Generals implicated in journalist’s murder

[gbscar]

Generals implicated in journalist’s murder
Wednesday, 10 August 2011 15:23
James Bargent

Lawyers representing the family of Jaime Garzon have implicated top Colombian generals in the journalist and comedian’s murder in 1999 as they make their case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Rafael Barrios presented the commission with the content of a recording from declassified US intelligence archives in which General Rito Alejo, then commander of the 17th brigade, expressed his irritation with Garzon’s efforts to facilitate the release of guerrilla hostages.

Barrios went on to state that the national army, then headed by general Jorge Enrique Mora Rangel, ordered the late AUC leader Carlos Castaño to assassinate Garzon, although, as Castaño claimed when he was alive – this was a mistake.

The Jose Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective is currently presenting evidence to the commission, which will decide whether to take up the case with the Colombian government.

In June, former head of the Colombian intelligence agency DAS, Jose Miguel Narvaez, was called to court to answer allegations that he was involved in the assassination.

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http://www.colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/18234-generals-implicated-in-journalists-murder.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. It's doubtful we've ever had anyone even remotely close to the kind of courage and intelligence

involved in performances like Jaime Garzon's. He's the only actual performer I've ever heard of who has actually been assassinated because he got on the wrong side of the government. Astonishing.

http://i.ytimg.com.nyud.net:8090/vi/U6VQSbbJQjM/0.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_QvSAXB0Qr6I/Sn8-WxWIVDI/AAAAAAAAAvc/Zjjvb5uL1nE/s400/Jaime+garzon.gif

http://farm3.static.flickr.com.nyud.net:8090/2390/2145258582_23da218749.jpg http://www.jetset.com.co.nyud.net:8090/photos/1%5CImgArticulo_T1_1092_2008813_183647.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_XtSY4QpfFcM/TGR6qZ7mFNI/AAAAAAAAAbo/0mEdJcbsU4o/s1600/ImgArticulo_T1_58628_20081220_175334.jpg
From his Wikipedia:

~snip~
Peace activist

~snip~
On May 25, 1999, Senator Piedad Córdoba was kidnapped by the Paramilitary group of Carlos Castaño and she was accused by him of being a collaborator of the guerrilla.<13> According with Senator Córdoba, Castaño mentioned also Jaime Garzón. Once she was released, she met the journalist and warned him of the danger.<14>

The participation in the process of the FARC's hostages releases and the intention to promote a dialogue of peace, brought him many threats, but the most noticeable was that of the Paramilitary chief Carlos Castaño.<11>

Murder

On Tuesday, August 10, 1999, Garzón visited the Paramilitary leader Ángel Gaitán Mahecha, who was in the Modelo Prison in Bogotá with the intention to arrange a meeting with Carlos Castaño. The meeting should be done for August 14 in the Córdoba Department.<11>

On Wednesday August 11 Garzón said to his wife and a makeup artist that he was going to be killed the next day.<11>

On Friday August 13, at 5:45, local time, journalist Jaime Garzón was approaching the Radionet's station in his gray Jeep Cherokee.<15> When he was turning toward the south coming from the 26th Street in the Barrio Quinta Paredes sector (streets 22F with 42B), in front of Corferias, two men riding a high velocity white motorcycle with hidden plates<15> approached to the car and calling his name, shot him five times. He was 38 years old.<11>

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaime_Garz%C3%B3n

http://static2.elespectador.com.nyud.net:8090/files/images/mar2009/9b5a9bb80854a66266ee9e6a688c4e53.jpg