13 67. According to the official version, all fourteen MRTA members died in the battle. There are, however, other versions of the way in which Eduardo Nicolás Cruz Sánchez, Herma Luz Meléndez Cueva and Víctor Salomón Peceros Pedraza were killed. 68. According to the official version concerning Herma Luz Meléndez Cueva and Víctor Salomón Peceros Pedraza, they were killed by gunfire when armed MRTA members approached the 39 hostage evacuation area carrying firearms. Alternative versions, however, were provided by some of the members of the group in charge of the individual or individuals and the circumstances in which the shots 40 were fired. 69. One of the hostages, Hidetaka Ogura, former First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Lima, stated that while he was being evacuated together with other hostages, he saw that Two members of the MRTA were surrounded by soldiers, a woman called “Cynthia” and a man [he] could not recognize because he was short and was surrounded by tall soldiers. Before descending the portable staircase, [he] heard “Cynthia” yelling something like: “Don’t kill him” or “Don’t kill 41 me.” 70. The following day, these two individuals were found lying half a meter apart with multiple projectile wounds on the second floor of the residence in the room marked “I.” 71. According to the report of the identification and removal of the bodies on April 23, 1997, by the Special Military Judge and the Military Prosecutor, NN09, later identified as Víctor Salomón Peceros Pedraza, presented “three perforations on the right side of the abdomen, another two bullet 42 wounds on the right side of the face, and three perforations to the head.” NN10, later identified as Herma Meléndez Cueva and found half a meter from the former, presented “six perforations by bullet 43 44 …(and one) bullet wound under the left eye.” Both were found on the second floor of the residence in the area identified as Section I, which was under the responsibility of Team 8 of the DELTA Assault 45 Element during the operation. 39 Reconstruction of the Events in the Replica of the Residence of the Ambassador of Japan created by the Investigative Office [Vocalía de Instrucción] of the Supreme Council of Military Justice, June 3, 2003; documents submitted during the public hearing. 40 Huaracaya Lovón stated that commandos Paz Ramos and Alvarado Díaz killed the MRTA members; Paz Ramos stated that he had not fired a single shot, and Becerra Noblecilla stated that Huaracaya Lovón, Alvarado Díaz and Becerra Noblecilla were the ones who fired. See also, Appendix 3, Non-certified copy of the order to initiate proceedings of June 11, 2002, appendix to the State’s communication of August 5, 2008 and February 6, 2009 and appendix to the representatives’ communication of April 22, 2008. Appendix to the State’s communication of 1º December 2003, appendix submitted at the public hearing. 41 Appendix 5, Letter dated August 20, 2001 from Hidetaka Ogura to the Judiciary of Peru, appendix to the representatives’ communication of April 22, 2008. Testimony given at the public hearing before the IACHR on February 28, 2005. 42 Appendix 6, Report of the identification and removal of the corpses of the criminal terrorists belonging to the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement found in the Residence of the Ambassador of Japan, appendix to the representatives’ communication of April 22, 2008, submitted at the public hearing. 43 Appendix 6, Report of the identification and removal of the corpses of the criminal terrorists belonging to the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement found in the Residence of the Ambassador of Japan, appendix to the representatives’ communication of April 22, 2008, submitted at the public hearing. 44 Appendix 6, Report of the identification and removal of the corpses of the criminal terrorists belonging to the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement found in the Residence of the Ambassador of Japan, appendix to the representatives’ communication of April 22, 2008, submitted at the public hearing. 45 Appendix 1, TRC, 2.66. EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS IN THE RESIDENCE OF THE AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN (1997), TRC, http://www.cverdad.org.pe/ifinal/pdf/TOMO%20VII/Casos%20Ilustrativos-UIE/2.66.%20%20ENABJADA%20JAPON.pdf. Team 8 of the DELTA Assault Element was commanded by Capt. E.P. Raúl Huarcaya Lovón and made up of Captains Walter Becerra Noblecilla and Jorge Félix Díaz, Lieutenants Juan Moral Rojas, Tomás César Rojas Villanueva, and Manuel Antonio Paz Ramos, SO3 José Alvarado Días, and two naval officers. See also, Appendix 3, Non-certified copy of the order to initiate proceedings of June 11, 2002, appendix to the State’s communication of August 5, 2008 and February 6, 2009 and appendix to the representatives’ communication of April 22, 2008. Appendix to the State’s communication of December 1, 2003, appendix submitted at the public hearing.