Colombia general arrested, former army chief called for interrogation over killing civilians

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Colombia Reports

Colombia general arrested, former army chief called for interrogation over killing civilians
Posted by Stephen Gill on Mar 28, 2016



William Torres (L) and Mario Montoya

A Colombian army general was arrested Monday on charges he was implicated in the killing of dozens of civilians. The country’s former army chief was called in for interrogation facing similar charges.

General William Torres was arrested amid allegations of killing of two farmers in March 2007 in the central eastern province of Casanare, both of which were presented as combat casualties. The general is suspected of being complicit in the killing of some at least 60 civilians.

Daniel Torres and Julio Torres, father and son, were allegedly assassinated by soldiers in Aguazul, Casanare because they had denounced another extrajudicial execution in the area.

The men of 38 and 16 years presented as guerrillas killed in combat. According to Lt. Fabian Garcia who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the murder of a farmer in that region, Torres was fully aware of the practice of murdering and disguising peasants.

Read more: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-general-arrested-former-army-chief-called-interrogation-killing-civilians/

[Judi Lynn]

1. Colombia arrests army general decade after killing of civilians

Colombia arrests army general decade after killing of civilians

Henry Torres turns self in after order for arrest on homicide charges

Deaths of thousands of civilians were presented as killings of rebel fighters

Associated Press in Bogotá
Monday 28 March 2016 14.09 EDT

Colombia has arrested an army general for his role a decade ago in the killing of civilians presented as guerrillas killed in combat, the highest-ranking military officer to ever be detained for such crimes.

Gen Henry Torres, who currently holds an administrative position in the armed forces, turned himself in on Monday as soon as the arrest order on charges of homicide against him was issued.

The chief prosecutor’s office also announced it would seek the detention of retired Gen Mario Montoya, a close ally of former president Álvaro Uribe who headed the army when the so-called “false positives” scandal broke in 2008. The revelation that security forces killed thousands of civilians to inflate body counts on which bonuses and vacations were based tarnished the US-backed military but so far has led to only a handful of charges against high-ranking officers.

Torres’ arrest comes as a leading human rights group warned that a deal between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia to end the country’s decades-long conflict would allow top officers to escape jail time, or avoid prosecution altogether.

More:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/28/colombia-arrest-army-general-henry-torres-false-positives