Arrests only on the basis of evidence
Some of the accused in the November 17 case claim they were arrested out of personal vengeance. Such claims cannot be taken seriously and they convince no one. We arrested people on the basis of evidence we had collected and with no other criterion. We did not act on the basis of «usual suspects.» Our investigation was carried out with the utmost respect for the Constitution, democratic legality and our legal culture, monitored by distinguished judicial officials. You will allow me to refer to a personal example: It was reported in the press that at the November 17 trial, a witness testified that I had a personal dislike for a particular defendant because I was supposedly involved in the investigation of a crime for which he had been charged in 1977. I say in good faith that not only was I not involved in that investigation, but that at that time and until 1984 I was serving in the gendarmerie, not with the urban police who were in charge of the case. I would like to believe that at least this particular claim is due to misinformation, as I can imagine no other motive.
