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Revolution file: 1,425 people detained for terrorism suspicion, released
In the armed action against the revolutionaries, ordered by Nicolae Ceausescu between 16 and 22 December 1989, no persons from abroad were involved, the repression having been exercised by all the military structures of Romania, namely the Ministry of the Interior - the Securitate [the communist-era secret police, ed.n.] State Department (MI-DSS) and the Ministry of National Defense (MApN), reads the indictment drawn up by the military prosecutors in the "Revolution" file.
According to the indictment, the evidence gathered by prosecutors show that between 16 and 22 December 1989, until noon, the total number of deaths was 153, 831 people were registered wounded and 890 revolutionaries were detained / imprisoned.
"The armed repression exerted between 16 and 22 December 1989 against the masses of revolutionaries was carried out by all the military structures of Romania (MI-DSS, MApN). The repression was coordinated by president Nicolae Ceausescu (supreme commander of the armed forces), through the commanders in MI-DSS and MApN. Directly involved were all MI-DSS and MApN military chiefs. Consequently, responsible for the repression of the revolutionaries from 16 to 22 December 1989 are former president Nicolae Ceausescu and the commanders in the MApN and the MI-DSS," reads the indictment.
Prosecutors say that in the repression exerted by troops by 22 December, 1989, no people from abroad were involved, and the foreigners who were detained after that date, suspected of committing acts of terrorism, were released because the suspicions did not prove true.
"In the period after the revolutionary events, in the public space there were speculations that for the repression exerted until 22 December, 1989, people from outside the country were used (especially from the Arab area, given the very good relations between Nicolae Ceausescu and the Arab leaders). However, the analysis of the whole evidence report did not reveal any clear clues as to the involvement of such elements in the repression. After 22 December, foreigners suspected of terrorist deeds were detained, but without exception the suspicions did not come true and these people were released," say the investigators.
Prosecutors also say that in December 1989, in the context of the spread of a terrorism psychosis, 1,425 people were detained on suspicion of being Securitate terrorists, of whom 25 were foreign citizens.
According to the investigation of the military prosecutors, all the detainees were released because it could not be proven that they actually did terrorist deeds.
In this case, former president Ion Iliescu was sent to court by military prosecutors for committing crimes against humanity. Also sent to court were Gelu Voican Voiculescu, former deputy prime minister, and retired general Iosif Rus, former head of the Military Aviation.