PARAGUAY'S ATTORNEY GENERAL PUBLICIZES FARC LINKS

id: 20150 date: 8/27/2004 14:41 refid: 04ASUNCION232 origin: Embassy Asuncion classification: SECRET//NOFORN destination: 04ASUNCION211 header: This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. -------------- header ends -------------- S E C R E T ASUNCION 000232 SIPDIS NOFORN STATE FOR WHA/BSC AND WHA/AND STATE PASS TO USAID LAC/AA NSC FOR KIM BREIER SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2015 TAGS: PREL PTER PINR KCRM SNAR CO PA SUBJECT: PARAGUAY'S ATTORNEY GENERAL PUBLICIZES FARC LINKS TO CUBAS KIDNAPPING REF: A. ASUNCION 00211 ¶B. DOD 271441Z AUG 04 Classified By: DCM Kevin M. Johnson, reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (U) On 2/14, Paraguayan Attorney General Oscar Latorre held a press conference (ref A) during which he released the following evidence linking Patria Libre party member Osmar Martinez to FARC leader Rodrigo Granda and implicating the FARC in supporting the kidnapping of Cecilia Cubas, daughter of former President Raul Cubas: -- An email message from a Hotmail account bearing the moniker "musguero" connects Martinez to the account. The author listed his cell phone number as 0971-416-997, the cell phone Martinez used to communicate with the press prior to his surrender, and the author signed the message "Osmar". -- An email message between the "musguero" account and a Yahoo account bearing the moniker "cantagrillo2000" connects Martinez to the kidnapping. The kidnappers established the "cantagrillo2000" account for purposes of conducting ransom negotiations with the Cubas family. The kidnappers and the Cubas family used the account to post messages to each other. On at least one occasion, prior to the kidnapping, someone emailed the "musguero" account from the "cantagrillo2000" account. -- Various email messages from the "musguero" account to a Yahoo account bearing the moniker "trotador505" connect Martinez to Granda. Colombian authorities have established that the "trotador505" account belongs to Granda. In addition to the email messages between the two accounts, Paraguayan authorities found Martinez in possession of a business card with the "trotador505" address written on the back of it. -- Messages between the "musguero" account and the "trotador505" account indicate that, five days after the kidnapping, Martinez requested that Granda put him in contact with an advisor to assist with the ransom negotiations. Messages between the two accounts referred to "la fruta" ("the fruit"),the same code word the kidnappers later used when referring to the victim in messages posted on the "cantagrillo2000" account. The email message dated five days after the kidnapping referred to the seed having been planted, alluded to a harvest, and requested the services of an "agronomo" ("agronomist"),believed to be a reference to the advisor. -- Additionally, stamps in Martinez's passport indicate that he traveled to Venezuela in July 2004. The authorities believe he did so to meet with Granda in Caracas. ¶2. (S/NF) Note: Per ref B, Granda was in Venezuela in July ¶2004. End Note. ¶3. (S) Comment: Much of the evidence Latorre presented derives from email messages provided by sensitive Colombian reporting. Embassy has reviewed evidence beyond what Latorre released to the public and agrees with the assessment that the information connects Martinez to Granda and implicates Granda and the FARC in supporting the kidnapping. End Comment. KEANE =======================CABLE ENDS============================