'Jorge 40' suspends collaboration with Colombian justice

[Judi Lynn]

'Jorge 40' suspends collaboration with Colombian justice
Monday, 06 September 2010 13:54 Adriaan Alsema

http://colombiareports.com.nyud.net:8090/pics/paramilitary/jorge40.jpg

Extradited paramilitary leader "Jorge 40" suspended all collaboration with Colombian justice until after his U.S. trial for drug charges.

The attorney of the former AUC leader informed Colombia's Supreme Court about the suspension. The Court is investigating Jorge 40's ties to numerous former congressmen who were part of the coalition of parties under the two administrations under Alvaro Uribe between 2002 and 2010.

In August, the extradited paramilitary leader suspended his testimonies in trials of so-called "parapoliticians" because of alleged threats against his family, and is now considering completely ending his collaboration.

Jorge 40, whose real name is Rodrigo Tovar Pupo, is talking part in the "Justice and Peace" process, which seeks confessions of crimes committed by the paramilitary AUC and the reparation of the tens of thousands of victims of paramilitary violence.

Uribe extradited fourteen of the AUC's most prominent leaders in May 2008, against the will of the Colombian Supreme Court. The government's decision was heavily criticized by human rights groups that claim that the Uribe administration was trying to avoid the numerous links between politicians and the death squads becoming public.

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/11692-jorge-40-suspends-collaboration-with-colombian-justice.html