Chile's Pinochet loses immunity

SANTIAGO, Chile - Chile's Supreme Court has ruled former dictator Augusto Pinochet can face criminal charges related to the disappearance and murder of at least 15 leftists in a 1975 human rights case known as Operation Colombo.

It was the third human rights case in which the high court has removed Pinochet's immunity from prosecution -- a privilege of former presidents. The immunity issue must be resolved on a case-by-case basis.

Judge Jose Benquis, acting president of the court, told reporters that the court ruled 10 to six to strip Pinochet of immunity in the case.

Judge Victor Montiglio, who is investigating and prosecuting Operation Colombo, wants to charge Pinochet with responsibility in the deaths of at least 15 political opponents including armed rebels from the Revolutionary Leftist Movement.

"We'll have to see what happens next. Obviously the next step is to take a declaration (from Pinochet) and to see if there is enough evidence to indict him. We believe there is evidence he participated in these crimes," Boris Paredes, a lawyer who represents families of rights victims and assists in the Pinochet prosecution, told reporters.

Human rights groups say the Operation Colombo case involved 119 leftists who were taken prisoner by Chile's secret police and killed. They say the Pinochet regime planted news stories in 1975 in Argentina and Brazil alleging the dissidents had died fighting among themselves.

In July the Santiago Appeals Court removed Pinochet's immunity so he could face charges in Operation Colombo and the Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld that ruling.

Pinochet, 89, ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990, a period when more than 3,000 people died in political violence.

Pinochet is accused of dozens of human rights abuses, but none of those has ever resulted in a conviction.

The Supreme Court twice before stripped his immunity in major human rights cases. But the charges in both cases were later thrown out in court rulings that said Pinochet was too ill to participate in his defence.

Pinochet has diabetes, heart problems and mild dementia related to frequent mini strokes.

- REUTERS