US embassy cable - 00BOGOTA10666

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 010666 
 
S/CT FOR REAP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:N/A 
TAGS: PTER, CO 
SUBJECT: 2000 TERRORISM REPORT (COLOMBIA) 
 
REF: STATE 21748 
 
1.  THE FOLLOWING IS EMBASSY BOGOTA'S SUBMISSION FOR THE 
2000 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT, KEYED TO THE QUESTIONS 
POSED IN REFTEL: 
 
A.  RESPONSE OF JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO TERRORISM: COLOMBIA'S 
PROSECUTOR GENERAL (A BRANCH OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT 
INDEPENDENT OF THE EXECUTIVE) CONTINUES TO GIVE HIGH 
PRIORITY TO THE PROSECUTION OF TERRORISTS.  IN 2000, THE 
PROSECUTOR GENERAL SUCCESSFULLY PROSECUTED A LARGE 
NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF ILLEGAL ARMED GROUPS -- BOTH 
NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY (ELN) AND REVOLUTIONARY ARMED 
FORCES OF COLOMBIA (FARC), AND MEMBERS OF PARAMILITARY 
ORGANIZATIONS -- ON DOMESTIC TERRORISM CHARGES.  THE 
PROSECUTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS COOPERATED CLOSELY WITH 
U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE PROSECUTION OF 
MEMBERS OF ILLEGAL ARMED GROUPS ACCUSED OF KIDNAPPING 
AMCITS. 
 
B.  TERRORIST EXTRADITIONS BY HOST GOVERNMENT: THE 
COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FOREIGN 
GOVERNMENT REQUESTS, INCLUDING USG REQUESTS, TO 
EXTRADITE SUSPECTED TERRORISTS IN 2000. 
 
C.  IMPEDIMENTS TO PROSECUTION OR EXTRADITION: 
COLOMBIA'S INTERNAL ARMED CONFLICT, THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS 
OF ITS NARCOTICS TRADE, AND THE PERVASIVE EFFECT OF 
CORRUPTION ON ITS POLITICAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMS 
CONTINUE TO WORK AGAINST THE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE 
PROSECUTION AND CONVICTION OF DOMESTIC CRIMINALS, 
INCLUDING TERRORISTS.  THE COLOMBIAN CONSTITUTION OF 
1991 AUTHORIZES THE EXTRADITION OF COLOMBIAN NATIONALS 
SOUGHT FOR CRIMES COMMITTED AFTER DECEMBER 1997, IN 
ACCORDANCE WITH THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE.  THE 
COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT APPLIED THIS LAW FORCEFULLY IN 2000 
TO COMPLY WITH SEVERAL U.S. EXTRADITION REQUESTS OF 
COLOMBIAN CRIMINALS, INCLUDING NARCO-TRAFFICKERS. 
 
D.  RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECUTION: THE COLOMBIAN 
GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. AND 
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO COMBAT TERRORISM.  THE 
PRESIDENCY AND THE FOREIGN MINISTRY HAVE CONSISTENTLY 
RELEASED PUBLIC STATEMENTS CONDEMNING ACTS OF 
INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC TERRORISM.  THE EXECUTIVE AND 
JUDICIAL BRANCHES HAVE MADE SERIOUS EFFORTS TO 
INVESTIGATE DOMESTIC TERRORIST INCIDENTS AND TO 
COOPERATE WITH INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS. 
COLOMBIA BELONGS TO INTERPOL AND SHARES CRIMINAL 
INFORMATION WITH OTHER COUNTRIES.  THE U.S. MAINTAINS AN 
ACTIVE LEGAL ATTACHE OFFICE IN BOGOTA, WORKING CLOSELY 
WITH COLOMBIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ARREST AND PROSECUTE 
COLOMBIAN TERRORISTS RESPONSIBLE FOR KIDNAPPING OF 
AMERICAN CITIZENS, AND OTHER CRIMES.  THE U.S. BUREAU OF 
ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND FIREARMS (ATF) ALSO MAINTAINS AN 
OFFICE IN BOGOTA.  ATF IS THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR ALL 
GOC ENTITIES CHARGED WITH INVESTIGATING TERRORIST 
BOMBINGS.  THE ATF HAS A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH 
ITS COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT COUNTERPART AGENCIES. 
 
E.  MAJOR 2000 COUNTER-TERRORISM STEPS: THE COLOMBIAN 
ARMY AND POLICE TOOK SIGNIFICANT STEPS IN 2000 TO COMBAT 
KIDNAPPINGS AND OTHER TERRORIST ACTS BY THE NATION'S 
MAIN INSURGENT/TERRORIST GROUPS, THE ELN AND FARC, AND 
PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATIONS.  THE ARMY TRAINED, EQUIPPED 
AND FIELDED ITS SECOND COUNTER-NARCOTICS BATTALION, 
DESIGNED TO SUPPORT NATIONAL POLICE EFFORTS TO THWART 
FARC AND ELN LINKS TO NARCOTICS PRODUCTION AND 
TRAFFICKING.  THE ARMY AND POLICE ANTI-KIDNAPPING UNITS 
UNDERTOOK SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS TO BREAK-UP FARC 
AND ELN KIDNAPPING RINGS AND GAIN THE RELEASE OF SEVERAL 
KIDNAPPING VICTIMS.  A SUCCESSFUL ARMY MILITARY 
OPERATION AGAINST THE ELN LED TO THE RELEASE OF SOME 31 
COLOMBIAN NATIONALS KIDNAPPED ON SEPTEMBER 18 IN THE 
CITY OF CALI.  TWO AMERICANS KIDNAPPED IN THAT INCIDENT 
WERE RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 21.  A SUCCESSFUL ARMY 
MILITARY OPERATION IN THE SUMAPAZ REGION SOUTH OF BOGOTA 
LED TO THE RELEASE OF SEVERAL LONG-HELD KIDNAP VICTIMS 
AND THE BREAK-UP OF A FARC KIDNAPPING RING OPERATING IN 
BOGOTA.  IN OCTOBER, THE POLICE ARRESTED THE HEAD OF AN 
ELN KIDNAPPING/EXTORTION RING OPERATING IN THE CITY OF 
CALI.  COLOMBIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTINUED TO COOPERATE 
WITH U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT IN GAINING THE RELEASE OF 
SEVERAL KIDNAPPED AMCITS.  IN OCTOBER, THE COLOMBIAN 
POLICE RESCUED A MINOR AMCIT HELD FOR SIX MONTHS BY 
INDIVIDUALS CONNECTED WITH THE FARC. 
 
F.  SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM: THE 
COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO OPPOSE INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM, BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. 
 
G.  STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF TERRORIST-SUPPORTING 
COUNTRIES ON TERRORISM ISSUES: NONE. 
 
H.  SIGNIFICANT CHANGE ON ATTITUDE TOWARD TERRORISM: THE 
COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS TERRORISM 
REMAINS CONSISTENTLY AND STRONGLY NEGATIVE. 
 
I.  U.S. EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES WITH HOST GOVERNMENT: 
THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO COOPERATE FULLY 
WITH USG INVESTIGATIONS INTO ANTI-U.S. ACTS OF 
TERRORISM.  ALL 16 AMCITS KIDNAPPED IN COLOMBIA IN 1999 
HAVE BEEN RELEASED.  ONE AMCIT WAS KIDNAPPED IN SANTA 
MARTA IN OCTOBER, BUT IT IS BELIEVED THAT HE WAS 
KIDNAPPED BY COMMON CRIMINALS AND NOT A TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATION.  USG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CONTINUE TO 
PROVIDE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING ANTI-TERRORISM 
TRAINING, TO COLOMBIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
 
J.  COOPERATION IN LAST FIVE YEARS: 
 
(1) BOTH CIVILIAN AND MILITARY AGENCIES OF THE 
COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE IN 
SEEKING TO APPREHEND, CONVICT AND PUNISH 
INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS AND INTERESTS. 
 
(2) BOTH CIVILIAN AND MILITARY AGENCIES OF THE 
COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT ARE COOPERATING IN SEEKING TO 
PREVENT FURTHER ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST AMCITS IN 
COLOMBIAN TERRITORY. 
 
K.  COOPERATION TO PREVENT ANTI-U.S. ACTS OF TERRORISM: 
BOTH CIVILIAN AND MILITARY AGENCIES OF THE COLOMBIAN 
GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY COOPERATIVE IN THE LAST 
FIVE YEARS IN SEEKING TO PREVENT FURTHER ACTS OF 
TERRORISM AGAINST AMCITS IN COLOMBIAN TERRITORY. 
 
PATTERSON