Inspector General orders investigation of Uribe over wiretap scandal

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Colombia Reports

Inspector General orders investigation of Uribe over wiretap scandal
Monday, 07 November 2011 07:26
Toni Peters

Colombia's inspector general has ordered Congress to investigate former President Uribe for his role in the illegal wiretaps carried out by now defunct intelligence agency DAS, Noticias Uno reported Monday.

According to the newscast, Inspector General Alejandro Ordoñez issued the order after the defense of Marta Ines Leal Llanos, former sub-director of DAS, stated that she was only one link in the chain of command which started with former president Uribe.

Leal Llanos' defense said "She complied with what she was ordered to do by her superior who in turn did the same with an order from his superior and, through the chain of command in existence in the DAS, the order came from the president at the time, Alvaro Uribe Velez."

~snip~
The former intelligence agency spied on opposition politicians, magistrates, and journalists.


Read more: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/americas/news/article_1673759.php/Nicaraguan-opposition-rejects-Ortega-victory

[dipsydoodle]

1. Some background here

BOGOTA – An erstwhile high-ranking official of Colombia’s DAS security service said an ex-director of that entity ordered her to spy on opposition figures at the express request of former President Alvaro Uribe.

Caracol Radio reported on its Web site Saturday that DAS’s former deputy director of operations, Martha Ines Leal, said in a sworn statement to the Attorney General’s Office that ex-DAS director Andres Peñate ordered her to conduct covert surveillance on former Sen. Piedad Cordoba – known for brokering the release of hostages held by leftist rebels – concerning one of the leftist lawmaker’s trips to Mexico.

Peñate told Leal that that “information was requested by Alvaro Uribe” to try to demonstrate that “Cordoba had traveled to Mexico City for a meeting organized by that country’s Labor Party with funds provided by that same party” and not with “her own funds,” as the senator had said.

According to Caracol, it marks the first time a top ex-official of DAS has testified that former directors of that agency had asked for information at Uribe’s request.

http://laht.com/article.asp?CategoryId=12393&ArticleId=372459

K & R.