Nazi spies planned bombings in Chile, archives reveal

Chilean police released archive documents on Thursday relating to its investigation during World War Two that uncovered how Nazi supporters in the country aided the Third Reich, including by supplying information and plans to bomb mines in Chile and destroy the Panama Canal.

According to the 1937-1944 files released by Chile's investigations police, the force's counterintelligence unit arrested about 40 people as a result of their investigation, and found code books, radios and weapons, as well as plans to bomb mines in northern Chile. No other details on the plot were provided.

There was significant support within Chile and Argentina of the Axis powers during World War Two. After the war ended, many leading Nazi officials fled justice in Europe to hide out in South America.

The head of Chile's investigations police said the Department 50 unit also dismantled two Nazi espionage networks operating in Chile at the time.

Young members of families of German descent in southern Chile underwent paramilitary training in the South American state, while Nazi supporters in the country routinely sent Germany information about the routes of Allied merchant vessels, the documents showed.

The discovery comes the same week that a cache of Nazi artefacts was found hidden behind a bookcase in Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital.

The 80 files of documents were officially handed over to the country's national archives office in the Chilean capital on Thursday and will be available for public viewing.

The director of Chile's National Archives, Emma de Ramon, said that the documents , which can also be accessed online, are "original" and "reliable."

"Until yesterday, this was a state secret," centre-left lawmaker Gabriel Silber said after a ceremony to hand over the files. "Maybe, from today, we are going to recognise an uncomfortable truth that unfortunately some political and business figures in Chile supported the Nazis."