 lori helene berenson (born november 13, 1969) is an american convicted in peru in 1996 of unlawful collaboration with the tÃºpac amaru revolutionary movement (mrta), a group which had tried to overthrow the peruvian government by force and which was and is considered a terrorist organization by the peruvian government. the mrta was designated on the official "terrorist organization" list of the u.s. state department during the years 1997-2001.peru 2010 crime & safety reportmrta: what does it mean today?, leaked diplomatic cable from u.s. embassy in peru on friday may 30, 2008 her arrest and conviction, and the circumstances of her trials, provoked considerable attention in the united states and in peru. after securing press credentials for herself and a photographer, visiting peru's congress to interview some of its members and attend sessions where she took notes and sketched a seating plan, berenson was arrested on a public busguilt, repentance and innocence: lori berenson and her baby might be going back to prison along with the photographer. her photographer turned out to be the wife of a top mrta leader, a fact berenson stated she was unaware of at that time. the mrta is alleged to have intended to use the information to seize lawmakers and exchange the hostages for imprisoned mrta members. the house she rented in lima was found to contain an arsenal of weapons and ammunition, together with armed guerrillas who violently resisted capture. she denied knowing of the presence of the weaponry or guerillas, or that
1969_births American_activists American_people_imprisoned_abroad American_people_imprisoned_on_charges_of_terrorism Internal_conflict_in_Peru Living_people Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology_alumni People_convicted_on_terrorism_charges People_from_New_York_City Trials_in_Peru