Argentina Arrests Astiz on Swedish Extradition Warrant for “Dirty War”

On December 28, 2001, in response to an extradition request from the Swedish Government, the Argentine Government arrested Alfred Astiz, a navy officer accused of murdering a 15-year old Swedish girl in 1977. During the recently departed Fernado de la Rua Administration, Argentine authorities arrested and detained Astiz for a month in connection with the disappearance of three Italians in Argentina. However, the Government released him when it denied Italy’s extradition request. The arrest of Mr. Astiz reflects continued persistence by European countries whose nationals were victims, mostly of murder, during the “dirty war”.