Colombian ambassador rejects accusation

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.- The Colombian ambassador in the Dominican Republic, retired general Mario Montoya Uribe, told reporters yesterday that there are no indications that in order to carry off "Operation Orion" he formed an alliance with a bloc of the Colombian United Selfdefenders (AUC) during which, according to the complaint, dozens of civilians disappeared in the hills of Medellin at the end of 2002.

The accusation was made by the former para-military chief Diego Fernando Murillo, alias "Don Berna", during testimony in a federal court in New York.

Using a communiqué issued by the embassy, Montoya said that "this operation permitted (us) to dismantle a large number of criminal gangs, belonging to the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), the National Liberation Army (ELN) and paramilitary groups"

The report said that an investigation made by the Attorney General of Colombia in March 2007 came to the conclusion that all of the procedures were carried out in fulfillment of the judicial protocols in effect and no indication or reason to begin a new investigation was found."

The leader of "Operation Checkmate", in which the famous FARC hostage, Ingrid Betancourt was liberated, said that "Orion" took place in 2002 with the participation of the Army, Police, the Prosecutor's office, the Attorney General and the Mayor's office of Medellin.

Montoya resigned his post as Commandant of the Colombian Army on 4 November 2008, in the middle of scandals that compromised high ranking officers with the execution of innocent civilians.

Montoya met yesterday for more than an hour with the Minister of the Armed Forces, Rafael Pena Antonio

Both at his arrival and at his departure, the diplomat refused to speak on the accusation and referred the DL reporter to the official communiqué.

Diario Libre