Argentines Deny Paper’s Story of Plot to Kill Bush
A newspaper reported today that police uncovered a plot to kill President Bush during his visit here next week, but government officials said the report was unfounded.
“There is no confirmation of supposed plans to assassinate President Bush,” Interior Minister Julio Mera Figueroa said. The U.S. Embassy refused to comment on the report by the sensationalist daily tabloid, Diario Popular.
Police arrested a Bolivian on suspicion of membership in a terrorist group. But the judge in charge of the case, Alberto Duran, said, “There is no evidence of a plan against the life of Mr. Bush.”
The Bolivian was identified as Carlos Anibal Monzon Novena, 41.
Diario Popular claimed that Monzon Novena was the leader of a group called the Union of Revolutionary Workers that planned to attack Bush during his 22-hour visit in Argentina on Dec. 5-6.
The paper reported that Monzon Novena was imprisoned from 1977 to 1983 during the military dictatorship for alleged guerrilla activities and that his group is a spinoff from the Revolutionary Army of the People that tried to overthrow Argentina’s governments.
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