Peru Indian leader on trial for highway massacre

LIMA, Peru (AP) — The leader of Peru’s main indigenous group and 52 others went on trial Wednesday in the killing of a dozen police officers after security forces fired on protesters opposed to plans to open the Amazon to widespread logging and oil drilling.

In all, 22 police officers and 10 civilians were killed in the 2009 bloodletting at a stretch of highway known as Devil’s Curve near the city of Bagua when authorities tried to break up a road blockade. At least 200 protesters were wounded by gunfire in the attack, and some of the police were killed with spears in the resulting clash.