stop it," said Joshua Sondheimer, Litigation Director of the Center for Justice & Accountability, a San Francisco-based group that initiated the lawsuit in 1999.

Plaintiff Neris Gonzalez said: "I am pleased that justice has been done. I joined this case to send a message of hope and to motivate people everywhere to continue the struggle for justice. This verdict provides an example of what can be done."

Another plaintiff, Carlos Mauricio, said: "This is a great victory. In order to prevent torture, we must fight impunity, and I hope this allows other accusations to be brought against those responsible for torture."

The award may be difficult to collect. Sandra Coliver, Executive Director of the Center for Justice and Accountability, stated that the Center will make every effort to enforce the judgment, but that locating the generals' assets may prove difficult.

Carlos Mauricio, speaking for all of the plaintiffs, said, "We seek justice, not money. We hope that the assets of the generals can be taken away from them in order to fulfill the punishment determined by the jury."

"We also hope that the generals will be deported," stated Coliver. "Florida should not be a retirement community for human rights abusers. Deportation is not a penalty that fits the crime, but it is a penalty. These men have enjoyed the benefits the U.S. has to offer for 13 years. It would be a substantial hardship for them to be forced to return to Salvador."