SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Former Chilean ruler Augusto Pinochet and ex-secret police chief Manuel Contreras traded blame for the disappearance of 119 dissidents in 1975, a report said.
On the order of the judge hearing the case, Pinochet and Contreras met Friday in the judge's presence at a Santiago military club to discuss their differing accounts of whether Pinochet controlled the secret police force known as the Dina, the BBC reported.
Pinochet and Contreras -- once the most feared man in Chile as head of the Dina -- are accused in the dissidents' disappearance in what became known as Operation Colombo.
When asked about Operation Colombo, Pinochet said he did not remember anything about it. The former Chilean ruler also accused Contreras of plotting to take over the country and said he fired Contreras.
Contreras' lawyer said the claims were unfounded.
Pinochet's military government ruled Chile for 17 years until 1990. During that time, more than 3,000 political opponents were killed.
