US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA5657

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BOGOTA 005657 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR INL/RM, INL/LP 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/AND 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, SENV, KCRM, PTER, CO 
SUBJECT: NAS Monthly Report May 2005: Aerial Eradication 
Still At Record Levels 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: In May, the spray program eradicated 
11,305 hectares of coca and 45 hectares of poppy.  The 
Colombian National Police (CNP) and Colombian Navy 
accomplished the largest cocaine HCL fast boat seizure ever- 
over 15 metric tons.  During May, the CNP seized over 18 
metric tons of cocaine HCl/cocaine base and destroyed three 
cocaine HCL laboratories. 
 
Eradication and Interdiction 
----------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) Eradication:  During May, OV-10s operating from 
Apiay, Meta Department, sprayed approximately 1,604 hectares 
of coca.  AT-802s operating from Caucausia, Antioquia 
Department, sprayed approximately 8,508 hectares of coca.  T- 
65s operating from Popayan, Cauca Department, and later from 
Valledupar, Cesar Department, sprayed 45 hectares of poppy 
and 1,193 hectares of coca.  In total, CNP aircraft sprayed 
approximately 11,305 hectares of coca and 45 hectares of 
poppy during the month of May.  Thus far in 2005 the CNP 
eradication program has sprayed more than 85,620 hectares of 
coca and 979 hectares of poppy. 
 
3. (SBU) Armed narco-terrorists fired on eradication and 
COLAR aircraft eight times in May, resulting in 18 
individual impacts.  The AT-802's were struck once and OV- 
10's 11 times.  They also hit Plan Colombia Program UH-1N 
helicopters six times. 
 
4. (SBU) During May, COLAR Plan Colombia helicopters 
continued to support CD Brigade troops and eradication 
operations in Caucausia and Apiay, as well as training 
operations in Tolemaida.  Plan Colombia helicopters 
transported 2,609 passengers and 151,665 pounds of cargo 
during 1,980 flight hours.  Twenty-seven patients required 
108 hours of flight time for medical evacuations. 
 
5. (SBU) On May 31, the Plan Colombia helicopter program 
deployed 5 UH-1HII aircraft to Saravena, Arauca Department, 
to protect the 174 kilometers of petroleum pipeline in 
Arauca Department under the Infrastructure Security Strategy 
Program.  These aircraft will support a Quick Reaction Force 
trained to respond to attacks along the pipeline. 
 
6. (SBU) On May 5, Plan Colombia helicopters were used to 
conduct a joint air assault with elements of the 1st 
Battalion, CD Brigade on two FARC bases in the vicinity of 
Tumaco, Narino Department.  The Plan Colombia support 
package of three UH-60 Black Hawks, four gun ships, and one 
command and control (C2) aircraft ferried the troops to 
field operations areas.  Colombian forces captured seven 
prisoners, 32 kilograms of cocaine base, and several 
thousand gallons of liquid precursor chemicals, all without 
injury to personnel or aircraft. 
 
7. (SBU) The OV-10 aircraft were shut down for a 10-day 
maintenance period to improve availability rates of OV-10 
spray aircraft.  During this time, all personnel attended 
refresher safety classes and aircrews and search and rescue 
personnel received additional survival and evasion training. 
 
8. (SBU) The U.S. Military Group and their Training 
Assistance Fielding Team (TAFT), working in conjunction with 
the NAS Aviation Unit, established a Basic Instrumentation 
Course for all Colombian Army pilots that had not completed 
the Basic Instrument Training Course during their Initial 
Entry Rotary Wing courses.  This ensures that every pilot 
operating Plan Colombia helicopters is trained to U.S. 
standards. 
 
9. (SBU) From May 2-16 an INL Air Wing Aviation Resource 
Management Survey inspected in-country Air Wing programs. 
They inspected records for safety, standardization, 
security, operations, administration, logistics, 
maintenance, training, armament, and non-rated crewmember 
personnel.  They noted only a few minor discrepancies. 
 
10. (SBU) Interdiction:  In May, the CNP seized a total of 
over 18 Metric Tons of HCl and cocaine base and destroyed 
three cocaine HCL labs.  To date, in 2005 the CNP has seized 
more than 44 Metric Tons of HCl and 397 kilos of heroin and 
destroyed 66 HCl laboratories. 
 
11. (SBU) During May, the CNP and Colombian Navy made the 
largest single cocaine HCL seizure ever, over 15 metric 
tons.  CNP intelligence, supported by the Embassy, indicated 
the presence of a storage site on the Mira River in Narino 
Department.  Upon arriving at the site the CNP forces 
observed that the cocaine HCL had already been loaded on go- 
fast boats. 
 
12. (SBU) The CNP, led by NAS-supported Junglas, 
Carabineros, and aircraft, deployed to Cordoba Department 
and conducted a major operation May 24-27 to capture Diego 
Fernando Murillo, aka "Don Berna", the third ranking AUC 
(paramilitary) leader in Colombia.  He is wanted for 
multiple homicides, terrorism, and is extraditable for narco- 
trafficking.  "Don Berna" surrendered and is now under a 
form of house arrest.  On June 9, 2005, the Embassy 
transmitted to the Government of Colombia a request for 
Murillo's extradition. 
 
13. (SBU) On May 30, the Colombian National Police (DIRAN 
and Carabineros), conducted a joint operation with the 
Colombian Air Force against Diego Montoya, leader of the 
Norte de Valle Cartel.  Diego Montoya eluded capture, but 
four of his AUC security forces were killed in the assault. 
 
14. (SBU) In Espinal, Tolima, the four-month Jungle Commando 
basic course entered its final phase.  Fifty-five new 
"Junglas" will graduate on June 10.  The US Army 7th Special 
Forces began a three-week Sniper Course for 20 police 
students.  The Anti-Narcotics Police began an 18-week 
medical course for 33 students.  Additionally, 35 DIRAN, 11 
Carabineros, and 12 Colombian Army personnel departed for 
various training courses in the United States. 
 
DIRAN Base Defense 
------------------ 
 
15. (SBU) DIRAN completed base defense upgrades at 
Villagarzon and San Miguel, Putumayo Department, and 
Toribio, Cauca.  During May, DIRAN instructors began Road 
Interdiction Inspection equipment training. 
 
Law Enforcement/Public Security 
------------------------------- 
 
16. (SBU) During May the CNP EMCAR (Carabineros) squadrons 
captured 483 individuals (36 Narco-traffickers, 53 FARC/ELN, 
30 AUC and 364 common criminals), 171 weapons, 5,197 gals of 
liquid precursors, 15,182 kilograms of solid precursors, 
2,108 kilograms of marihuana and 24 kilograms of cocaine 
base.  They also manually eradicated 11 hectares of poppy 
and 825 hectares of coca (this includes the amounts reported 
by the units in support of the manual eradication groups). 
On May 17, the CNP National Training Center at Espinal 
graduated three new squadrons.  The school also graduated 11 
new Basic EMCAR Course instructors. 
 
17. (SBU) During the first week of May, the FARC attacked 
the Tolima EMCAR Squadron and killed three EMCAR police 
officers near Ibague, the capital of Tolima Department. 
Reinforcements immediately helped secure the area. On May 
19, the FARC attacked a pipeline in Putumayo.  When the 
EMCAR reacted, they walked into an ambush using Improvised 
Explosive Devices (IED) which killed three EMCAR police 
officers.  Later in the day, approximately 70 guerrillas 
ambushed the Choco EMCAR Squadron using IEDs and gunfire. 
Ten police officers were killed and three EMCAR members were 
able to escape.  The guerrillas executed the wounded police 
officers. 
 
Air Bridge Denial (ABD) 
----------------------- 
 
18. (SBU) CNP followed 3011 aircraft contacts over Colombia; 
37 were declared Unidentified, Assumed Suspect (UAS).  JIATF- 
S declared five contacts as friendly and one invalid.  Of 
the 31 remaining, the GOC reacted to 18 UAS but located 
none.  The GOC did not react to 13 UAS: two due to bad 
weather, five suspects reached international borders, four 
were in international waters, one track relied on old 
information, and one aircraft was out of range. 
 
CNP Aviation (ARAVI) 
--------------------- 
 
19. (SBU) In May, the three largest components of ARAVI's 
fleet clocked 1,465 mission hours. The UH-1H helicopters 
flew 468 mission hours with an operational readiness (O.R.) 
rate of 43 percent. Thirty-one percent of the helicopters 
required depot level major structural repairs.  Bell 212 
helicopters flew 172 mission hours with an operational 
readiness rate of 71 percent, and UH-60 helicopters flew 121 
mission hours with an operational readiness rate of 75 
percent. ARAVI aircraft and personnel supported extradition, 
interdiction and high value target missions, including the 
pursuit of AUC official Diego Murillo (alias "Don Berna" or 
"Adolfo Paz").  Representatives from INL, NAS, Lockheed 
Martin, and Lockheed's subcontractor met in Fort Lauderdale 
May 25-26 for a program management review.  The team 
identified 46 priority action items, including the purchase 
of USD 1.12 million in Black Hawk spare parts, for the 
coming three months. 
 
Port Security 
------------- 
20. (SBU) DIRAN's new 12-member polygraph unit, established 
to ensure the integrity of police working in the airports 
and seaports, completed training May 21.  After an 
orientation period at the airports and seaports they will 
begin polygraphing police officers under the guidance of a 
polgyraphist from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement 
(ICE). 
 
Environment 
----------- 
 
21. (SBU) In May, the spray complaints group received 40 
complaints and is investigating 104 other cases.  No 
complaints were paid during the month.  NAS Environmental 
Officer assisted the DIRAN chief of eradication with answers 
during a one-hour live interview explaining the aerial 
eradication program and scientific studies regarding any 
potential environmental and health impact on Colombia.  With 
NAS funding, 10 DIRAN police specialists started a course in 
advanced satellite imagery analysis at the University 
Militaire in Bogota.  The office has also engaged in several 
public meetings with NGO's to discuss the eradication 
program.  DIRAN and NAS distributed the first of the new GOC 
field guides to all military and police forces to identify 
and report the location of coca and poppy fields they may 
encounter.  During May, the Medical Civilian Action Program 
(MEDCAP) sent groups of approximately 25 doctors each to 
Saravena and Arauca City, Arauca Department, and Miraflores, 
Guaviare Department, to provide free medical and surgical 
assistance and monitor the health of the population. 
 
DRUCKER