Former DAS chief (Hurtado) flees Colombia

[rabs]

Maria del Pilar Hurtado showed up yesterday (Thursday) in Panama and requested political asylum. The Panama government is studing the request and it will be a few days before decision is announced.

Frantic uribistas in Colombia are already talking about demanding her extradition back to Bogota, because they know how explosive her testimony about the DAS scandals can result, and in the end implicate uribito.

The attorney general today said she was investigation for "common crimes (the DAS scandal) and not for political reasons, which would be the basis for the extradition.

This is big, big news in Bogota at the moment. Stay tuned.

[rabs]

1. Well, well, Panama has granted her political asylum

According to Spanish news agency EFE it is a done deal.

If so, this is probably the world's fastest granting of asylum. She requested it yesterday, and 24 hours later the government of right-winger President Ricardo Martinelli said "okay."

At first it looked like this would be a threat to uribito. Now, it looks like the fix was in to spirit her out of the country to PREVENT her from giving testimony that could implicate uribito directly in the DAS scandal.

This whole affair is weird, and it will take some time for El Espectador, Semana and others to get the real story behind it. Meantime, Santos has said nothing up to now.

(Spanish, El Espectador)

http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/judicial/articulo-235672-panama-concede-asilo-maria-del-pilar-hurtado

[Judi Lynn]

2. So right it's wierd! She bolted to avoid the law. Panama protects her?

This article agrees:

Former Head of DAS Seeks Asylum in Panama
By Steven L. Taylor

~snip~
Panama’s move has caused outrage in Colombia.

As, quite frankly, it should. It strikes me as an odd move by the Panamanian government:

The president of Colombia’s Supreme Court, Jaime Arrubla – who was himself a victim of illegal wiretaps by the DAS – expressed surprise at the decision.

It adds:

According to El Tiempo, six others are likewise seeking asylum: Otros seis ex funcionarios en buscando asilo: Mininterior.

http://www.poliblogger.com/?p=19471

The linked "El Tiempo" article, google translation:

Santos complained that Panama has not reported the asylum
By: EDITORIAL JUSTICE-Con EFE | 9:19 a.m. | November 19, 2010

He said then that Maria del Pilar Hurtado, former director of DAS, to seek asylum by a fear.
The president recalled that, Maria del Pilar Hurtado applied for asylum by a fear for personal safety, she had security scheme and the state is in total ability to provide that security.

"Over that we just want to say that, just as he said yesterday (Friday) the Foreign Minister, in Panama we have the best relationship, including a personal friendship. And of course we'll continue this great relationship. And we respect, as our duty, as has been our policy, autonomous and sovereign decision of each country. But we would have liked, precisely because of our friendship that we had been informed. Because it's common courtesy among friends who become informed about these events " Santos explained.

In speaking from Barranquilla, the president added that "in this case was applied for asylum by a fear for personal safety of the former director of DAS. In that sense we must report that she had a security scheme DAS itself. And that the Colombian State and the security forces are able to assure her and other Colombians their personal safety, if you really think you are in danger. "

More:
http://www.eltiempo.com/justicia/panama-concedio-asilo-a-maria-del-pilar-hurtado_8397380-4

[rabs]

3. It is very odd

A communique issued yesterday by the Panama Foreign Ministry said Hurtado had been granted "territorial asylum," of which I had never heard, and that there was "reason to think that her life was in danger" in Colombia. At first it was reported as "political asylum," then it changed to "territorial asylum" in the "interests of social and political stability" in the region.

Which does not make any sense to me, because why would the investigation of Hurtado cause any "social and political" instability in the region??

The interior minister, Vargas LLeras (who himself was a target of the DAS wiretaps) said that another six former top DAS officials who are under investigation were also planning to seek asylum as well.

There was a protest by dozens of people yesterday in front of the Panamanian Embassy in Bogota with people saying that Panama had granted asylum to a perpetrator of crimes, not the victims of those crimes.

This seems to have taken Santos by complete surprise so it looks like the uribistas did an end run around Santos. It may be a ploy by uribe to hit back at Santos for his fixing things with Hugo and dropping the idea of pursuing the U.S. seven bases in the Colombian Congress.

In Colombia there is speculation that this was a deal between rightwinger Martinelli and uribe. Don't know what Martinelli gets (maybe a million or more bucks). uribe, he gets impunity because Hurtado will not now have to testify about whether the DAS scandal was linked directly to uribe.

The Santos government yesterday was talking about seeking Hurtado's extradition but it now looks like Panama would not comply.

It will be a few days before the dust settles and more is known of how and why this came about.

[Peace Patriot]

4. Did you ever think of whose technical assistance might have been provided for the spying?

Dyncorp, the Pentagon, the CIA, Rumsfeld's "Office of Special Plans"-in-exile? Somebody brought high tech spying to bear on Raul Reyes and the 25 sleeping campers back in 2008, for pinpoint dropping of U.S. 500 lb "smart bombs," and again on the Ingrid Betancourt rescue--about which I read somewhere that Brownfield, Uribe and gang were watching the whole thing LIVE in the U.S. embassy's "war room." They were probably watching the bombs fall from there as well. And I think that this high tech spying capability has also been used recently for blowing FARC guerrillas to kingdom come. Since the Ecuador bomber probably flew out of the U.S. military base at Manta, Ecuador, run by Dyncorp--before Correa tossed it out of the country--Dyncorp comes under suspicion as to spying technology.

Also, the "miracle laptops" sounded like a CIA or Rumsfeld OSP operation. Remember that Rumsfeld published an op-ed in the WaPo on 12/1/07, stating that Chavez's help with hostage releases was "not welcome in Colombia," though it was just days before. Uribe's withdrawal of his request to Chavez to help with FARC hostage negotiations occurred two days before the first Chavez-negotiated hostages were to be released, and seemed coordinated with Rumsfeld's op-ed. The Colombian military then sent rocket fire at those hostages, as they were on route to their freedom. This led me to surmise, initially, that the whole thing was a treacherous plot to hand Chavez a diplomatic disaster, with dead hostages. But, later, when they blew Reyes away, and "found" the "miracle laptop" (later, laptopS), which they used to accuse Chavez of being a "terrorist lover" cuz of his contacts with the FARC, this deeper plot emerged, to concoct evidence against Chavez (also Rafael Correa and others). And THAT--the "miracle laptopS"--is a Rumsfeld OSP specialty--creating false evidence (as with the WMDs in Iraq).

The Pentagon has some 1,500 U.S. military personnel and U.S. military 'contractors' (that we know about) in Colombia, one of whose main missions is "training" the Colombian military and providing technical assistance. What if the Bushwhacks--who were spying on EVERYBODY here--authorized somebody here to help Uribe spy on everybody, too!

Which brings me round to Hurtado and these bizarre goings on with her "asylum" in Panama (with others in the spy ring to follow, apparently). This could merely point to Uribe as a CIA "made man." He is under their protection--so they've pulled strings with a U.S. client state, Panama, to get this important witness against him out of the hands of Colombian prosecutors. But why would Uribe be so special to them? In Vietnam, for instance, they just had Diem executed when he became inconvenient. What would be their motive for such extraordinary protection of Uribe?

i've had the spooky feeling for a long time that certain things we've seen happen in both Colombia and the U.S.--such as the Brownfield/Uribe midnight extradition of death squad witnesses, and their 'burial' in the U.S. prison system--out of the reach of Colombian prosecutors and over their vociferous objections--by completely sealing their cases in U.S. federal court in Washington DC, and the secretly negotiated, secretly signed U.S./Colombia military agreement, last year, granting "total diplomatic immunity" to all U.S. military personnel and all U.S. military 'contractors' in Colombia--have had to do with Bushwhack authorized war crimes in Colombia. When the State Department recently "fined" Blackwater for "unauthorized" "trainings" of "foreign persons" IN COLOMBIA "for use in Iraq and Afghanistan," I figured Blackwater was training assassins in Colombia--probably using poor peasants for shooting practice--and the "fine" and the statement that these "trainings" were "unauthorized" was part of the cover up. Who would have been the Bushwhack operative in Colombia making this happen? Uribe.

That may still be true, but perhaps there is something else--spying. Military or CIA or OSP technical assistance to Uribe for spying on everybody--judges, prosecutors, political opponents, trade unionists. (Uribe said that everyone who opposed him is a "terrorist.")

NOW we have two possible MOTIVES for special protection for Uribe: He knows who said what and who authorized what, with regard to Blackwater's "unauthorized" "trainings," and he knows who provided the technical expertise for pervasive spying in Colombia (--which are probably related--spying on people, who then got targeted for death threats or murder.) CIA Director Panetta is a Daddy Bush pal (member of his Iraq Study Group). I think one of his missions is keeping Junior out of the World Court (and a number of other courts, for that matter). Uribe's got him over a barrel. He's got the goods on Junior and he has to be either coddled or assassinated. But as Junior's pal, he can't be assassinated. So, a) they've given him protection in the U.S. at Georgetown and Harvard and a prestigious appointment to an international legal commission, and b) they are arranging, one by one, to have any witnesses to his many crimes in Colombia removed, disabled, extradited, given asylum in a U.S. client state.

This is a whole lot of speculation, I know. But this Panama thing is indicating HIGH PLACED INTEREST in witnesses against Uribe (as did those midnight extraditions of death squad witnesses). Why would Panama go along with such a thing, unless they were TOLD they had to? It could be Uribe bribery. But I'm thinking it's more than this. This is just too much. This is going to cause all kinds of diplomatic and political trouble for Panama. This is a NO-NO. Respecting each other's legal systems is A HIGHLY IMPORTANT issue among Latin American countries. This pissing on Colombia's prosecutors is very bad. When the U.S. did it--with the death squad extraditions--there was nothing anybody could do about it. But this is a brother country doing it! So I don't know if a bribe--even a big one--could bring it about. I think it had to have been dictated in Washington, likely at Langley--or at the very least permitted by the U.S. secret government.

A third motive, for special protection for Uribe, could be CIA drug operations or CIA/Bush Cartel drug operations--that is, Uribe is quite literally a "made man" in a mafia that has been giving the CIA and the Bush Cartel a revenue stream for a long time. This motive is, of course, harder to parse out. But we do need to ask: why this extraordinary effort to protect Uribe?

[rabs]

6. Here are the details

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Data about contractors in Colombia in 2009
Below is a list of private companies contracted by the U.S. State and Defense Departments in 2009 to carry out activities related to U.S. military and police aid to Colombia. The source is an annual report (4.78MB PDF file) required by section 694(b) of the 2003 Foreign Relations Authorization Act.

The report is worth a read. Colombia is the only country in the world for which Congress requires the U.S. government to list its military and police assistance contractors, the amounts each receives for its services, the nature of those services, and the risks to contract personnel. In our view, the report offers a degree of transparency – providing important information without jeopardizing personnel security – that should be applied to aid to other countries.

The total amount of funds contracted out in 2009 was US$216.7 million, significantly less than the US$309.6 million total in 2006, documented in the last version of this report that we obtained. This reflects an overall decline in military assistance to Colombia since that year, when such aid was near all-time highs.

1. Dyncorp International $96,800,000
2. Lockheed-Martin and subsidiaries $67,634,058
3. Telford Aviation $13,235,416
4. ARINC $13,175,215
5. DRS TAMSCO $5,783,455
6. Olgoonik $5,184,062
7. ManTech $3,679,508
8. ITT $2,472,797
9. PAE Government Services $2,139,575
10. Raytheon Technical Services $2,100,729
11. Northrop-Grumman Mission Systems $1,830,291
12. CSC $1,389,461
13. CACI $1,031,094
14. J&J Maintenance Colombia $451,852
Total $216,907,513

By Adam Isacson at 11/18/2010 - 18:15 Colombia Contractors U.S. Aid Adam Isacson's blog Login or register to post comments military and police contractors
The US government is spending million of dollars for military operations and police securities. They are one of the most powerful and advanced team in terms of facilities, training and intelligence all over the continent and worldwide. They must ensure that these funds will go through legal operations and not on the illegal ones. There are lots of threats of terrorism that the military force has to answer so they better move fast and act wise.


http://justf.org/blog/2010/11/18/data-about-contractors-colombia-2009?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JustTheFactsBlogs+%28Just+the+Facts+blogs%29

---------

The pdf file in the article has a breakdown of services the contractors provide. They are mostly high-tech electronic spying from the air, other intelligence providing and security. So yes, your suspicions about U.S. participation is right on.

As for Uribe, don't think the CIA has any control over him anymore, if it ever really had. He is out there doing his own thing and really muddying the waters:

-- He did not appear for deposition today in the Drummond-paramilitary case today in Washington.

-- He advised former DAS director Hurtado to seek asylum in Panama.

-- Relations between Colombia and Panama are dicey today. Colombia is contemplating a former protest. The Santos government was caught flat-footed by Panama's action and there is a general feeling of pissed-offedness in Bogota.

-- Panama today denied that it had granted asylum to six other former DAS officials.

-- Uribe today is in Honduras, where he will get some kind of medal from lobito. It could be that the DAS dudes under investigation and who may have also fled the country are in Honduras.


All of this is still breaking, so will be watching.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Colombian president reacts to Panama asylum decision

Colombian president reacts to Panama asylum decision

Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos said that he respects Panama's right to grant asylum to María del Pilar Hurtado, a former Colombian security official who is facing prosecution in that country.

Hurtado, who is facing prosecution on charges of illegally wiretapping conversations of government officials and journalists in Colombia, was granted asylum Friday by Panama.

"We respect, as it is our duty and policy, autonomous decisions by a sovereign country," said Santos.

In a statement on Colombian television, Santos added, however, that Panama should have consulted Colombian officials before making the decision.

http://mensual.prensa.com/mensual/contenido/2010/11/21/hoy/english/news_5415.asp

[Judi Lynn]

7. 'Uribe advised aide to seek asylum over wiretap scandal'

'Uribe advised aide to seek asylum over wiretap scandal'
Monday, 22 November 2010 11:56 Adriaan Alsema

Panama's decision to grant political asylum to a former director of Colombia's intelligence service DAS, who is under investigation for the illegal wiretapping of opponents of former President Alvaro Uribe, is leading to speculation that Uribe's closest aides are fleeing abroad to avoid incriminating their former boss.

According to Colombia's Interior and Justice Ministry, six suspects in the wiretap scandal have sought political asylum in Panama, but the Panamanian government denies this and says it has only received an extradition request from the former DAS director.

According to Noticias Uno director and Semana columnist Daniel Coronell, Del Pilar Hurtado told him personally that Uribe advised his former intelligence chief to consider seeking asylum.

In his weekly column in Semana, Coronell references "the close friendship Uribe has with the Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, and the businesses and frequent visits to that country of the sons of the former president."

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/13031-uribe-advised-aide-to-seek-asylum-over-wiretap-scandal.html

http://www.borev.net.nyud.net:8090/boyfriends.jpg http://realydad.blogdiario.com.nyud.net:8090/img/uribe.muerte.jpg

[Judi Lynn]

8. Here's some text by google translation taken from Colombian newspaper, "El Tiempo":

Asylum Maria del Pilar Hurtado complicates the President of Panama
By: Editorial eltiempo.com | 9:48 p.m. | November 22, 2010

Ricardo Martinelli resists rain of criticism from the Catholic Church and opposition in his country.

While in Colombia's attorney general, Guillermo Mendoza, still does not make decisions against former officials of the DAS in the case of 'pikes' (wiretaps trials) judges, politicians and journalists, President Ricardo Martinelli Panama faces a political storm grant asylum to Maria del Pilar Hurtado, Former director of intelligence agency. Even the Archbishop of Panama, José Domingo Ulloa, criticized the actions of Martinelli, who yesterday, through the Vice ministry, officially notified the asylum.

"It was a mistake, the Government has a duty to explain to the Panamanians reasons for this measure. It is contradictory and confusing, do not understand," said the prelate to broadcasters.

Meanwhile, former Panamanian Vice President Samuel Lewis Navarro said his country's law states clearly the justifications for giving asylum, and that the Hurtado case does not match the figure of "political persecution" of the applicant. To this was added Laurentino Cortizo opposition leader, who said it was "a great favor to him by the Government of Panama's former President Alvaro Uribe."

~snip~
Former President Uribe refused in Honduras, to make statements on the asylum Hurtado. "Another question" was the former president's response to a reporter.

More:
http://www.eltiempo.com/justicia/ARTICULO-WEB-NEW_NOTA_INTERIOR-8423541.html