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Judi Lynn

(160,542 posts) Thu Jun 7, 2012, 06:33 PM Jun 2012

11,179 Colombian politicians, officials, businessmen involved in parapolitics scandal: Report

Source: Colombia Reports

11,179 Colombian politicians, officials, businessmen involved in parapolitics scandal: Report
Thursday, 07 June 2012 14:51 Sarah Kinosian

More than 11,000 Colombian politicians, state officials, businessmen and citizen are facing accusations of being accomplices to paramilitary groups, said research group Verdad Abierta Thursday.

~snip~

The infiltration of paramilitary groups into Colombian politics has become popularly known as "parapolitics." Former president Alvaro Uribe and hundreds of his former officials have been implicated in the scandal, with dozens facing prosecution.

Verdad Abierta’s report revealed the extent to which the scandal has affected the country, from the highest political office to regional governments and businessmen.

From the beginning of 2005's controversial Justice and Peace Law until the end of April 2012, prosecutors and officials have requested the investigation of 943 politicians, 870 military members, 330 public servants and 9,036 civilians, including several business owners suspected of contributing to paramilitary organizations in some fashion. The Justice and Peace reform sought to provide legal benefits to demobilized members of illegal armed groups, but instead invoked waves of criticism for granting impunity to human rights violators.

Read more: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/24474-11179-colombian-politicians-officials-businessmen-involved-in-parapolitics-scandal-report.html

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11,179 Colombian politicians, officials, businessmen involved in parapolitics scandal: Report (Original Post) Judi Lynn Jun 2012 OP

Paramilitary emails allege CIA worked with AUC . (narcotrafficking death squads) Judi Lynn Jun 2012 #1

Colombian paramilitary leaders called to testify in wiretapping case . Judi Lynn Jun 2012 #2

Judi Lynn

(160,542 posts)

1. Paramilitary emails allege CIA worked with AUC . (narcotrafficking death squads)

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Thu Jun 7, 2012, 06:40 PM

Jun 2012

Paramilitary emails allege CIA worked with AUC .
Wednesday, 06 June 2012 14:28
Brandon Barrett

An estimated 700 emails from the computer of former AUC commander and drug lord Vicente Castaño revealed the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and many top Colombian politicians may have been working with the paramilitary group.

The emails, uncovered by RCN Radio, were delivered to Colombia's Prosecutor General's Office by former AUC member and Castaño confidante, Jesus Ignacio Roldan Perez, alias "Monoleche."

One of the messages revealed that Vicente's brother Carlos, who founded the extreme right paramilitary group the Peasant Self-Defense Forces of Cordoba and Uraba (ACCU) with Vicente, allegedly spoke with CIA agents to help American authorities capture the leaders of the Cali Cartel, Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela and Jose Santacruz-Londoño.

Santacruz-Londoño was killed in 1996 while attempting to flee police after escaping from a Bogota prison months before. Rodriguez, who was extradited to the U.S. in 2004, is currently serving a 30 year sentence in Pennsylvania for drug trafficking.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/24455-700-paramilitary-emails-reveal-auc-allegedly-worked-with-cia.html

Judi Lynn

(160,542 posts)

2. Colombian paramilitary leaders called to testify in wiretapping case .

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Sat Jun 9, 2012, 03:59 PM

Jun 2012

Colombian paramilitary leaders called to testify in wiretapping case .
Friday, 08 June 2012 17:21 Brandon Barrett

Several paramilitary leaders with knowledge of the alleged wiretapping of political officials by the former head of Colombia's now-dismantled security agency and former President Alvaro Uribe's chief of staff were called to testify in the case.

Supreme Court prosecutor Misael Rodriguez requested the testimony of former paramilitary leaders Salvatore Mancuso, Diego Fernando Murillo, alias "Don Berna," and Juan Carlos Sierra, alias "El Tuso," in the case against former Department of Administrative Security (DAS) head Maria del Pilar Hurtado and Uribe's former head of staff Bernardo Moreno. The ex-AUC members are suspected of having had contact with lawyers who allegedly knew of the orders to wiretap judges.

Moreno's attorney, Jamie Granados, lobbied for Pilar's testimony. The move was surprising considering Pilar has been in Panama since seeking political asylum in 2010 at the outset of the wiretapping charges that led to the security agency's demise. Granados claimed Pilar has evidence that could prove his client's innocence. Panama denied Colombia's request to extradite Pilar in February.

Colombia's Prosecutor General's Office asked to submit a document proving that Pilar authorized the payment of an informant to follow ex-senator Piedad Cordoba, according to newspaper El Tiempo. She is accused of paying $10,000 to a photographer to follow Cordoba as she toured Europe in 2010.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/24500-colombian-paramilitary-leaders-called-to-testify-in-wiretapping-case.html

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