Colombian paramilitary leader escapes assassination attempt by comrades-in

[Judi Lynn]

Colombian paramilitary leader escapes assassination attempt by comrades-in-arms
Last Update: 4/20/2004 5:22:27 PM


BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Hunted by an assassination squad, a founder of Colombia's right-wing paramilitary movement was on the run Tuesday in a remote corner of the country after members of his own group stripped him of power and allegedly turned on him.

Assistant Attorney General Andres Ramirez said rival factions of the feared paramilitary forces appear to be behind the attempt to kill Carlos Castano, a well-known figure who has waged a brutal war against leftist rebels.

On Friday, paramilitary gunmen attacked a ranch in the humid lowlands of northwestern Colombia where Castano was hiding out, killing at least six of his bodyguards, Ramirez said, citing an witness.
(snip)

Castano himself is wanted in the United States for trafficking tons of cocaine to American shores. Fellow paramilitary leaders apparently suspected he sought to cut a deal and identify other paramilitary members involved in drug trafficking in exchange for leniency.
(snip/...)

http://www.wtev.com/news/world/story.aspx?content_id=2AF9EBE3-1239-48F3-AAED-2356DE7A4134

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Colombia is the U.S. taxpayers' third largest foreign aid recipient, following Israel and Egypt.

[bobthedrummer]

1. Some of these guys were trained at SOA, they call labor "terrorists"

in Colombia and they torture, rape and murder innocent Colombian workers.
http://www.populist.com/02.7.Hirsch.html

[Judi Lynn]

2. Your article is so worth reading. I'm saving it.

A few of us know a man from Colombia who has told us about these particular ways of dealing with union members, leftists, alleged leftists, clergy, etc., etc. there.

The entire article you provided should really be studied. It's easier to pretend these things don't matter, that it has nothing to do with us, but that would be wrong. It has EVERYTHING to do with us. We are supporting these events through our heavy financing of the right-wing government and their OF COURSE close association with the right wing paramilitaries, for whom Uribe just asked amnesty.

Amazing to learn that 49% of usuable land in Colombia is owned by the big landowners, and that only a few families actually run everything. This is deeply wrong, no matter how many Republicans pitch fits in the defense of "every man for himself." It's WRONG.

Uribe is wrong, the paramilitary death squads are wrong, torture is wrong, and _Bush's enthusiastic support of Uribe, and recent shipment of MORE fighter planes and tanks is wrong.