On Monday Peru’s Interior Minister Daniel Lozada, and Chief of Police Raul Salazar confirmed the capture of Marino Tapullima - also known as ‘Comrade Dante’ or ‘Comrade Kike’ – a high-ranking member of the Shining Path terrorist group.

Tapullima was captured on January 7 in Cuñumbuza in the province of San Martin.

According to Peru21 Tapullima was close to Shining Path leader Jose Flores Hala, aka ‘Comrade Artemio’.

Salazar said Tapullima was a leader of the terrorist group in the Upper Huallaga region, and was a member of Artemio’s personal security team.

Police sources said Tapullima went to Cuñumbuza to indoctrinate young men and persuade them to join the Shining Path’s ranks.

Tapullima is suspected of having participated in several ambushes such as the November 26, 2006 attack in Pumahuasi where four offices were killed, and the April 27, 2010 attack in Aucayacu where two civilians and a police officer was killed.

 

 

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