Peru releases convicted terrorists for Christmas

The Peruvian courts this week granted temporary releases to two foreign-born convicted terrorists so that they can travel to their native countries for the Christmas holidays.

The latest person to be given permission to fly home to her native Chile was Lautaro Mellado, who was convicted for being a member of the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, Justice Minister Juan Jiménez said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, American Lori Berenson arrived in New York with her two-year-old son. Berenson's case drew international coverage after she was arrested and sent to prison for 15 years for also helping the Tupac Amaru movement. She was paroled last year and under Peruvian law she must return to continue to serve the rest of her term under house arrest unless President Ollanta Humala commutes her sentence. Her father, Mark Berenson told the Associated Press that his daughter has every intention of returning.

Another convicted terrorist, Nancy Gilvonio, has also applied for permission to spend the holidays in her native France, the justice minister said.

Also in Peru, a lawmaker said that some 14 common graves have been found near the city of Ayacucho, in the southeast, containing remains of alleged victims of terrorism who were buried there in the 1980s.

Alberto Beingolea said the common grave contains remains of more than 100 bodies who may have all been victims of the Shining Path guerrillas.