Podlech in Italy: "I am not responsible for the disappearance of Omar Venturelli"

ROME.- Former military judge Alfonso Podlech, accused of the disappearance of the Italian-Chilean priest Omar Venturelli shortly following the coup of Augusto Pinochet in 1973, denied all responsibility for the incident today in Rome.

"I am not responsible for the disappearance of Omar Venturelli: in that time period I was not a military judge, I assumed that position later on”, stated Podlech during an examination today at the Roman Palace of Justice.

Podlech appeared in the court of justice today escorted by 5 police penitentiary agents. 

Podlech’s arraignment hearing was carried out in front of the judge of preliminary investigations Sante Spinaci and assistant public prosecutor Giancarlo Capaldo.

The former military judge of Chile was extradited yesterday from Spain to Italy, after having been arrested on July 26 at the Madrid airport where he was attempting to take a flight to Prague.