CIA releases report on 2001 plane shootdown over Peru

Agency admits fault in the incident that left an American missionary and her infant daughter dead

Published November 1, 2010 10:34PM (EDT)

The CIA has released its investigation into the agency's role in Peru's 2001 shootdown of a plane carrying two innocent Americans.

CIA Director Leon Panetta says 16 retired and current officers have received administrative punishments over the incident, in which American missionary Veronica Bowers and her infant daughter were killed.

The report concludes that the Peruvian military ignored CIA objections before shooting at the aircraft, but adds that "mistakes were made by the agency."

Michigan Rep. Pete Hoekstra, who is the senior Republican on the House Intelligence committee, praised Panetta for taking the action, to give the families of the dead some peace, but expressed frustration at the mild punishments.


By Kimberly Dozier

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Cia Latin America