"Don Berna" Stays in Detention: Extradition

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