the dungeons of the junta, had penetrated the ranks of women's organization called "Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo"
.

The promoters of this organization picketed the presidential palace with signs in hand, on which were written the names of their missing children and family. Despising batons and tear gas, they did not leave the area for weeks, drawing attention to mass killings in the country that the world public opinion the most civilized in South America. And even when the ranks demonstrantok markedly thinned by arrests, and their homes were raided and began to disappear members of their families, Gustavo Niц?o has always been close. It is hypocritical comforted and supported their "wards", while collecting "dirt" on their families and placed in dungeons and more new victims.
Some time Astiz worked in the naval representative of Argentina in Paris, where he spied a group of Argentine exiles, human rights. After the scandal of his seconded to South Africa.

But the ubiquitous journalists who knew about the insidious activities of Alfred Astiza at home, in 1981, went on his trail. Then the junta decided to hide away his accomplice, and in 1982 he went to the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean - the Falkland Islands, where there was a war with Great Britain.

Executioner free

Astiza captured British Marines, and when in the English newspapers zapestrelo his name in capitals of the world sounded the alarm bell.
Thousands of relatives of the victims were tortured and demanded to prosecute and punish the murderer.
But according to the Geneva Convention Astiz was considered prisoners of war and it can not be sent to foreign countries for crimes committed in their country.

After the military conflict in the South Atlantic, Lt. executioner returned home.
The next year in Argentina, was sworn Raul Alfonsin, the forty-first president in the history of the country. By the will of the people he was supposed not only to lead Argentina through democratic reforms, but also to eradicate the black heritage of the junta.

Several people were brought to justice, among them a sadist Astiz. But he was never punished, not spent a single day in jail.

During the preliminary investigation Astiz himself has refused to acknowledge that he had kidnapped and killed Dagmar, and his lawyer in a burst of eloquence, has claimed that if he did it, then acted in an atmosphere of "war" ...

Now this middle-aged man with a bloody past, but a clear conscience lives in Argentina. Ironically, at large ...

After coming to power Alphonsina Government at the request of the general public and established a commission to investigate the terror perpetrated by the military junta in Argentina.

Commission found that the favorite method of destruction of the executioners was arrested with subsequent disfigurement of corpses that they could not be identified.
Almost nine thousand "disappeared" never to be found, despite the fact that sixty percent of those arrested were caught when witnesses in public places. It was discovered three hundred and forty torture centers, but the junta refused to acknowledge that they brutally tortured and killed people.

Commission prepared a report on five thousand pages, but the government has failed - or unwilling - to bring the killers to justice.

Black days "Reformation" had passed away, the times of the bloody reign of the junta in Argentina, leaving only grim memories. But the men in khaki uniforms and black sunglasses hiding in anticipation of a new chance.

However, Eva Bonafini, a woman who lost two sons and a daughter during the reign of terror, hoping that their time will never come.

It shows: "The junta has launched a war against its own people. Killed thousands of innocent people, not representing any danger to the authorities What happened to us, should serve as a stern warning to all those who in times of acute social dislocation feels a longing for the "strong arm" of dictatorship. Because very often it turns out to be bloody. "