National Security Archive says declassified files show US knew of Guatemala's murdered, missing

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Group says files show US knew of Guatemala abuses

Group says files show US knew of Guatemala abuses del.icio.us: Group says files show US knew of Guatemala abuses

JUAN CARLOS LLORCA | March 18, 2009 08:27 PM EST | AP


GUATEMALA CITY — The U.S. government knew that top Guatemalan officials it supported with arms and cash were behind the disappearance of thousands of people during a 36-year civil war, declassified documents obtained by a U.S. research institute show.

The National Security Archive, a Washington D.C.-based institute that requests and publishes declassified government documents, obtained diplomatic and intelligence reports from the U.S. State Department under the Freedom of Information Act and posted them on its Web site on Wednesday.

"Government security services have employed assassination to eliminate persons suspected of involvement with the guerrillas or who are otherwise left-wing in orientation," one 1984 State Department report said.

Guatemala's U.S.-backed army battled leftist guerrillas in a 1960-1996 civil war that left more than 200,000 people dead or missing. Most were Mayan Indians.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20090318/lt-guatemala-us-disappeared/