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LIMA: A retired general on Wednesday accused Alberto Fujimori of leading the Colina Group death squad, during the former president's trial for 25 murders committed by that group in 1991 and 1992.
Rodolfo Robles also told the court he feels under threat after noticing that two cars have been following his eight-year-old grandson since he began testifying at Fujimori's trial a few days ago.
"It's not right that they should use these intimidation tactics and threaten the life of my grandson to keep me from talking," Rojas told the judge on television.
Chief prosecutor Jose Pelaez, who is seeking a 30-year sentence for Fujimori, asked the court to provide the witness police protection, after Robles said the people shadowing him were Fujimori followers angered by his testimony.
During Wednesday's hearing, Robles said the Colina Group was formed during Fuimori's tenure (1990-2000) to express "the hidden power of state terrorism in response to the terrorist actions of the Maoist Shining Path group."
Fujimori has denied waging a "dirty war" against insurgents during his rule and heading the Colina Group.
Robles in 1993 publicly denounced Fujimori and his intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos for masterminding the death squad, for which he was cashiered from the army and forced into exile in Argentina.
Robles said the Peruvian army was not implicated in the Colina Group and that its top ranks were unaware it existed because it operated in secret.
"The army repudiates the actions of that cowardly group," Robles said.
Fujimori, 69, was seen dozing off at times during the general's testimony.
Prosecutors are trying to prove Fujimori was part of the chain of command that ordered atrocities during his rule.
His trial for his alleged role behind the Colina Group's murder of 15 people in 1991 and nine university students and a professor in 1992 began in December.
The son of Japanese immigrants, Fujimori fled to Japan after his ouster in 2000, and was extradited in September from Chile to Peru. - AFP/ac
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