Mexico police arrests 1997 Acteal massacre mastermind

By Xinhua

Mexico City : Mexico police has re-arrested an alleged mastermind of the 1997 massacre in Acteal in southern Mexican state of Chiapas that killed 45 people.


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In a statement, Mexico police said Sunday that Antonio Santiz was arrested on charges of participation in the violent robberies prior to the massacre in Acteal.

Local justice officials said Santiz was believed to have provided weapons for the massacre.

The arrest coincided with the 10th anniversary of the massacre Dec 22, 1997 during which 45 people, including women and children, were killed while attending a prayer.

Santiz was first arrested in 2000 but was released later after a judge ruled that there was not sufficient evidence against him.

In October, 34 men were sentenced to 26 years in prison each for the killings. Several others were convicted in 2002.

Families of the victims said the killing was designed to root out rebels in Chiapas, who fought for greater autonomy in the region against supporters of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, which ruled Mexico from 1929 to 2000.

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