Top Bolivian official deals blow to hopes for Dwyer probe
Saturday October 17 2009
HOPES for an independent inquiry into the killing of an Irishman in Bolivia last April were dealt a blow last night when a local investigator said his government was not "obliged" to co-operate.
The Bolivian official also sparked new controversy by claiming that Michael Dwyer (24) and two others travelled to the South American country to "cause terror and blow up bombs".
Mr Dwyer's family have made several calls for an independent, international investigation into the shooting dead of the Tipperary man and two others in Santa Cruz on April 16. There was growing optimism about such a move after Tuesday's inquest in Dublin, when Bolivia's UK ambassador said her government might co-operate.
Dismissed
However, the head of an internal probe into the shootings yesterday dismissed such speculation, saying the Bolivian government was not obliged to investigate.
"These people didn't come here as tourists, they came here to cause terror," said Cesar Navarro, head of a government probe into the killings. The Department of Foreign Affairs said that it is studying the outcome of Tuesday's inquest before deciding how to proceed.
It found that Mr Dwyer died from a single gunshot to the heart rather than in a hail of bullets, as alleged by the Bolivian police who say the shootings were carried out in self-defence.
- Conor Kane and Jeff Farrell
Irish Independent
