GOC CLARIFIES PLAN TO USE RAUL REYES COMPUTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 001714 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018 TAGS: PREL PREF PTER PHUM CO SUBJECT: GOC CLARIFIES PLAN TO USE RAUL REYES COMPUTER INFORMATION Classified By: Ambassador William R. Brownfield Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Defense Minister Santos told the Ambassador on May 5 that the GOC appreciated U.S. efforts to safeguard information in the Raul Reyes computers. He said V/MOD Jaramillio is managing the GOC strategy to release the Reyes data, and is privately briefing select governments on the files. Once Interpol "certifies" the integrity of the Reyes' computers, the GOC plans to release most of the information, possibly to independent academics in Colombia, Europe, the United States or Canada. The GOC will withhold some information on Venezuela and Ecuador to use as leverage later. The Ambassador encouraged Santos to consider how the Reyes information will be integrated into the GOC's larger public diplomacy, media, political, and military efforts. Santos asked us to coordinate with Jaramillo on that effort. End Summary ¶2. (C) The Ambassador met privately with Defense Minister Santos on May 5 and noted that it had been nine weeks since the seizure of the Raul Reyes computers in his Ecuador camp. The Ambassador told Santos there is growing interest in Washington on what the GOC plans to do with the information in the computers, how it intends to do it, and whether the GOC has a comprehensive, integrated strategy. He added that we had not violated in any way their request not to release publicly contents of the computers without first consulting with the GOC. ¶3. (C) Santos said he appreciated U.S. efforts to safeguard the information, and told us he had asked President Uribe in April for guidance on exploiting the computers. Uribe authorized him to manage the process from the Defense Ministry. Santos said he gave the job to Vice MOD Sergio Jaramillo, subject to Santos' concurrence with all operational decisions. ¶4. (C) Santos outlined the GOC plan as follows: -- The GOC will wait for Interpol's "certification" that the computers have not been tampered with before releasing publicly any data. They expect that certification by mid-May. All signals they have received indicate Interpol will say there is no evidence the computers have been altered; --While waiting for Interpol action, V/MOD Jaramillo is providing specific Reyes' messages to selected media in Colombia, South America, North America, and Europe; --The releases are tied to specific themes: FARC and Chavez, FARC and Correa, FARC and drugs. The releases are not attributable to the GOC; --Jaramillo travels every week to brief select governments. He has already briefed the Mexicans and the Brazilians. He will brief the Chileans the week of May 5. Jaramillo plans to travel to Europe to brief UK, Spain, and maybe France later in May. Santos said both Mexico and Brazil seemed to be impressed with the material briefed to them; --Once Interpol issues its assurances, Santos said the GOC intends to release most of the data to a public source. The GOC will withhold selected data that might provide useful leverage with the Venezuelan or Ecuadorian Governments in the future. It will also retain some material that could create legal issues in Colombia were it to be released by the GOC. Still, Santos said he intends to release most of the computer data in a transparent manner; --The GOC is considering releasing the material to academics, perhaps one in Colombia, another in Europe, and a third in the U.S. or Canada--but has not reached a final decision. The idea would be to put it in the hands of respected independent actors who could respond to challenges from elsewhere in academia as to the validity and authenticity of the data. ¶5. (C) The Ambassador asked whether the GOC has developed a plan to integrate the material, and its release, into a broader public diplomacy, media, political, and military strategy. Santos said V/MOD Jaramillo is doing that, and suggested that we reach out to Jaramillo to discuss the broader strategic implications of the computer data. BROWNFIELD