Terrorism Review |m
Chile:
Terrorism on the Ris
serious iilc in terrorist violence In Chile in recent monthi hi> prompted President Pinochet to draft stronger lecsifiiy measures,
The late3 assassination of the SantiagogOMinor. retired Maj. Gen. Cared Uritta, arked the beginning of the most recent wave of terrorist vsolessee. Terrorist activity appcari to be continuingigh lerre]a The noicftcc baa been eharacienraelignificani increase in the number of bombing and arson attacks against public propertyampaign of selective direciedmainlyagairisiihe national police |_
moreomoings TlsoTTEccT.iVoT^uTtnirds of ihcm during ihc Ian Quarter of Ihe year. Seven national policemen have been assassinated since September. Seventeen bombings were reported in the last sveek of January a'BBB^Btai
Most of the bombings have been directed against public utilities and have been designed lo cause ma si mum property damage but minimal personal Injuries The moil successful corudinalcd bombing effort occurred in midwhen unidentified terrorists downed several high-iem inn electrical lowers,imultaneous blackout In Santiago and acvcral other cities in central Chile mmmW
In response to the recent increase in icrrorni jcti.it).
President Pinochet reportedly batew antiterrorism decree that will strengthen the repressive powers of Ihe much-end secret police and require lougher sentences for all acts of antigovernmeril violence. Critics of the proposed law contend that Pinochet's authoritarian regime i* threatened leas by leftist violence than by growing opposition loathe secret police. The piiiposal requirci only ihc approval of the ruling military junto, -comprising ihe chiefs of ihe three armed service* andnational police
The current high level of terrorist activity appcari likely to continue Iniu the'neareturn ol the "national days of protest" is being planned for nest month by lerate oppositionnd it rs likely that radical groups will take advantage of the publications lhat arc intended lo garvanirc public demands forusterhe various terrorist groups operating in the major Chilean cliic* do not appear to have the capability lo mount rrustor Opcrationv they probably will continue highly visible bombings of public property|
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