El Salvador Finds Missiles in Cache of Guerrilla Weapons

SAN SALVADOR —  El Salvador’s armed forces said Thursday that they had found six ground-to-air missiles in a guerrilla arms cache here, the first time such weapons have been found in the capital.

The cache, in a tire workshop in the southern part of the city, contained three Soviet-designed SAM-14s, one SAM-7 and two U.S.-designed Redeye missiles, a military spokesman said.

Three people were arrested in connection with the cache, which also contained more than 40 rifles, thousands of bullets, and 20 rocket-propelled grenades.

Military analysts say that anti-aircraft missiles are an important part of the armory of Marxist-led Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front rebels. The guerrillas have downed two military planes and a helicopter since November last year with SAM-14 missiles, forcing the armed forces to cut back air support, air evacuation and air resupply of their troops.

Representatives of the FMLN and the government of President Alfredo Cristiani have been talking peace for 16 months under United Nations sponsorship, but the talks are deadlocked at present, with no date having been set for the next round of negotiations.