According to several sources, a top secret report alleged that the CIA covered-up the downing of a 2001 missionary plane in Peru.Veronica Bowers and her 7-month-old daughter were killed after their plane was shot down by a Peruvian air force jet. The missionaries' plane was first spotted by a U.S. reconnaissance flight who claimed to have tried to stop the Peruvian jet from shooting down Bowers’ plane. Peruvian officials disputed that version and insisted that the Bowers’ plane accidently flew into Peruvian air space from Brazil. Both governments were contradicted by the Bowers’ missionary church who said that the plane was shot down despite being in constant contact with Peruvian air traffic control.
U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra released a report by the CIA inspector general that alleges of a massive cover-up. According to the report, CIA officials possibly lied to Congress and withheld information to the Justice Department over what really happened in the Bowers incident.
Hoekstra was chair of the House Intelligence Committee during the investigation of the tragedy though he now believes that the CIA deliberately misled him:
"What's most disturbing is what led up to the Bowers incident," Hoekstra told reporters. "If there had been accountability in the program, if there had been respect for procedures and adherence to the law, the Bowers (family) never would have been shot down.Image- New York Times
"It was the senseless killing of a family, done by an agency that wasn't following the rules."
Sources- New York Times, CNN, BBC News, MSNBC, Fox News, mlive.com
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