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Verdict due in Shining Path trial Peru Shining Path head gets life
(about 3 hours later)
A verdict is expected in the retrial of the founder of Peru's bloody guerrilla movement, the Shining Path. The founder of Peru's Shining Path Maoist guerrillas has been found guilty of terrorism at a retrial and been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Former philosophy professor Abimael Guzman faces a life sentence for his role in a 12-year rebellion in which around 70,000 people died. Former philosophy professor Abimael Guzman led a 12-year rebellion in the 1980s which around 70,000 people died.
Abimael Guzman was tried after his capture in 1992 by a secret military court and sentenced to life in prison. Abimael Guzman was tried after his capture in 1992 by a secret military court, but the verdict and life sentence were thrown out in 2003.
That verdict was thrown out in 2003 but correspondents say Mr Guzman is almost certain to be convicted. Guzman's partner Elena Iparraguirre, was also found guilty and given life.
The Shining Path, a Maoist guerrilla group, waged a violent campaign to overthrow the Peruvian state.The Shining Path, a Maoist guerrilla group, waged a violent campaign to overthrow the Peruvian state.
In 2003, a truth and reconciliation commission blamed more than 31,000 killings on the Shining Path.In 2003, a truth and reconciliation commission blamed more than 31,000 killings on the Shining Path.
Mr Guzman's lawyer says his client should be granted an amnesty because of violations against his right to due process. Mr Guzman's lawyer had argued his client should be granted an amnesty because of violations against his right to due process.
A number of other leaders of the guerrilla movement, including Mr Guzman's partner and fellow commander, Elena Iparraguirre, are also on trial.
Horrific massacreHorrific massacre
Mr Guzman is on trial at a high-security naval base where he has been held since 1993. The trial was held at the high-security naval base where Guzman has been held since 1993.
Survivors from a Shining Path massacre in the Andean village of Lucanamarca, where 69 peasants were shot and hacked to death as a reprisal, gathered outside the base to demand maximum sentences fore the defendants. Survivors from a Shining Path massacre in the Andean village of Lucanamarca, where 69 peasants were shot and hacked to death as a reprisal, gathered outside the base to demand maximum sentences for the defendants.
"They killed them with machetes, stones, axes - and for those who did not die in agony in this way, they even put them into a vat of boiling water," Ignacio Tacas, a 35-year-old farmer from the village, told The Associated Press news agency. "They killed them with machetes, stones, axes - and for those who did not die in agony in this way, they even put them into a vat of boiling water," Ignacio Tacas, a 35-year-old farmer from the village, told the Associated Press news agency.
The Shining Path founder said the massacre had been a response to "reactionary military action".The Shining Path founder said the massacre had been a response to "reactionary military action".
At the start of his trial last year, Mr Guzman described himself as a "revolutionary combatant" and not a terrorist. At the start of his trial last year, Guzman described himself as a "revolutionary combatant" and not a terrorist.
Ismael Vera, director of Amnesty International in Peru, said the human rights group hoped for "the severest sentence - a life sentence".