Corruption

Who to kill? Colombia army picks soldier's brother

By FRANK BAJAK, Associated Press Writer Frank Bajak, Associated Press Writer Thu Nov 13, 3:00 am ET

BOGOTA, Colombia – The soldiers in Antelope Company's Third Platoon hadn't registered a guerrilla kill in months. And without results, they feared they wouldn't be let off base for Mother's Day.

So they hatched a plan, according to Pvt. Luis Esteban Montes: Lure a civilian to their camp, murder him and register him as a rebel slain in combat.

The brothers of Colombia's attorney general allowed outlawed paramilitary fighters in 2005 to use the vehicles of a provincial public hospital one of them heads, a former paramilitary leader has told prosecutors. Rodolfo Enrique Guevara Cantillo, former No. 2 in the Northern Bloc of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, made the allegations against Angel Maya and Hernán Maya, both brothers of Attorney General Edgardo Maya.

Colombia's intelligence services compiled lists of union activists and gave them to right-wing paramilitaries, who then carried out assassinations, according to captured documents and a key witness.

The U.S. Congress is considering a proposed trade agreement with Colombia, and news of the government-paramilitary collaboration has put passage of that legislation in further jeopardy.

BOGOTA, Colombia - President Bush pledged continued support Sunday to this
strong but drug and violence-plagued U.S. ally, on a visit marked by both
warm official welcomes and rioting protesters.

"Your country has come through very difficult times and now there's a
brighter day ahead," Bush said to President Alvaro Uribe after their
meetings and lunch at the presidential palace. "We have been friends and we
will remain friends."

Bush came to Colombia's capital for a show of confidence in Uribe and the
country's battle against narcoterrorists. But the stop was clouded by a
political scandal involving Uribe, and security jitters had Bush staying

Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos stated on Saturday that an army colonel, whose name was not revealed, was dismissed from his post after his links with paramilitary groups were uncovered.