SENIOR FARC LEADER SIMON TRINIDAD IN CUSTODY: GOC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 000085

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/06/2014
TAGS: PTER PREL PHUM PINR PINS MOPS CO FARC
SUBJECT: SENIOR FARC LEADER SIMON TRINIDAD IN CUSTODY: GOC
INTEREST IN EXTRADITION TO THE U.S.

Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons 1.5 (b)
and (d)


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Summary
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1. (C) On January 2, Ecuadorian authorities arrested Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) commander Ricardo Ovidio Palmera Pineda
alias "Simon Trinidad." He is now in Colombia, where he faces over 50
counts of terrorism and other serious crimes. Palmera, who played a ke
role in managing FARC finances and is implicated in several high-profil
terrorist incidents, is the highest-ranking FARC commander ever to be
captured. His capture is a major political victory for President Uribe
and demonstrates the importance of effective security cooperation
between Colombia and its neighbors. The GOC would like to extradite
Palmera to the U.S. End Summary.

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Ecuador-Colombian Cooperation
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2. (C) On January 2, Ecuadorian authorities arrested Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) commander Ricardo Ovidio Palmera Pineda
alias "Simon Trinidad," in a popular tourist district of Quito. Palmer
was allegedly in Quito to receive treatment for prostate cancer. The
Ecuadorian National Police (ENP) had been tracking his movements for
several weeks. After appearing before an Ecuadorian judge, Palmera was
turned over to Colombian authorities and transported to Bogota, where
he faces a total of 59 charges of terrorism, kidnapping, and drug
trafficking. The GOC was fully aware of the Ecuadorian operation and,
prior to the arrest, provided Ecuadorian officials with a positive
identification of Palmera. Contrary to press reports, an informant did
not provide Colombian military authorities with information on
Palmera's whereabouts; the ENP planned most of the operation
independently of Colombian authorities.

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Who is "Simon Trinidad"?
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3. (C) Palmera, more commonly known as "Simon Trinidad," is the most
senior FARC commander ever captured. Although not a member of the
seven-member FARC Secretariat, Palmera was an influential member of the
FARC's General Staff ("Estado Mayor"),a decision-making body ranking
directly below the Secretariat that administers most of the FARC's
political, strategic, and operational activities. Palmera -- who holds
a university degree in economics and hails from a wealthy
cattle-ranching family in the department of Cesar -- helped manage FARC
finances and drug trafficking operations.


4. (C) Palmera is believed to have been directly involved in several
high profile terrorist incidents, including the kidnapping and murder o
former Minister of Culture Consuelo Araujo in September 2001 and the
deaths in May 2002 of over 100 civilians who took refuge in a church
during a clash between the FARC and paramilitary forces in the town of
Boyaja, Choco department. The 53-year-old Palmera has been an active
member of the FARC for nearly 20 years and gained public prominence fro
his role as a hard-nosed FARC negotiator during peace negotiations with
the government of President Andres Pastrana from 1998-2002. Palmera di
not play a major role in planning FARC combat operations; his absence i
unlikely to hurt the group's military capacity.

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Public Relations Coup
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5. (C) Palmera's capture is a political victory for Uribe, who has
publicly pledged to kill or capture leaders of Colombia's illegal armed
groups before the end of his term. Colombian media have touted the
arrest as the most important blow to the FARC in recent memory, and it
should temporarily satisfy the public's growing impatience to see the
GOC achieve a major victory against the insurgent group. Palmera's
arrest also demonstrates the importance of close security cooperation
between the GOC and officials in neighboring countries, where FARC
leaders often go for relaxation.

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Extradition
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6. (C) Senior GOC officials, including President Uribe, have asked that
the U.S. consider requesting the extradition of Palmera. They
obviously would prefer to see him secure in a U.S. jail than processed
in the sometimes unreliable Colombian judicial system. Their requests
have had a note of urgency to them. At this time, however, Palmera doe
not face criminal charges in the U.S. The Embassy is unaware of any
pending investigations against this well-known narco-terrorist by U.S.
law enforcement agencies.
WOOD