El Salvador: Current information on the Black Shadow death squad (follow-up to SLV28410.E of 4 December 1997, SLV26542.E of 18 April 1997 and others)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 January 1999 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SLV30800.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, El Salvador: Current information on the Black Shadow death squad (follow-up to SLV28410.E of 4 December 1997, SLV26542.E of 18 April 1997 and others), 1 January 1999, SLV30800.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abc588.html [accessed 17 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
No published information on current (1998-Jan. 1999) activities of the Black Shadow (Sombra Negra) death squad could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Among sources consulted, the last published reference to the Black Shadow was found in a June 1997 news article reporting the dropping of charges and release of a group of 16 alleged members of the death squad, "accused of killing about 20 presumed street criminals in 1994 in the city of San Miguel (Reuters 4 June 1997). Although the article refers to a "recent wave of vigilante killings," no reference from that time to a killing attributed to the Black Shadow could be found among the sources consulted.
The information that follows was provided by the Legal Watch Office of the Archbishop (Tutela Legal del Arzobispado) in San Salvador during an 11 January 1999 telephone interview.
The Black Shadow was never known to be dismantled, and it is suspected that the same group continues to exist but without identifying itself or claiming responsibility for actions. A group of alleged members of the Black Shadow death squad, which killed members or suspected members of street gangs in El Salvador, was captured a few years ago, and their judicial process concluded in 1997 with the release of all suspects. Those arrested were regarded as low-ranking members of the group.
Since then, killings of street gang members bearing the traditional marks of death squads have occurred occasionally. However, the authors of the killings do not identify themselves and no group claims responsibility, probably for safety reasons.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Reuters. 4 June 1997. "In El Salvador, Death Squads Again Draw Fire." (NEXIS)
Tutela Legal del Arzobispado, San Salvador. 11 January 1999. Telephone interview with representative.
Additional Sources Consulted
Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.]. Jan.-Dec. 1998
Central America Report [Guatemala City]. Jan.-Dec. 1998.
Latinamerica Press [Lima]. Jan.-Dec. 1998.
Latin American Regional Reports: Central America & the Caribbean [London]. Jan.-Dec. 1998.
News from Americas Watch [New York]. Monthly.
Electronic Sources: IRB Databases, Global NewsBank, Internet, Refworld (UNHCR Database), WNC.
Note:
This list is not exhaustive. Country-specific books available in the Resource Centre are not included.
