Ben Linder

Benjamin Ernest Linder (July 7, 1959 – April 28, 1987), was an American engineer. While working on a small hydroelectric dam in rural northern Nicaragua, Linder was killed with two of his colleagues by the Contras, a loose confederation of rebel groups funded by the U.S. government.

The autopsy report stated that Linder had gunshot wounds to the back of the legs (indicating he had his back to the killers), while on the ground he suffered multiple wounds to his face (the coroner noted as from an ice pick) and died from a close range gunshot to the head. The other two men were also executed in the same way. It is unknown if they were similarly tortured first. There was no mention in Linder’s autopsy report of grenade fragments.

Coming at a time when U.S. support for the Contras was already highly controversial, Linder's death made front-page headlines around the world and further polarized opinion in the United States. Provided by Wikipedia