Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BUENOSAIRES697
2006-03-23 19:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:
ALLEDGED DOMESTIC ESPIONAGE DENOUNCED BY SOCIAL
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHBU #0697 0821912 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 231912Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3933 INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 5436 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 1317 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 5232 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0874 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR MONTEVIDEO 5433 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 5039 RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000697
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016
TAGS: MARR PGOV PHUM AR
SUBJECT: ALLEDGED DOMESTIC ESPIONAGE DENOUNCED BY SOCIAL
RESEARCH GROUP
Classified By: CDA Hugo Llorens for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000697
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016
TAGS: MARR PGOV PHUM AR
SUBJECT: ALLEDGED DOMESTIC ESPIONAGE DENOUNCED BY SOCIAL
RESEARCH GROUP
Classified By: CDA Hugo Llorens for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) On March 19 the Buenos Aires-based think tank CELS
(Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales) charged that the
officials at the Admiral Zar Naval Airbase in Trelew, Chubut
Province, Argentina, were spying on Argentine lawyers,
politicians, union leaders and journalists. Following the
public accusation made by CELS, the Argentine Navy Chief
Admiral Jorge Godoy closed ten intelligence offices in the
area, dismissed two officers, and suspended all Naval
intelligence activity in the country to facilitate the
investigation lead by Defense Minister Nilda Garre. Chubut
Governor Mario Das Neves appeared in court on March 20
representing the Province as plaintiff in the case. On March
23 it was announced that the entire naval airbase would be
closed.
2. (C) CELS Director Andrea Pochak told POL intern that
details of domestic espionage surfaced when a military
informant approached CELS. Supported by physical evidence,
the informant told CELS that the military base had been
spying on lawyers and other individuals involved in the case
of the "Trelew Massacre", a recently re-opened human rights
case against 11 military officers which CELS is following.
The case concerns the murder of 16 political prisoners at the
Admiral Zar Naval Airbase in 1972, and is being pursued by
family members of the deceased. Pochak alledges the spying
is an attempt to impede the investigation given that "the
very same base where the espionage is done is where the
massacre happened." Pochak also said that according to the
informant's information, which includes files of private
information and detailed conversations, there is proof that
the military intelligence units were spying on other
invididuals such as the provincial governor and even Defense
Minister Garre. CELS has called for similar investigations
into the Army and the Air Force. (Human rights groups such
as CELS are using this as evidence that the military has not
fundamentally changed its attitude about domestic espionage.)
3. (C) Comment: Media reports of the investigation do not
indicate the quality, quantity or time period of the alleged
intelligencce files at the Admiral Zar Naval Airbase. It is
possible that hardcore anti-military elements in the
government are using these allegations for another round of
purges in the military's senior ranks. End Comment.
4. (U) To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires.< /a>
LLORENS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016
TAGS: MARR PGOV PHUM AR
SUBJECT: ALLEDGED DOMESTIC ESPIONAGE DENOUNCED BY SOCIAL
RESEARCH GROUP
Classified By: CDA Hugo Llorens for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) On March 19 the Buenos Aires-based think tank CELS
(Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales) charged that the
officials at the Admiral Zar Naval Airbase in Trelew, Chubut
Province, Argentina, were spying on Argentine lawyers,
politicians, union leaders and journalists. Following the
public accusation made by CELS, the Argentine Navy Chief
Admiral Jorge Godoy closed ten intelligence offices in the
area, dismissed two officers, and suspended all Naval
intelligence activity in the country to facilitate the
investigation lead by Defense Minister Nilda Garre. Chubut
Governor Mario Das Neves appeared in court on March 20
representing the Province as plaintiff in the case. On March
23 it was announced that the entire naval airbase would be
closed.
2. (C) CELS Director Andrea Pochak told POL intern that
details of domestic espionage surfaced when a military
informant approached CELS. Supported by physical evidence,
the informant told CELS that the military base had been
spying on lawyers and other individuals involved in the case
of the "Trelew Massacre", a recently re-opened human rights
case against 11 military officers which CELS is following.
The case concerns the murder of 16 political prisoners at the
Admiral Zar Naval Airbase in 1972, and is being pursued by
family members of the deceased. Pochak alledges the spying
is an attempt to impede the investigation given that "the
very same base where the espionage is done is where the
massacre happened." Pochak also said that according to the
informant's information, which includes files of private
information and detailed conversations, there is proof that
the military intelligence units were spying on other
invididuals such as the provincial governor and even Defense
Minister Garre. CELS has called for similar investigations
into the Army and the Air Force. (Human rights groups such
as CELS are using this as evidence that the military has not
fundamentally changed its attitude about domestic espionage.)
3. (C) Comment: Media reports of the investigation do not
indicate the quality, quantity or time period of the alleged
intelligencce files at the Admiral Zar Naval Airbase. It is
possible that hardcore anti-military elements in the
government are using these allegations for another round of
purges in the military's senior ranks. End Comment.
4. (U) To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires.< /a>
LLORENS