From ............National Catholic Reporter

October 11, 1996

page 21

letters section -

WITH THE TORTURERS

Two books,

The Flight: Confessions of an Argentine Dirty Warrior by Horacio Verbitsky and Witness to the Truth by Emilio F. Mignone,

reveal the reprehensible alliance between the [Roman] Catholic church and government officials in "the dirty war" in Argentina between 1976-1983 [NCR, Books, Sept. 20].

The Argentine government found persons who were too liberal for it, branded them "vermin" or "evil" and then systematically destroyed them. Thousands were taken up in aircraft and dropped alive into the ocean. Not one of them received a trial. With few exceptions the Argentine [Roman Catholic] hierarchy was supportive of the military regime and its venomous actions.

Now it is time for the bishops who knew of this evil to come forward and give their stories, including Pio Laghi, who was pro-nuncio to Argentina at this time. We must find out what members of the hierarchy sat down at the same table as the torturers.

DON RADEMACHER Glendale, Calif.