(S/NF) ONGOING DAS SCANDAL (C-AL9-01286)

S E C R E T STATE 063862 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV CO SUBJECT: (S/NF) ONGOING DAS SCANDAL (C-AL9-01286) REF: A. BOGOTA 000569 ¶B. BOGOTA 000688 ¶C. BOGOTA 003888 ¶D. BOGOTA 001624 ¶E. BOGOTA 001618 ¶F. BOGOTA 001506 ¶G. BOGOTA 001412 ¶H. BOGOTA 001252 ¶I. BOGOTA 000849 Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS WISH TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO EMBASSY BOGOTA FOR ITS INSIGHTFUL COVERAGE SINCE THE DAS ILLEGAL SURVEILLANCE SCANDAL LAST OCTOBER. INFORMATION FROM REFS HAS BEEN USED IN FINISHED INTELLIGENCE PRODUCTS, AS WELL AS IN BRIEFINGS FOR SENIOR US POLICYMAKERS. THE ONGOING SCANDAL AND ITS POTENTIAL TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT EFFORTS TO ALLOW PRESIDENT URIBE TO RUN FOR A THIRD TERM IN 2010 CONTINUE TO RECEIVE ATTENTION IN WASHINGTON, AND FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION TO ANSWER SOME OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WOULD BE MOST APPRECIATED, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. ¶A. (C/NF) DOES ATTORNEY GENERAL ORDONEZ PLAN TO CONTINUE WITH THE HEAVY PROSECUTION OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THIS SCANDAL AFTER IGUARAN DEPARTS? HOW DOES ORDONEZ VIEW POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS FOR IGUARAN? WHAT IS ORDONEZ'S RELATIONSHIP WITH URIBE AND CLOSE URIBE ADVISERS LIKE MORENO AND OBDULIO GAVIRIA? ¶B. (C/NF) WHO ARE URIBE'S TOP CHOICES FOR PROSECUTOR GENERAL AND WHY? WHY DOES URIBE VIEW FORMER OAS REPRESENTATIVE CAMILO OSPINA AS A TOP CHOICE? ¶C. (C/NF) PER BOGOTA 001252, HAS THERE BEEN ANY PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING NEW INTELLIGENCE LAW 1288, OR IS IT HELD UP IN BUREAUCRATIC WRANGLING? ANALYSTS CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS STORY VIA OPEN SOURCES, BUT ALWAYS APPRECIATE POST'S INSIGHTS. HOW DOES THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION, PARTICULARLY THE ALTERNATIVE DEMOCRATIC POLE (PDA) AND SENATOR GUSTAVO PETRO, PLAN TO USE THE DAS SPYING SCANDAL TO ITS ADVANTAGE LOOKING TOWARD THE 2010 ELECTION? ¶D. (C/NF) WHERE DO THE NATIONAL ELECTORAL COUNCIL AND THE PROSECUTOR GENERAL'S INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE 2008 SIGNATURE DRIVE FOR THE REFERENDUM BILL STAND? ARE THE INVESTIGATIONS LIKELY TO BE CONCLUDED BEFORE THE REFERENDUM IS DECIDED UPON IN CONGRESS? ARE THERE ANY IMPEDIMENTS FROM THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OR OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES TO THE INVESTIGATIONS? ARE ALL OF THE WITNESSES, INCLUDING FORMER KEY REFERENDUM PROMOTER LUIS GUILLERMO GIRALDO, COOPERATING? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-AL9-01286 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON