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4 Jailed Cops Killed in Guatemala Prison

D'Aubuisson and the other politicians represented El Salvador at the Central American Parliament, which has 132 members from five Central American nations. They were also members of El Salvador's ruling party, the Nationalist Republican Alliance.

D'Aubuisson's late father allegedly founded death squads responsible for the kidnapping, torture and killings of tens of thousands of civilians during El Salvador's 1980-1992 civil war.


Morgue workers inspect the bodies of four police officers killed late Sunday in a prison, at Cuilapa's morgue, near Guatemala City, Monday, Feb. 26, 2007. The four police officers, who were imprisoned allegedly accused of the murder of three Salvadorean politicians, where shot and stabbed to dead by unknown assailants inside the maxim security prison. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Morgue workers inspect the bodies of four police officers killed late Sunday in a prison, at Cuilapa's morgue, near Guatemala City, Monday, Feb. 26, 2007. The four police officers, who were imprisoned allegedly accused of the murder of three Salvadorean politicians, where shot and stabbed to dead by unknown assailants inside the maxim security prison. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) (Rodrigo Abd - AP)

Sunday's killings raised more questions about who was behind the murders of the Salvadoran lawmakers. Salvadoran police told reporters the officers _ who were linked to the slayings through a satellite transponder in their car _ had confessed. But Guatemalan prosecutors said they had refused to speak.

El Salvador's police chief, Rodrigo Avila, said someone wanted to "shut these guys up so that they do not implicate" anyone else.

He said Guatemalan officials told him the men were able to get into the prison because they were dressed as guards.

Salvadoran Public Security Minister Rene Figueroa said the killings "demonstrated that organized crime has infiltrated the highest levels of the National Civil Police in Guatemala."

A mother of an inmate told The Associated Press that her daughter-in-law was visiting the prison Sunday when guards forced her and other visitors out.

"They told them to get out because there was going to be a search, and they starting pushing everyone," the woman said outside the prison, declining to give her name for fear of reprisal attacks. "Once (the visitors) were outside, they saw armed men enter the jail. Then, everyone outside heard gunshots."

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Associated Press writer Marcos Aleman contributed to this story from San Salvador, El Salvador.


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© 2007 The Associated Press