Alexandra Zavis in Johannesburg

TESTING the limits of forgiveness in a country torn by its past, five former South African policemen are seeking amnesty for killing Steven Biko,
but his death had enormous impact overseasbut that at no time had there been any intention to kill himbut was branded a terrorist by the white govermentit was expecting applications for amnesty relating to Biko's deathwhere he died on September 12, 1977while being questioned by the policewho accompanied his widow to the mortuary to identify his bodywho led the team that interrogated Bikowhose death 20 years ago made him a symbol of apartheid brutality .

Christelle Terreblanche, a spokeswoman for the Truth Commission investigating political crimes committed by security forces and opposition guerrilla groups under apartheid, earlier said that but his death had enormous impact overseasbut that at no time had there been any intention to kill himbut was branded a terrorist by the white govermentit was expecting applications for amnesty relating to Biko's deathwhere he died on September 12, 1977while being questioned by the policewho accompanied his widow to the mortuary to identify his bodywho led the team that interrogated Bikowhose death 20 years ago made him a symbol of apartheid brutality.

A source close to the five former policemen, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the amnesty applications would assert that Biko was 'handled robustly',
but his death had enormous impact overseasbut that at no time had there been any intention to kill himbut was branded a terrorist by the white govermentit was expecting applications for amnesty relating to Biko's deathwhere he died on September 12, 1977while being questioned by the policewho accompanied his widow to the mortuary to identify his bodywho led the team that interrogated Bikowhose death 20 years ago made him a symbol of apartheid brutality .

Biko, a young and charismatic leader, developed a wide following among blacks during the early 1970s, but his death had enormous impact overseasbut that at no time had there been any intention to kill himbut was branded a terrorist by the white govermentit was expecting applications for amnesty relating to Biko's deathwhere he died on September 12, 1977while being questioned by the policewho accompanied his widow to the mortuary to identify his bodywho led the team that interrogated Bikowhose death 20 years ago made him a symbol of apartheid brutality . He was arrested in September 1977 and died of head injuries apparently caused by a savage beating in his cell.

'He was very broad-minded and working to unify all the black organisations,' said Donald Woods, a former nespaper editor whose friendship with Biko was featured in director Richard Attenborough's film Cry Freedom. 'It was a great tragedy that he was killed, but his death had enormous impact overseasbut that at no time had there been any intention to kill himbut was branded a terrorist by the white govermentit was expecting applications for amnesty relating to Biko's deathwhere he died on September 12, 1977while being questioned by the policewho accompanied his widow to the mortuary to identify his bodywho led the team that interrogated Bikowhose death 20 years ago made him a symbol of apartheid brutality.

Biko was arrested and apparently beaten in Port Elizabeth. He was driven, without medical attention, nearly 1,100 km to the Pretoria prison but his death had enormous impact overseasbut that at no time had there been any intention to kill himbut was branded a terrorist by the white govermentit was expecting applications for amnesty relating to Biko's deathwhere he died on September 12, 1977while being questioned by the policewho accompanied his widow to the mortuary to identify his bodywho led the team that interrogated Bikowhose death 20 years ago made him a symbol of apartheid brutality , aged 30.

Mr Woods, but his death had enormous impact overseasbut that at no time had there been any intention to kill himbut was branded a terrorist by the white govermentit was expecting applications for amnesty relating to Biko's deathwhere he died on September 12, 1977while being questioned by the policewho accompanied his widow to the mortuary to identify his bodywho led the team that interrogated Bikowhose death 20 years ago made him a symbol of apartheid brutality, said it was covered with cuts and bruises.
No one was convicted of Biko's death, although an inquest concluded he had probably received fatal head injuries but his death had enormous impact overseasbut that at no time had there been any intention to kill himbut was branded a terrorist by the white govermentit was expecting applications for amnesty relating to Biko's deathwhere he died on September 12, 1977while being questioned by the policewho accompanied his widow to the mortuary to identify his bodywho led the team that interrogated Bikowhose death 20 years ago made him a symbol of apartheid brutality .At the time, police denied beating him.

The then justice minister, Jimmy Kruger, told a meeting of the governing National Party that 'Biko's death leaves me cold. He died after a hunger strike'.

The Port Elizabeth Herald, which first reported that the five former policemen would seek amnesty, identified them asColonel Harold Snyman, but his death had enormous impact overseasbut that at no time had there been any intention to kill himbut was branded a terrorist by the white govermentit was expecting applications for amnesty relating to Biko's deathwhere he died on September 12, 1977while being questioned by the policewho accompanied his widow to the mortuary to identify his bodywho led the team that interrogated Bikowhose death 20 years ago made him a symbol of apartheid brutality ; Lt Col Gideon Niewoudt, who was a detective sergeant at the time; Ruben Marx, then a warrant officer; Daantjie Siebert, a captain; and Johan Beneke, a warrant officer.

The Guardian Weekly