SECURITY FORCES GOING AFTER EX-PARAMILITARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 009381

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2026
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: SECURITY FORCES GOING AFTER EX-PARAMILITARY
LEADERS; VERSION LIBRES UNLIKELY TO START UNTIL
MID-NOVEMBER

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

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Minister of Defense Santos said on October 10 that
the time for the remaining ex-para leaders to turn themselves
in was overdue. President Uribe authorized a USD 40,000
reward for anyone who had information on Castano's location.
Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo told the Ambassador
on October 9 the GOC security forces are looking for Castano,
but doubted they will find him anytime soon. Meanwhile,
Justice and Peace Law (JPL) Unit chief Luis Gonzalez told us
October 5 that the Prosecutor General's Office (Fiscalia)
plans to begin taking version libre interviews in
mid-November. Of the 2,695 former paras on the JPL lists
submitted by the GOC to the Fiscalia, only five have thus far
ratified their intent to be processed under JPL. Moreover,
the Fiscalia--due to para intimidation of local
prosecutors--does not have criminal charges or investigations
pending against several para leaders. End summary.

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PUBLIC FORCES AFTER PARA LEADERS STILL AT-LARGE
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2. (C) Minister of Defense Santos said on October 10 that
the time for the remaining ex-para leaders to turn themselves
in was overdue. President Uribe authorized on October 10 a
USD 40,000 reward for anyone who had information on Castano's
location. Restrepo told the Ambassador on October 9 that he
no longer thinks it is possible to persuade Castano to
surrender voluntarily. He said the GOC had cancelled the
orders suspending the arrest warrants against Vicente Castano
and the other ex-paras who remain at large. Still, Restrepo
doubted the public forces have the capacity to locate and
detain these former para leaders any time soon. Police
Intelligence analysts said on October 4 the police were
looking for the paramilitary leaders that are at large,
including Castano, Pedro Oliviero (AKA "Cuchillo,") Hebert
Veloza (AKA "Hernan Hernandez,") and Miguel and Victor Mejia
(AKA "Los Mellizos.") They had captured paramilitary
representative member Nodier Giraldo (AKA "El Cabezon,") who
was located in Bolivar Department, last week.


3. (C) El Tiempo reported on October 6 that twelve
paramilitary leaders continue to insist that they would not
surrender until the GOC offered greater judicial guarantees,
including no extradition. From a clandestine location,
Vicente Castano told Semana Magazine on October 5 he had two
demands before he would turn himself in: 1)the GOC must sign
a final peace accord that certifies all the points were
agreed upon during the peace negotiation; and 2) the accord
must be signed by a guarantor commission that will verify
that the agreement is fulfilled. He also said he would be
willing to negotiate an agreement with the USG.

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RATIFICATIONS SLOW IN COMING
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4. (C) Only five of 2,695 demobilized paramilitaries on the
JPL list have "ratified" their intent to be processed under
the JPL or 975 Law, as required by Decree 2898. The decree
states that paras on the JPL list had six months from August
29, when Decree 2898 was issued, to "ratify" their intention
to participate in JPL. Of the five paras that have ratified
their intention so far, three made their petition public:
paramilitary representative member Salvatore Mancuso, and
para leaders Juan Francisco Prada (AKA "Juancho") and Wilson
Salazar (AKA "El Loro.")


5. (C) JPL Unit Chief Gonzalez explained the purpose of the
ratification process was to allow sequencing of the list of


2,695 names make it more manageable. Thus far, at least 60
demobilized paras have told the Fiscalia they do not wish to
be on the JPL lists. He suspected that at least 500 of the
ex-paras currently on the JPL list would ask to be removed.
Gonzalez said those who do not ratify their intent to be
processed under JPL will instead be required to comply with
the "version libre" requirement of the 782 Law.

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VICTIMS MUST BE NOTIFIED FIRST
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6. (C) Gonzalez said the Fiscalia must notify potential
victims before starting the version libre process. He
estimated that it would take at least a month to inform the
victims in each case. The Fiscalia has begun the process of
notifying the victims of the three paramilitary members who
have "ratified" their intention to be subjected to 975. For
example, the Fiscalia has put ads all over Salvatore
Mancuso's area of influence encouraging victims to come
forward.


7. (C) Gonzalez complained the National Reconciliation and
Reparations Commission (CNRR) and the Public Ministry have
been unresponsive to the Fiscalia's call to assist in
reaching out to victims. He said the Fiscalia does not have
the financial resources or the manpower to identify and
convince victims to participate in the process. It is going
to be very expensive to go through this process for each
individual case, but he recognized it must be done. Gonzalez
asked the U.S. to help set up two call centers to advise
victims on how to participate and to educate GOC officials in
the field on the process.


8. (C) In addition to reaching out to the victims, the
Fiscalia is also trying to construct secure facilities for
the taking of version libres. They have to create separate,
secure rooms where the victims will be able to watch the
process through close-circuit television. Gonzalez estimated
the first version libre would not occur until mid-November.

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MORE "CHEPES" TO COME?
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9. (C) The press reported on October 5 that ex-chief of the
South Magdalena Bloc and para representative Jose Maria
Barrera (AKA "Chepe") had been released from La Ceja because
he faces no pending criminal charges. Chepe also does not
show up in the list of 2,695 paras seeking JPL benefits that
the GOC sent to the Fiscalia. The MAPP/OAS representative
told us they were surprised the Fiscalia did not have charges
against Chepe, since the GOC released him from jail to
participate in his group's demobilization in December 2005.
Gonzalez said that since Chepe is not on the JPL list,
criminal charges could be brought against him as part of an
ordinary Fiscalia investigation. Still, in such an event, he
said Chepe could still seek JPL benefits. There is no
deadline by which paramilitaries must apply for JPL benefits
or be subject to the regular justice system.


10. (C) Gonzalez warned that of the 2,695 former paras on
the JPL lists, only 286 face pending investigations or
charges. Moreover, of the 30 paramilitaries leaders who are
being held at La Ceja, 17 do not have arrest warrants. These
17 leaders could leave La Ceja at any time, because they are
there "voluntarily." The 17 includes Edward Cobos (AKA
"Diego Vecino") and Fredy Rendon (AKA "El Aleman"). He
explained that the Fiscalia could not issue arrest warrants
without evidence. He complained, however, that local
fiscales have more than enough information to charge these
individuals, but are afraid to do so.
WOOD