WORLD : Ceausescu’s Bodyguards Freed
Nicolae Ceausescu’s bodyguards walked free today after they told a military court they had simply obeyed orders when they helped the executed Romanian dictator in his abortive bid to flee last December’s uprising.
The four senior officers of the dreaded secret police rushed the fugitive Stalinist leader and his wife, Elena, to the roof of the Communist Party headquarters Dec. 22, where they fled in a helicopter to escape crowds baying for their blood.
The couple were captured and shot by firing squad Dec. 25 after a military trial, which was later shown on television.
The bodyguards were arrested on charges of undermining the economy, destroying public property and undermining state power.
But they were acquitted by a military tribunal today after pleading that they had only been doing their duty.
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