La Penca bombing

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The "La Penca bombing" refers to a bomb attack on May 30, 1984, in the small town of La Penca in Nicaragua, near the Costa Rican border. The bomb attack occurred during a press conference being conducted by Edén Pastora, a contra leader, who is presumed to have been the target[1]. Four people, including three journalists, were killed in the attack.

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[edit] The attack

A press meeting had been arranged in a small hut in the town of la Penca by Edén Pastora, a former Sandinista who had switched allegiance to the Contra rebels. The meeting was predominantly attended by American journlists who were reporting on the civil conflict occurring in Nicaragua at the time. [1]

The bomb is believed to have been hidden in a camera case, and planted by an individual carrying a stolen Dutch passport. According to witnesses, the bomber used the name Per Anker Hansen and claimed he was a Danish photographer[2]. Those killed in the bombing were an American journalist, Linda Frazier; a Costa Rican cameraman, Jorge Quiros; his assistant, Evelio Sequiera, and one rebel. The bomb attempt also seriously injured Pastora in both legs. About a dozen others were seriously injured. [1]

[edit] Investigation

The bombing led to an investigation by Tony Avirgan (an American journalist injured in the bombing) and his wife Martha Honey, and they concluded that the CIA was respsonsible[3]. In 1986 the Christic Institute filed a $24M lawsuit on their behalf against several individuals all associated with Oliver North; including Rob Owen, John Hull, Richard Secord, Albert Hakim, and Thomas Clines[3]. However the case was thrown out in June 1988 and the Christic Institute was ordered to pay approximately $1 million in costs to the defendants[4].

In 1990 the Government of Costa Rica accused the CIA of orchestrating the bombing using two intermediaries. Charges of murder were laid against Felipe Vidal, a Cuban-American, and John Hull, an American farmer who lived in Costa Rica at the time[2] and who had been previously named in the Christic Institute lawsuit[4].

In 1993 the Miami Herald claimed that the bomber was a leftist Argentine rebel, Vital Roberto Gaguine, who had been hired by the Sandinista Government. The report also stated that Gaguine was posing as a journalist with the stolen passport of a Dane named Per Anker Hansen at la Penca at the time of the bombing. The association between the perpetrator and the FSLN led the Herald reporter, Juan Tamayo, to conclude that the Sandinistas were solely responsible[2].

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Gruson, Lindsay. "Turnover in Nicaragua; Costa Rica Is Asking U.S. to Extradite Rancher Tied to '84 Bombing That Killed 4", New York Times, 1990-03-01. Retrieved on 2007-12-08. 
  2. ^ a b c "Costa Rica Reopens Inquiry in 1984 Bombing", New York Times, 1993-08-08. Retrieved on 2007-12-08. 
  3. ^ a b "La Penca and beyond", The Progressive, 1996-06-01. Retrieved on 2007-12-09. 
  4. ^ a b "CHRISTIC INSTITUTE ORDERED TO PAY $1M", Boston Globe, 1989-02-04. Retrieved on 2007-12-09. 

[edit] Sources

  • http://www.skepticfiles.org/socialis/cia_murd.htm
  • THE MIAMI HERALD, 1/6/90, "Cost Rican Prosecutor Links Two Americans to Fatal Bombing," by John McPhaul, p 19A;
  • PROPAGANDA REVIEW, Winter 1990, "La Penca Cover-up Continues," by Johan Carlisle, pp 40-41.