Argentina's war cemetery in the Falkland Islands has been vandalised and the glass protecting the country's sacred virgin at the site has been smashed.

Just months after the 30th anniversary of the Falklands conflict, the glass case containing Argentina’s patron saint, the Virgin of Luján, was found smashed up.

Families of the Argentine war dead blamed British hostility for what they said was an “act of sacrilege” at the cemetery, which contains the remains of 237 men

“The impacts on the glass appear to be caused by bullets,” Cesar Trejo, who heads the commission of families of combatants who died during the conflict, said.

“We believe that reflects escalating hostility by certain British sectors who are influential locally,” said the commission’s statement. “We will not let up until this repugnant act of sacrilege is clarified.”

The group sent letters to Hector Timerman, the Argentine foreign minister and John Freeman, Britain’s ambassador in Buenos Aires, demanding an urgent and exhaustive investigation.

Sebastián Socodo, who is responsible for the cemetery’s upkeep, said families were notified of the attack on Tuesday, but that it was not clear when it occurred or who the perpetrators were.

Police in the Falklands have already begun an investigation.

Images of the damage show the glass was broken by more than a dozen sharp blows. The Virgin figure, whose blue and white garments are the only expression of Argentine pride permitted in the islands, has been removed to protect it from the elements until the shrine can be repaired.

The cemetery, located on East Falkland, is enclosed by a wall and names the 649 Argentine soldiers who lost their lives during the 74-day conflict.

Tensions between Britain and Argentina over the disputed archipelago rose in the build-up to the 30th anniversary of the conflict.

Cristina Kirchner, the Argentine president, took her country’s claim to the UN and accused Britain of “militarising the South Atlantic”.

Her government also sought to politicise the Olympic Games by broadcasting an advertisement that showed an Argentine hockey player training for the London Games in the Falklands, where he was filmed exercising on a British First World War memorial.

The Government says it respects the islanders’ right to self-determination and will not negotiate sovereignty.

Last week, Argentina condemned missile exercises carried out by the British military close to the Falklands.----

Source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9441941/Argentine-war-cemetery-in-Falkland-Islands-vandalised.html