Warlord: Ex-Colombia army chief aided militias

Posted on Tuesday, 03.03.09
Warlord: Ex-Colombia army chief aided militias
By FRANK BAJAK
Associated Press Writer

BOGOTA -- A Colombian warlord awaiting sentencing in New York City after pleading guilty to drug-trafficking charges says former army chief Gen. Mario Montoya mounted a joint operation with his illegal, far-right militia in late 2002.

Diego Fernando Murillo, better known as "Don Berna," says in an affidavit filed in a U.S. federal court in Manhattan last week that his fighters entered the hillside Medellin slum Comuna 13 in "an alliance" with troops under Montoya's command.

The affidavit supports a 2007 Los Angeles Times story that cited a leaked CIA memo accusing Montoya, then-commander of the Army's 4th Brigade, of joining forces with Murillo in the operation to remove leftist rebels from the barrio.

It was filed along with a motion by Murillo's attorney, Margaret Shalley, seeking to prevent the mother of a young man killed in Comuna 13 from testifying prior to his sentencing in hopes of receiving restitution.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/AP/story/931095.html


http://www.elcolombiano.com.nyud.net:8090/proyectos/serieselcolombiano/fotos/conflicto_urbano/mayo2/montoya.jpg http://www.radiosantafe.com.nyud.net:8090/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/general-montoya.jpg http://www.clarin.com.nyud.net:8090/diario/2006/02/22/thumb/t023dh01.jpg

General Mario Montoya