Untitled Document
 |
Gen Pinochet turns 90 on Friday |
A Chilean judge has put former military ruler Augusto Pinochet under
house arrest hours after he was released on bail in another case.
The latest charges centre on the disappearance of dissidents in 1975
in what was known as Operation Colombo.
Gen Pinochet was arrested on Wednesday on charges of tax evasion and passport
fraud related to $27m allegedly hidden in overseas accounts.
More than 3,000 people were killed under Gen Pinochet's 1973-1990 rule.
The defence says it will appeal against the charges.
Gen Pinochet had his legal immunity stripped in the Operation Colombo case
after being found fit to stand trial.
Two earlier human rights cases collapsed after Gen Pinochet - who turns 90
on Friday - was deemed too ill to face prosecution.
Fraud charges
Judge Carlos Cerda ordered Gen Pinochet's detention on Wednesday after investigations
into secret funds being held in Riggs Bank in the US and other accounts abroad.
The judge decided to bring charges after questioning Gen Pinochet several times
earlier this month.
According to Judge Cerda's indictment, Gen Pinochet evaded $2.4m (£1.4m)
in taxes between 1980 and 2004.
He also accused the general of using forged passports and documents to help
open more than 100 bank accounts and misleading officials over his assets.
The bank accounts first came to light in a US Senate investigation last year.
The Chilean authorities later found more overseas accounts.
