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Alert

Security minister says shots fired at "La Tribuna" were accidental

(RSF/IFEX) - In response to a letter from RSF, Security Minister Oscar Álvarez Guerrero said an investigation has established that a uniformed police officer "accidentally" fired shots at the offices of the daily "La Tribuna" when he was cleaning his service firearm. The incident took place on 1 October 2004.

The findings have been rejected by "La Tribuna", which said they contradicted witness statements. The newspaper said questions persist about the motives of the person who fired the shots. It pointed out that three of its journalists received threats after implicating police officers in drug trafficking. "La Tribuna" also said the person who fired the shots has not been not questioned by either the Public Prosecutor's Office or the Criminal Investigations Department (Dirección General de Investigación Criminal, DGIC).