Mexico: Missing Ayotzinapa Students' Families Call on Israel to Deport Suspect Involved in the Case as Protesters Vandalized Israel Embassy

The case of missing Ayotzinapa students in Mexico has taken another turn after the disappeared students' families and relatives asked the government of Israel to extradite the former top investigator involved in the case.

France 24 News reported that the former head of Mexico's Criminal Investigation Agency, Tomas Zeron, is accused of manipulating the probe and was considered to be one of the architects of the "historical truth" of the case that was presented in 2015. The presented official version of the incident was widely rejected by the victims' relatives and independent experts.

A representative of the families of the missing Ayotzinapa students, Meliton Ortega, said that Israel is "protecting" Zeron, whom Ortega described as a "human rights violator." Ortego added that Zeron tortured those he detained at the time to craft the "historical truth" they presented.

Mexico has repeatedly asked Israel to deport Zeron after being accused of kidnapping, torturing suspects, and manipulating evidence.

Zeron has continued to deny the allegations.

Mexico Protesters Calling Israel to Deport Suspect

Families and supporters of the case of the missing Ayotzinapa students have vandalized the Embassy of Israel in Mexico during a protest demanding the extradition of Zeron.

Hooded militants destroyed the embassy's security cameras and painted the walls with slogans saying "Extradition of Tomas Zeron," "43," and "Free Palestine."

The protesters also wrote "Death to Zionism" on the embassy's wall, according to a La Prensa Latina report.

Mexico has already submitted its request for the extradition of Zeron in September 2020.

The former criminal investigation agency head was alleged to destroy evidence while torturing witnesses during the probe of the mass abduction of the students in the southern state of Guerrero.

It was reported that Israel and Mexico do not have an extradition treaty, and Israeli officials have reportedly ignored the request to punish the Mexican government for its vote in the United Nations to investigate the crisis in Palestine.

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has personally written to Israeli Minister Naftali Bennett requesting his help to return Zeron.

Case of Missing Ayotzinapa Students

The 43 missing Ayotzinapa students were studying at an all-male teacher training college in Ayotzinapa. The college has a history of left-wing activism and students have regularly taken part in demonstrations, as reported by BBC News.

The students were on the way to Iguala to protest against what they saw as a discriminatory hiring process for teachers. In addition, the students were aiming to raise funds for a trip they were planning to Mexico City to protest the 1968 Tlatelolco Massacre on its anniversary.

One member of the group said they were planning to commandeer a number of buses for their trip but noted that they would convince the drivers to take them to the place instead of forcing them.

The students clashed with the police and ended up with 43 of them missing, with investigators alleging that the students were seized by municipal officers.

The "historical truth" that was presented has been discredited, with the attorney general who was in charge of the probe already arrested.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Experts say Mexican military falsified evidence in 43 missing students case - from Al Jazeera English