Chile court OK’s extradition in 1976 car bombing in US
SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile’s Supreme Court ruled Monday that the government can file an extradition request to the United States for two former secret police agents wanted for a 1976 car bombing in Washington that killed a former Chilean ambassador and a U.S. citizen.
In a unanimous decision, the court said the Foreign Ministry should begin the procedures needed to seek the extradition of U.S. citizen Michael Townley and Chilean Armando Fernandez Larios. They served under Gen. Augusto Pinochet’s 1973-1990 dictatorship.
The decision came after a request by Chilean Judge Mario Carroza, who specializes in human rights crimes.
The attack killed former envoy Orlando Letelier and U.S. citizen Ronni Moffitt. Moffitt’s husband, who was an aide to Letelier, was also in the car but survived the bombing on Sept. 21, 1976.