EL SALVADOR: STATUS OF CHURCHWOMEN MURDER CASE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00049R000802170003-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 17, 2008
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: February 8, 1982
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/06/17: CIA-RDP84B00049R000802170003-6
8 February 1982
. El Salvador: Status of Churchwomen Murder Case
Significant progress has been made recently in the
investigation of the murder of the four US churchwomen. The US
Embassy in San Salvador is. confident that most of the facts have
been pieced together and that sometime soon--no date has been
determined--six National Guardsmen. will be turned over to
civilian criminal courts for prosecution.
Written and taped affadavits have been collected from the
accused, as well as from most persons even remotely connected to
the investigation. One of the guardsmen has confessed to his
part in the crime and has implicated the others. Although
evidence is not conclusive on the point, the crime appears to
have been planned and directed by the junior sergeant in charge
of the airport detachment without the knowledge of any higher
authority. The sergeant and his five men changed to civilian
clothes and specifically targeted the nuns, whom they considered
to be "subversive" churchwomen.
Nevertheless, some cover-up after the fact by some mid-level
officers in the National Guard probably occurred. This
underscores the fact that final disposition of the case still
rests with the Armed Forces High Command, which must ease the
justice process along without causing major tensions in military
ranks.
When the military turns the case over to civilian courts,
the US Embassy reports that it will be necessary to hire a
private prosecutor representing the families of the victims to
augment the efforts of the government prosecutor--this is
required under Salvadoran law. An attorney has already agreed in
principle to accept the job, and the victims' families are being
so notified. Despite the solid case developed by the
prosecution, conviction is not necessarily assured. . The
Salvadoran judicial process has several unique features that
could cause problems, and the trial maybe affected by the
violent environment.. There are indications that some pressure
already has been aimed at the Attorney General's office from
anonymous persons, causing one low-level government attorney to
ask to be taken off the case.
State Dept. review completed.
Approved For Release 2008/06/17: CIA-RDP84B00049R000802170003-6