US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA5797

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 005797 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/AND - DHENIFIN, SBELL 
STATE FOR L/LEI - HCOLLUMS AND GHARRIS 
JUSTICE FOR CRM/OIA - JCARTER, TBLACK, PJOSEPH, MHEINEMAN, 
AND JLEHTMAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, SNAR, CO, AUC 
SUBJECT: "Don Berna" Stays in Detention: Extradition 
Papers Served 
 
1. (U) Summary.  On Monday, June 13 the Office of the 
Attorney General (Fiscalia) determined that Diego Fernando 
Murillo Bejarano (a.k.a. "Don Berna") will remain in 
detention on the farm in Valencia (Cordoba Department). 
Don Berna will neither be moved to a civilian jail, nor 
served with any Colombian or American arrest warrants. 
The office of the Colombian High Commissioner for Peace 
also released a statement on June 13 with more details 
(informal translation below).  The extradition request for 
Don Berna was delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
(MINRELEXT) on Thursday, June 9, and is currently with the 
Ministry of Interior and Justice (MININT).  Post 
anticipates it will be delivered to the Supreme Court for 
consideration next week.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU)  On Monday, June 13 the office of the Colombian 
High Commissioner for Peace released the following 
statement. 
 
Begin informal translation: 
 
COMMUNIQUE 
 
THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THAT: 
 
1. Regarding the decision of the Attorney General to issue 
an arrest warrant, without the benefit of releasing Mr. 
Diego Fernando Murillo Bejarano, the National Government, 
using its authority under Law 782 of 2002, made the 
following decision: 
 
To keep Mr. Murillo Bejarano, in his condition as 
demobilized, in the location defined by the Government 
since May 31, under surveillance of the military and the 
police.  Mr. Murillo Bejarano will continue to be 
detained. 
 
2.  To consolidate the peace process being advanced with 
the United Self-Defense Forces, the Government considers 
it convenient to maintain the demobilized status of Mr. 
Murillo Bejarano, as long as he completes his commitment 
to demobilize the entirety of the structures that operate 
under his command. 
 
3.  With the goal of demobilization, on June 15, of the 
Block "Heroes de Tolova", Mr. Murillo Bejarano will be 
transported, under surveillance of the military and the 
police, to Alto de Rusia in the municipality of Valencia, 
Cordoba. 
 
Once the act of demobilization has ended, Mr. Murillo 
Bejarano will return to the place where he is being kept 
by decision of the National Government. 
 
4.  At the moment, the work to concentrate the Block 
"Heroes de Granada" in the Department of Antioquia is 
being advanced as part of the commitments made by Mr. 
Murillo Bejarano. 
 
The date for the demobilization of this block will be set 
in the next few days. 
 
June 13, 2005 
 
End informal translation. 
 
3. (U) Begin text in Spanish: 
 
COMUNICADO 
 
EL GOBIERNO NACIONAL SE PERMITE INFORMAR QUE: 
 
1. Ante la decision de la Fiscalia General de la Nacion de 
dictar medida de aseguramiento, sin beneficio de 
excarcelacion en contra del senor Diego Fernando Murillo 
Bejarano, el Gobierno Nacional, en uso de las facultades 
que le otorga la Ley 782 de 2002, tomo la siguiente 
decision: 
 
Mantener al senor Murillo Bejarano, en su condicion de 
desmovilizado, en el lugar definido por el Gobierno desde 
el 31 de mayo, bajo vigilancia de la Fuerza Publica. El 
senor Murillo Bejarano continuara a disposicion de la 
justicia. 
 
2. Para consolidar el proceso de paz que se adelanta con 
las autodefensas, el Gobierno considera conveniente 
mantener la condicion de desmovilizado del senor Murillo 
Bejarano, a fin de hacer efectivo su compromiso de 
desactivar la totalidad de las estructuras que operan bajo 
su mando. 
 
3. Con motivo de la desmovilizacion, el proximo 15 de 
junio, del Bloque Heroes de Tolova, el Senor Murillo 
Bejarano sera trasladado, bajo vigilancia de la fuerza 
publica, a la vereda Alto de Rusia del municipio de 
Valencia, Cordoba. 
 
Terminado el acto de desmovilizacion el senor Murillo 
Bejarano regresara al lugar en donde permanece por 
decision del Gobierno Nacional. 
 
4. En la actualidad se adelantan las labores para la 
concentracion del Bloque Heroes de Granada en el 
Departamento de Antioquia como parte de los compromisos 
adquiridos por el Senor Murillo Bejarano. 
 
La fecha de desmovilizacion de este bloque se definira en 
los proximos dias. 
 
Junio 13 de 2005 
 
End text in Spanish. 
 
4. (U) The extradition request for "Don Berna" was 
delivered to MINRELEXT at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 9. 
MINRELEXT passed the document immediately to MININT. 
MININT, according to the new Code of Penal Procedure which 
became effective on January 1, has 5 business days to 
review the extradition request for completeness.  After 
the review has been completed, the request may be returned 
to the MINRELEXT for additional documentation, or 
transmitted to the Supreme Court for consideration.  Post 
does not anticipate that any documentation will be found 
to be missing, or that MININT will find reason to delay 
transmittal to the Supreme Court after review. 
DELAURENTIS