INTERPOL reaffirms key findings of its examination of seized FARC computers

Source: INTERPOL

Following the publication of ‘INTERPOL’s Forensic report on FARC computers and hardware seized by Colombia’ on Thursday, 15 May 2008, there have been many inaccurate and misleading statements made in relation to INTERPOL’s findings.

The most recent misinterpretation of the report’s conclusions was contained in a press release issued by Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Relations on Tuesday, 10 June following a meeting with INTERPOL officials from its New York office at the United Nations. Ecuador's press release gives the false impression that some ‘new’ information was brought to light during its meeting with INTERPOL representatives. INTERPOL believes that Ecuador has misinterpreted the key findings of INTERPOL's report and the content of discussions with INTERPOL staff.

For example, Ecuador’s press release inaccurately suggests that INTERPOL had not established whether the eight seized exhibits forensically examined by INTERPOL’s computer forensic experts had been recovered by Colombian authorities on 1 March 2008 from a FARC camp or belonged to Raul Reyes.

In fact, during the preparation of its report INTERPOL requested and was provided with documents and information relating to the chain of custody of the exhibits seized by Colombian authorities on 1 March 2008. Based on a review of all the information and material provided by Colombia, including a classified oral briefing, INTERPOL was able to satisfy itself, and clearly stated in its report, that the seized computer exhibits it was requested to forensically examine were taken from the FARC terrorist camp on 1 March 2008 and belonged to Raul Reyes. This finding was inextricably linked to INTERPOL's determination as to whether there was any manipulation or alteration of data contained in those seized computer exhibits.

Read more: http://www.interpol.int/Public/ICPO/PressReleases/PR2008/PR200826.asp

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Seems as if INTERPOL doesn't like Ecuador's attempt to spread FUD about the laptops.

*ROFL*

The Yellowcake Forgeries are a prime example of what is in Interpol's jurisdiction, yet the people behind it have never been brought to justice or even identified.

I would think that if they were chartered to independently investigate an issue without any request from a participating government, then they would be more open to criticism for engaging in politics.

So far, the files say nothing about Chavez giving money to FARC, as was the accusation by Colombia. Nor do we even know if what files they do have are accurate. Basically, Colombia is still lying.

:applause:

But your assertion that "the files say nothing about Chavez giving money to FARC" is presumptuous; I seriously doubt that you know what all 48,000 files reveal about Chavez' relationship with FARC, and in any case I would presume that any actionable intelligence that is uncovered in the files will probably not be made public unless and until the material is absolutely verified.

What the report does state is that the laptop and files beonged to FARC and that the user files were not tampered with after their seizure by Colombian forces, but that the accuracy of the information in FARC's files will need to be further investigated. Which I'm sure is being done, because no doubt there are a wealth of leads in the material.

So your assertion that "basically Columbia is still lying" is not substantiated by any fact, either. But you're welcome to your own opinion.

"...because no doubt there are a wealth of leads in the material."

Without any knowledge of what material is there, it's kind of presumptuous to assume that there are any leads at all.

48,000 files with no leads is a .0000002% statistical possibility.

Ya got me.

The Colombian government already made the claim that the e-mails said Chavez sent them $300 Million dollars, and when they produced the e-mail, it said absolutely nothing of the sort. I'm not being presumptuous at all. So even if Interpol is right, Colombia is still lying.

COLOMBIA: Interpol Notes Improper Initial Handling of FARC Laptops
By Constanza Vieira

"Using their forensic tools, they (the Interpol experts) found a total of 48,055 files for which the timestamps indicated that they had either been created, accessed, modified or deleted as a result of the direct access to the eight seized exhibits by Colombian authorities between the time of their seizure on 1 March 2008 and 3 March 2008 at 11:45 a.m."

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42391

Interpol deliberately used non-Spanish speaking techs to perform tech-only analysis of the laptops, and they therefore have NOTHING TO SAY about the contents of the files--48,055 of which were ALTERED while the laptops were in Colombian government hands. And now--with this Interpol press release--even the chain of custody of the laptops has to be questioned--who the laptops belonged to, and where they were "found"--because that assertion was apparently based on "a review of all the information and material provided by Colombia, including a classified oral briefing."

We don't get to know who. We don't get to know what they said. We don't get to know what interest they might have in accusing Ecuador of terrorism. All "classified" and some portion of it "oral."

And, frankly, I trust anonymous Colombians tied to the Uribe government about as much as I trust Ahmed Chalabi.

The taint and the stink of Bushitism now extends to Interpol--or at least to the head of Interpol, who has mischaracterized this report from the beginning.

<snip>

"The INTERPOL report clearly states that the overall conclusion of its experts was that ‘no user files have been created, modified or deleted on any of the eight FARC computer exhibits following their seizure on 1 March 2008’ (paragraph 99). The report also makes clear that after detailed and careful computer forensic analysis – comprehensively documented within the text - the experts excluded the possibility that the user files were tampered with after 1 March 2008, including the period between 1 and 3 March 2008."

<snip>

I find it interesting that there's an apparent distinction being drawn between "user files" (vs. system files?); if they are making a subtle point, then perhaps the total number of files does include system files that are modified during bootup, normal operations, etc. That could go a long way to explaining the early reports.

So although questioning the veracity of reports is a healthy attitude, not everything is a conspiracy. I do think that INTERPOL would not risk its credibility by issuing a misleading report and then reiterating its position in a followup clarification.

Just because it drives the pro-FARC contingent mad.