MINNETONKA, Minn. -- A refugee from El Salvador who has been given sanctuary by a church since 1982 said he tortured prisoners with techniques learned from U.S. Green Berets before coming to the United States.
The refugee, who uses the name Rene Hurtado, told of the torture during an interview last week, The Minneapolis Star and Tribune reported Sunday.
The Rev. Richard Lundy, pastor of St. Luke's Presbyterian Church, said Hurtado, who said he is 26, went through a conversion and now considers himself 'a very dedicated Christian.'
In the interview, Hurtado said he personally tortured prisoners with techniques taught by U.S. Army Green Berets.
He also admitted that he raped a woman on a street, knowing he would not be punished because he was a member of the treasury police, part of the national security forces.
Hurtado said he received a month's training in torture techniques from members of the U.S. Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets, the paper reported.
Hurtado said he applied electric shocks to people he interrogated, tore off their skin with a knife, burned them with cigarettes and stuck needles into them.
The church has promised to fight any effort to deport Hurtado, who said he fled his country in 1981 after becoming disillusioned with the treasury police. He said he must conceal his name to protect his family in El Salvador.
