Church in Peru to Get ‘Intimate’ Spy Chief Tapes

The Roman Catholic Church in Peru said Tuesday that it would take temporary custody of dozens of “intimate” videos secretly taped by then-spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos and reportedly used to blackmail top military brass.

Courts investigating cash-for-favors and political dirty deals between the fugitive Montesinos and Peru’s establishment--displayed in more than 700 videos--will hand over to bishops tapes that are considered personal and outside the scope of criminal inquiry.

“The videos are of an intimate nature. We have no more details,” a spokeswoman for Peru’s Bishops Conference said. The tapes will later be given to the people seen in the videos--if they want them.

Political analysts said the mediation role being played by the church, which is widely trusted in this Roman Catholic nation, is intended to ensure that privacy rights are respected and that the videos will not be used for further extortion efforts.

The El Correo newspaper reported Tuesday that the videos include tapes of orgies between top military bosses and prostitutes at a well-known brothel in Lima, the capital.