Augusto Pinochet

The appeals court rejected Pinochet's motion to drop the murder and kidnapping charges for crimes committed during Operation Condor, a conspiracy among 1970s South American dictatorships to track down and kill opponents, and spirit their bodies away to each other's countries.

Pinochet has never stood trial for any of the approximately 3,000 political opponents killed during the dictatorship, according to an official toll. He took power after elected socialist President Salvador Allende was toppled in a military coup Sept. 11, 1973, and ruled until 1990.

Attorneys for Pinochet immediately appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court. In July 2002, the high court found that Pinochet suffered from mild dementia and was unable to stand trial.

Investigative Judge Guzman Tapia on Dec. 13 ordered the house arrest of the ex-strongman for the alleged murder of a dissident and the disappearances from custody of nine others, who are assumed to have been murdered.

The Japan Times Weekly: Dec. 25, 2004
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