death squad

American  

noun

1. any of various groups of assassins, especially in Central America, whose members murder political dissidents, petty criminals, etc., usually with the tacit approval of the government.

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Etymology

Origin of death squad

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

As a senator two decades ago, he asserted that a conservative president here led death squads.

From The Wall Street Journal

Stewart, the group's leader, had told the officer that they needed to establish a "new einsatzgruppe" - a reference to Adolf Hitler's SS death squad.

From BBC

This, if true, had abandoned them to the death squads.

From BBC

His administration ultimately collapsed in a mire of scandals that ended with Fujimori in prison for embezzling government funds and maintaining extrajudicial death squads.

From Los Angeles Times

The death squads were on the payroll of the police, if not actually being the police themselves.

From Salon