SENDERO LUMINOSO (SL) LEADER "COMRADE CLAY"

UNCLAS LIMA 000691 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER SNAR ASEC PE SUBJECT: SENDERO LUMINOSO (SL) LEADER "COMRADE CLAY" REPORTEDLY KILLED BY POLICE; EVIDENCE OF SL AND NARCO LINKS FOUND REF: A. 05 LIMA 5397 ¶B. 05 LIMA 5203 ¶C. 05 LIMA 4784 ¶D. 05 LIMA 3784 ¶E. 05 LIMA 1471 Sensitive but Unclassified. Please handle accordingly. ¶1. (U) Summary: Based on PNP press releases and news reports, SL leader "Comrade Clay" was shot and killed by Peruvian police on 2/19 in a confrontation in Huanuco Department. Clay was the military leader for the SL faction in the Huallaga Valley, and considered the second in command under SL Commander "Artemio." Evidence found near the body believed to be Clay's confirmed his links to the deadly Aucayacu attack in December 2005 that killed eight police and confirmed payoffs by narcotraffickers to SL for drug courier and protection services. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) According to Peruvian National Police (PNP) and press reports, PNP officers confronted and killed Hector Aponte Sinarahua aka "Comrade Clay," aka "Maclovio," aka "Chanti." Clay was the second in command of the Sendero Luminoso (SL) column in the Huallaga Valley and considered the Lieutenant of SL commander "Artemio" Two additional presumed terrorists were killed in the confrontation, and two other presumed terrorists, Clemente Morales Espinoza and a minor, were captured. The operation took place in the village of Alto Pacae 10 km south of Aucayacu and 50 km north of Tingo Maria in the Huanuco Department. The police and autopsy reports are not yet available. Every indication is that the body is that of Clay, though false rumors of Clay's capture or death have circulated in the past. ¶3. (SBU) According to the PNP press release, the police operation was part of the larger counterterrorism program "Huallaga Police Front," a government counterterrorism initiative created in January in response to the two fatal December SL attacks on police (Ref A, B). However, according to some sources it may have been the fruit of routine PNP intelligence investigations in the area and not the new initiative. (Note: Given the importance of Clay's death, most GOP authorities are claiming some credit. End Note.) According to reports, at the time of the confrontation Clay was taking part in a celebration at the invitation of local residents. An unconfirmed source claims there may be a criminal complaint filed against the police charging that Clay was simply working in a field when he was shot without resistance. ¶4. (U) Police reports indicate that documents found in Clay's possession implicate him in the design of the December 20, 2005 fatal ambush on police (Ref A). Minister of Interior Pizarro added that evidence implicated Clay as the architect of the February 2005 attack on police resulting in three deaths (Ref E). Other documents found on site indicate that Clay and his SL soldiers collected fees from narcotrafficers in the area for protection and transport services. Clay was a longtime member of the SL and was directly involved in many deadly attacks over the last three decades including the 1989 bloody attack he led on the police garrison in Uchiza. Clay was previously captured by the police in 1991 and 2001 following violent actions, but escaped both times. ¶5. (SBU) Comment: If Clay was indeed killed, as it appears, it is a significant accomplishment in the battle against SL and a big boost for police morale, particularly as they are engaged in a large eradication security operation in the Huallaga. Another SL soldier will no doubt take his place, but Clay has been a historical leader with SL and his loss hurts the organization. Post will report further as additional information becomes available. End Comment. POWERS