Forensic experts say remains not of missing Mexican students

Mexico City, Nov 12 (IANS/EFE) The Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAFF), conducting an independent investigation into the disappearance of the 43 students in Mexico, has conveyed that so far no correspondence has been found between the human remains analysed and the missing students.

EAAF said in a statement that Oct 5 onwards, in agreement with the missing students' families and at the request of state and national civil society organisations, it has been acting as an independent expert in the case.

The statement clarifies that EAAF professionals have been appointed as experts in the corresponding preliminary investigation and have access to the examination of relevant evidence and will issue their own conclusions.

This is EAFF's first official statement in the case of the 43 students who went missing on the night of Sep 26.

EAAF experts exhumed two of the 30 remains recovered from Cerro Viejo/Pueblo Viejo in Iguala, Guerrero, and conducted forensic examination on all of them.

EAAF reported that genetic results obtained from the laboratory, the Bode Technology Group in the US, on 24 of the 30 remains, do not show biological relationship with the 43 missing.

Work is being continued on the remaining six and results are expected shortly.

They also exhumed one of the nine remains recovered by the prosecution in the town of La Parota/Cerro de Lomas de Zapatero, Iguala, and have been authorised by the national prosecutor to conduct forensic tests on it.

They have also been involved in moving the human remains and their evidence found in a trash can and on the shore of the Rio San Juan in Cocula, Guerrero.

So far, no identifications have been made from the remains recovered from the three towns, said the Argentine team, adding that it would continue its efforts in the investigation process.

--IANS/EFE

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