Mystery man raises Peru hostage fears

Fears of a violent end to the Peruvian hostage drama rose yesterday after an armed man was seen slipping towards the building in the dark and two gunshots were heard.

Police and military officers denied that the man, who appeared to be wearing combat gear and carrying an automatic rifle, was one of their commandos.

If not, he could have been one of the 20 Tupac Amaru guerrillas, holding 74 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence, going back in. The only other possibility was that a Tupac Amaru guerrilla from outside had slipped through police lines to join his comrades, security experts said. Phil Davison - Lima