Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04BOGOTA12275
2004-12-01 16:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:  

FISCALIA INVESTIGATES TAOIST COMMUNITY IN

Tags:  PHUM KIRF PGOV KJUS CASC CO 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 012275 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/AND, DRL/IRF, DRL/PHD, DS/DSS/ITA, AND
CA/OSC/ACS/WHA - JNYSTROM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2014
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PGOV KJUS CASC CO
SUBJECT: FISCALIA INVESTIGATES TAOIST COMMUNITY IN
SANTANDER DEPARTMENT

Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 012275

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/AND, DRL/IRF, DRL/PHD, DS/DSS/ITA, AND
CA/OSC/ACS/WHA - JNYSTROM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2014
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PGOV KJUS CASC CO
SUBJECT: FISCALIA INVESTIGATES TAOIST COMMUNITY IN
SANTANDER DEPARTMENT

Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: On November 25, officials from the Office of
the Prosecutor General ("Fiscalia") raided a Taoist commune
located in a remote region of Santander Department to
investigate allegations that the commune's leadership was
involved in opium production and kidnapping. The allegations
were raised by eight former commune members, four of whom
have been murdered in recent months. Authorities entered the
commune with arrest warrants for twelve commune members and
are investigating possible involvement of commune leaders in
the murders of the four informants. Commune leaders have
denied any wrongdoing and allege the raid was part of a
larger GOC plot to close down the commune. International Red
Cross (ICRC) representatives departed the scene on November
29 after determining no violation of international
humanitarian law had been committed. Although commune
leaders say many residents are foreigners, post has been
unable to verify whether any U.S. citizens are present. End
Summary.


2. (U) On November 25, a team of Fiscalia prosecutors and
judicial investigators -- accompanied by approximately 400
personnel from the Colombian National Police (CNP),Colombian
Army (COLAR),Department of Administrative Security (DAS),
and Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) -- raided
the Templo Vegetal Sakroakuarius, a Taoist commune located in
rural Taladro municipality, Santander Department. The raid
was based on information provided by eight former commune
members alleging the commune's leadership was engaged in
illegal activities, including opium production and
kidnapping. Some informants alleged the commune holds some
residents there against their will. According to media
reports, four of the eight informants have been murdered by
hitmen in the past three months. The remaining four have
been placed in the Fiscalia's witness protection program.


3. (U) Prosecutors entered the commune compound, located in a
remote, mountainous area, with arrest warrants for twelve
commune members charged with possession of illegal arms and
kidnapping. (None of the twelve were present when the
prosecutors arrived.) Two of the informants -- wearing hoods
to protect their identities -- accompanied prosecutors.
According to media reports, the Fiscalia confiscated four
grenades, ten radios, vehicles with foreign license plates,
and three motorcycles. In a press interview, General
Hipolito Herrera told reporters the police are investigating
whether the commune's leadership ordered the murders of the
four informants. Post has not yet been able to confirm this
information with the Fiscalia. The commune's leadership has
repeatedly denied any involvement in kidnapping, narcotics
trafficking, or other illegal activities.


4. (C) The commune's leadership claims the Fiscalia's raid is
part of a larger plot designed to close down the commune and
has alleged that COLAR personnel have forced more than 200
families to evacuate the compound. The community's isolation
in a region with a significant guerrilla presence makes it
difficult to gather accurate information. However, ICRC
representatives told us their personnel departed the area on
November 29 after determining the incident was out of ICRC's
jurisdiction because no violation of international
humanitarian law had been committed. The number of commune
residents is unknown. According to an urgent action e-mail
issued by commune leaders, the commune's members are citizens
of Colombia, the United States, and a number of Western
European and Latin American countries. Although ICRC
verified the presence of British and Salvadoran citizens,
post has been unable to confirm whether any U.S. citizens are
residents of the commune.

WOOD