<I'm just curious what kinds of "crimes" attracted enough attention to warrant being killed by a dictatorship like existed in Argentina at that time>
The post-dictatorship government commission published a report, Nunca Mas, which detailed the progression.
There were several terrorist groups, who were waging war against the government. They did what terrorists do: planting bombs, kidnapping, assassinations. They numbered around 300-500 total. The army went to war against them, and wiped them out.
Then, the definition of "terrorist" steadily, incrementally, expanded, over the years. People would disappear, if they:
1. wrote an article in a paper, criticizing the army
2. complained about a relative who had disappeared
3. were a member of a human rights organization
4. were a priest who believed in "liberation theology".
By the end of the campaign, the right-wing paramilitary groups, were cruising the streets, looking for any pretty woman, who they would kidnap, rape, and murder.
By the time they were done, the military had killed 10-20 times as many, as the total number of terrorists. |
