New Delhi, March 24 -- One of South Africa's most notorious apartheid police commanders testified on Monday at an inquiry into the killing of four activists in 1985 as part of the country's renewed focus on atrocities committed by security forces during decades of forced racial segregation that went unpunished.

Eugene de Kock, dubbed "Prime Evil" for his role in killing anti-apartheid activists, denied involvement in the prominent case of the Cradock Four - but said police at the time had photos of around 6,000 anti-apartheid activists described as "known terrorists" who should be tracked and killed if an arrest was not possible.

The Cradock Four were not among them, he said. Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlauli and Sparrow Mkont...