News In Brief
| San Salvador
Clergyman allowed to leave Salvador despite aid to rebels
A Baptist minister, the Rev. Tomas Castro Garcia, confessed to aiding a leftist guerrilla group before being freed Tuesday night after 48 hours under arrest, authorities said. He had been given large sums of money to buy food and medicine, which he delivered to Guazapa Volcano, a guerrilla stronghold 20 miles north of the capital.
The Rev. Castro Garcia was released on ''humanitarian'' grounds and allowed to leave the country, the national police said Wednesday. They said he signed the confession in front of representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, the International Red Cross, and a Swedish official. The minister left for Mexico Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Army has launched two big sweeps against leftist guerrilla strongholds and rebels have responded with hit-and-run attacks, military sources said Thursday. More than 5,000 government troops are involved.
