Surrender reported of Argentinian rebel

Press, 7 December 1988, Page 10

Surrender reported of Argentinian rebel

NZPA-Reuter

Buenos Aires

The Argentinian army rebel leader, Colonel Mohamed Ali Seineldin, surrendered to the authorities last evening, said the independent local news agency, Diarios y Noticias. It quoted a rebel officer as saying that Seineldin relinquished command of the Villa Martelli base, where he had set up his stronghold, to General Isidro Caceres.

Major Reinaldo Abete, commanding a rebel garrison at Mercedes, 100 km west of the capital, had also given himself up, the rebel officer told the agency.

A coastguard communique said commandoes of the Albatross squadron, who disappeared from their barracks on Thursday after tying up and beating their commanders, were placed under arrest at Campo de Mayo, the country’s biggest military base. The 53 commandoes’ whereabouts was a mystery for 24 hours until they turned up among Seineldin’s rebels, who moved from Campo de Mayo to Villa Martelli on Saturday.

The Defence Ministry had said earlier yesterday that Seineldin was about to be

arrested and transferred from Villa Martelli.

He and about 500 rebel soldiers at the munitions base 10km from the centre of Buenos Aires agreed on Monday to lay down their arms. But they remained at the stronghold for more than 24 hours.

President Raul Alfonsin said the Government had made no concessions to obtain Seineldin’s surrender.

The 54-year-old colonel said yesterday he had not left the base because he was awaiting signs that the Army High Command was keeping its side of a deal that included the removal of the Chief of Staff, General Jose Dante Caridi. Military sources said that Seineldin would be the only officer involved in the four-day mutiny who would be punished and that he would face court martial.

Monday’s agreement was reached after thousands of loyalist troops, tanks and artillery encircled the base. The two sides did not exchange fire but two civilians and a policeman were killed and about 25 people injured when angry demonstrators protesting against the mutiny tried to enter the rebel stronghold, hurling stones and petrol bombs.