The following information on the kidnapping and murder of Irma de Torres is additional to that already found in SLV39690.E of 12 September 2002.

TV Doce reported on 6 February 2001 that the alleged kidnappers and killers of Irma de Torres had been detained on Monday, 5 February 2001 by police.

On 13 September 2001, the San Salvador-based daily El Diario de Hoy reported that the hearing of Carlos Antonio Cárcamo Sibrián charged with the kidnapping of Iván Henríquez Cruz (alias "El Sapo") had been suspended on 12 September 2001 and was to resume on the morning of 13 September 2001. Both Cárcamo Sibrián and Henríquez Cruz were implicated in the kidnapping and murder of Irma de Torres (El Diario de Hoy 13 Sept. 2001). Please note that other sources cited elsewhere in this Response refer to Iván Enrique Cruz Cañada and Iván Cruz Cañada. The judicial proceedings were suspended after three witnesses had testified, including the wife of Henríquez Cruz (ibid.). Cárcamo Sibrián was being prosecuted for the kidnapping, injury and aggravated robbery of Henríquez Cruz, which took place on 10 July 2000 in the San Isidro area of Conacaste canton, Coatepeque (ibid.). According to evidence provided by the Forensic Institute of the Judicial Centre (Instituto de Medicina Legal del Centro Judicial), Henríquez Cruz had sustained burns on his arms and other parts of his body (ibid.); apparently, Henríquez Cruz was attacked because he did not want to share the ransom money obtained in connection with the kidnapping of Irma de Torres (ibid.).

Prensa Gráfica reported on 10 December 2001 that Cárcamo Sibrián was killed when he and other prisoners of the Chalatenango prison attempted to escape. Cárcamo Sibrián had been serving a 20-year sentence for the kidnapping of Iván Enrique Cruz Cañada (spelled above as Henríquez Cruz) and was being investigated for his alleged participation in the kidnapping of Irma de Torres (Prensa Gráfica 10 Dec. 2001). According to the Prensa Gráfica, Cárcamo Sibrián belonged to a kidnapping gang known as "El Sapo" (ibid.).

On 13 December 2001, El Mundo reported that the 8th Arraignment Court (Juzgado Octavo de Instrucción) had received evidence against five accused in the case of Irma de Torres. Evidence included that of a witness presented by the Attorney General whose testimony would define the degree of participation of each of the accused (El Mundo 13 Dec. 2001). The principal accused is Iván Cruz Cañada (a.k.a.) "El Sapo" (ibid). The Second Criminal Chamber (Cámara Segunda de lo Penal) ordered that the period of legal proceedings be extended and set a date of 8 February 2002 for the preliminary hearing (ibid.).

On 30 January 2002, El Mundo reported that the Attorney General's Office (Fiscalía General) called for Iván Cruz Cañada to be tried for the kidnappings of Irma Polanco de Torres and Antonio Ferracutis. The Public Ministry asked that the 8th Arraignment Court open the trial (auto de apertura) (ibid.). This court was set to hear the preliminary hearing on 8 February 2002 (ibid.).

No additional information on the Irma de Torres court case could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

El Diario de Hoy [San Salvador]. 13 September 2001. "Suspenden vista pública caso "El Supo." http://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/2001/9/13/ELPAIS/elpais5.html [Accessed 21 Oct. 2002]

El Mundo [Madrid]. 30 January 2002. "Piden juicio contra secuestradores de Irma de Torres. " http://www.csj.gob.sv/histcom.nsf/95b1f9837f01344b06256a00006689a4/7e6ff5880dda8fe706256b5200627e78?OpenDocument [Accessed 18 Oct. 2002]

_____. 13 December 2001. "El Salvador: Fiscalía achivó casos de corrupción con diesel." http://www.biblioteca.uade.edu.ar/BEAAAF/Boletin%20Anti-Corrupcion%20(10-16%20Dic.%20del%202001).htm [Accessed 21 Oct. 2002]

Prensa Gráfica [San Salvador]. 10 Dec. 2001. "El que a plomo mata a plomo muere." http://archive.laprensa.com.sv/20011210/nacionales/nac2.asp [Accessed 21 Oct. 2002]

TV Doce. 6 Febrary 2001. "La policia detuvo este lunes a los presuntos implicados en el secuestro..." http://www.tvdoce.com.sv/notfeb_01.htm [Accessed 21 Oct. 2002]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2001. 2002

IRB Databases

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 2000-2002

LEXIS/NEXIS

World News Connection (WNC)

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International

Human Rights Watch

Proceso

Search engines:

Alltheweb.com

Google