Panamanian Officials Who Helped Free Posada To Be Prosecuted

Luis Posada Carriles might have escaped justice for his many acts of terrorism, but three Panamanian officials who helped free him from jail in Panama might not be so lucky:

Three collaborators of former Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso will be tried on January 14 for violations in the release of Cuban-born terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, judicial sources informed on Monday.

Former Minister of Government and Justice Arnulfo Escalona, former National Police Director Carlos Bares and former Deputy Director for Migratory Affairs Javier Tapia are accused of abuse of authority and overstepping their limits of power, for which they could receive a minimum sentence but would be prevented from holding public posts, lawyer Javier Viques told Prensa Latina.

The attorney, who represented student and worker movements in previous phases of the trial against Posada Carriles, explained that this time the accused will be tried by the Attorney General’s Office.

If only the Bush administration officials who ensured that Posada would not be extradited to Venezuela or imprisoned in the U.S. could suffer the same fate…