France/Argentina

Paris slams release of "Blond Angel of Death"

Article published on the 2008-12-19 Latest update 2008-12-19 16:54 TU

Jorge Acosta (L) and Alfredo Astiz
( Photos: AFP )

France's Foreign Affairs Ministry on Friday declared that the release of alleged former death squad leader Alfredo Astiz would be "shocking". On Thursday a Buenos Aires court ordered that the Argentine Navy Captain, known as the "Blond Angel of Death", be freed, along with Jorge Acosta, known as "the Tiger", because they have been in jail awaiting trial for the last two years.

"His release, before his trial has even taken place, would be shocking," declared ministry spokesperson Eric Chevallier. "We await with impatience for his trial to open and for Argentine justice to do its work."

Astiz is one of several military officers who were involved in death squads during the so-called "dirty war" with left-wing groups under the military dictatorship of 1976 to 1983.

In 1990 a French court condemned him to life imprisonment in his absence for "direct involvement in the abduction and torture of two French nuns", Léonie Duquet and Alice Domon.

An Italian court passed a similar sentence in 2007 for the murder of three Italian nationals.

Chevallier backed Argentine President Cristina Kirchner's reaction to the court's ruling. She declared that it "shames Argentina and all of humanity".

Astiz and Acosta worked at Buenos Aires Navy Mechanics School, which was turned into a jail and torture centre. About 5,000 people were locked away and only a few hundred survived.

The two men have not yet been freed, pending a possible appeal by the government or a court ordered delay to set conditions for the release.