European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 18, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 a the stars and stripes monday november 18, 1991 House task Force ties salvadoran officers to slayings of jesuits by the new York times Washington a an inquiry by a special panel of House democrats into the 1989 killings of six Jesuit priests in Al Salvador has concluded that there is Strong circumstantial evidence to suggest the crime was plotted by senior salvadoran army officers including the current defense minister according to an internal report. A six Page internal memo concludes that Gen. Rene Emilio Ponce now defense minister and then army chief of staff and the other officers planned the attack at a meeting at the salvadoran military Academy the Day before the killings which caused an International outcry and hardened the resistance of Al Salvador s leftist guerrillas to negotiations with the government. The House task Force has previously accused salvadoran army personnel of trying to cover up the involvement of senior officers but the report for the first time names High level officers it asserts were involved. The findings extend responsibility for the killings substantially beyond the two lower level officers found guilty in the affair and raise embarrassing questions for salvadoran government negotiators at the very moment a peace Accord to end the civil War is going into effect. The memo could also threaten the prospects for future american military Aid to san Salvador which is supported by the Bush administration and opposed by Many congressional democrats. The memo is signed by rep. Joe Moak Ley d-mass., chairman of the speaker s special task Force on Al Salvador. Moakley said i Louse speaker Thomas s. Foley d-wash., had appointed a democratic task Force rather than a bipartisan select committee to Avert months of negotiations Over the scope or objectives of the inquiry. In a Telephone interview Ponce denied he had anything to do with the plot and said that he was not even at the Academy that Day. Of Moakley he said a he has the Good intention of wanting to have Justice in our country but unfortunately he has used information that is not confirmed that is administration officials who Monitor Al Salvador said that although they were aware of the allegations that senior officers had met at the military school they had no hard evidence that the meeting had anything to do with the Jesuit killings. A senior administration official who insisted on not being identified said a if someone is serious about the Jesuit Case and had credible evidence about the Case its hard to understand Why they would wait until the second anniversary of the deaths and release that evidence to the Media rather than turn that evidence Over As quickly As possible to the judge in this Case who has proven his commitment to prosecute whoever has been the six priests their housekeeper and her daughter were slain two years ago at a time when the salvadoran military was battling the most serious rebel offensive of the War. After what was billed As an exhaustive investigation and a three Day trial a salvadoran army colonel and lieutenant were convicted on murder charges in september. Seven other soldiers were cleared including four who rescinded confessions that they took part in the killings. Testimony showed that members of the elite Atla Catl in entered the Jesuit run Central american University of san Salvador in the pre Dawn hours of nov 16, ordered the priests to lie face Down and shot them at Point Blank Range. A motive for the slayings has not been definitively established although the priests were hated by salvadoran rightists for having taught Many of the rebel leaders in College and then supposedly for having advised them on political strategy through the War. Storybook flier Babar the elephant makes a trial flight Over new Yorkus Central Park on saturday. The character from children a stories will become the latest addition to this years 65th Macy a thanksgiving Day Parade. Sixty four handlers Are needed to operate the balloon which is More than 50 feet Man arrested for series of Cross burnings Dubuque Iowa apr a burning Cross was found outside a Grade school several hours after a Man was arrested in a series of Cross burnings in this predominately White City. J David Israel Simpson 19, was arrested Friday at his Dubuque Home and charged with Possession of incendiary materials. Later a police officer reported finding a burning Cross in a playground of Lincoln elementary school. Police also discovered a a a Kkt written on the garage of a woman in another part of this City in Northeast Iowa. The incidents coincide with debate Over a City plan to increase the number of Blacks in Dubuque the City a 58,000 people include about 330 Black residents. Minorities make up fewer than 1.5 percent of the population. Simpson was charged in incidents that occurred nov. 10, when five burned crosses were found outside an apartment building. He remained jailed saturday in lieu of $5,000 Bond. A warrant was issued for a second Man in the nov. 10 Cross burnings and he remained at Large police said. State democratic leaders saturday condemned the Cross burnings. They met saturday to discuss possible strategy to elect a democratic governor. John Roehrick chairman of the state democratic party said he expects the legislature to tighten the states Law against hate crimes. The City a constructive integration task Force drafted a plan to encourage 100 minority families to move to Dubuque by 1995. Revisions Are to be discussed s 74, she s 44 a and they re married by i11ll Sullivan the Gadsden Ala times the marriage of Jonathan Lee Davis 14, and Shirley Davis 44, is such a rarity that the Story can he read in the current Issue of the National enquirer. Jonathan Davis said that an Attalla ala., Man saw i ctr marriage License in the Gadsden times and approached them about the Story. He said the Man then sold it to the enquirer Quot it was pretty accurate a he said. The couple also will appear on the Sally Jessy Raphael show on nov. 27. They were flown last week to new York to tape the show. A most of the audience did no to like it a Jonathan Davis said. A everyone was against it except for one person who did not get to talk during the taping. They said it Jonathan Davis who moved to Gadsden two years ago and his wife who was born in Gadsden met for the first time last year when he was 13 years old. At that time he was the Best Friend of her 11-Ycar-old son. The couple said it was love at first sight a when 1 set eyes on him it was like fireworks a Shirley Davis is quoted As saying in the National enquirer. She was divorced and has five Chil Dren ranging in age from 7 to 23. She hired Jonathan Davis As her baby Sitter and spent a lot of time talking with him. After they realized that they were in love and decided to get married they faced Many problems. First the boys parents would not consent to the marriage. Alabama Law says that a 14-year-old can get married Only with a parents permission. The couple did not give up however. Quot i told my Mother that since i was living with her Shirley it did no to matter a Jonathan Davis said. A i said that i would marry her when i am 16, after a while his Mother consented to the marriage but other problems remained. None of the preachers or judges in Gadsden would perform the ceremony. A i did no to give up a the youth said. A we found a judge in Centre who would do it so we sold our 14-Carat Gold bands to pay for Gas to put in my mothers he and his 11-year-old Stepson Are still Best friends but his relationships with his other stepchildren Are different. A Rachel the 7-year-old thinks of me As a daddy a a he said. A the older children done to like me a
