Honduras Paramilitary Kill Hundreds
Paramilitary squads of private police and soldiers have executed hundreds of Honduran youth gang members, reported Ricardo Diaz, chief of the Children´s Death Investigation Center of the Security Office.

At the end of 2005 we have documented 190 cases of assassinations of young people under 23 years of age, asserted the official in his press conference.

"We know that 23 murders were committed unofficially by police, 83 by criminals and 83 by private persons or groups," he reported.

"Our department is now investigating another 980 deaths of young gang members," Diaz added.

About 70 people have been arrested on suspicion of these acts and 18 have already been sentenced for these crimes.

The corpses of the victims are frequently found hidden behind bushes or in slums in major Honduran cities, with their hands tied, signs of torture and shot in their heads, foreheads or backs of their necks.

Official data shows there are almost 40,000 gang members in the dangerous rivals Mara Salvatrucha and "18".