Ex-Colombian spy chief sentenced to 24 years for paramilitary links

[Judi Lynn]

Ex-Colombian spy chief sentenced to 24 years for paramilitary links
Wednesday, 14 September 2011 09:29
James Bargent

The Supreme Court has sentenced ex-DAS director Jorge Noguera Cotes to 24 years in prison for criminal conspiracy and illegal use of privileged information.

Colombian media reported on Wednesday that the court ruled Noguera Cotes was responsible for paramilitary infiltration of the Colombian intelligence agency DAS.

He was held responsible for the murder of university professor Alfredo Correa de Andreis who was assassinated after Noguera Cotes passed information about the academic to paramilitaries.

The former DAS chief was also implicated in the disappearance of a number of unionists.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/18970-ex-das-chief-sentenced-to-24-years-for-paramilitary-links.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Jorge Noguera, Colombia's Domestic Intelligence Chief, Convicted Of Criminal Conspiracy

Jorge Noguera, Colombia's Domestic Intelligence Chief, Convicted Of Criminal Conspiracy
By LIBARDO CARDONA 09/14/11 01:47 PM ET

BOGOTA, Colombia -- Colombia's Supreme Court convicted a former director of the country's domestic intelligence agency Wednesday of criminal conspiracy for colluding with illegal far-right militias, sentencing him to 25 years in prison.

Jorge Noguera was chief of the country's Administrative Department of Security, known as the DAS, under former President Alvaro Uribe from 2002 to 2005. Prosecutors tried him in connection with the killing of leftist activists and labor union leaders and said he had shared lists of the activists with right-wing death squads. The court announced its verdict Wednesday but didn't release a written decision.

Noguera resigned from the DAS in 2005 amid reports that the agency was infiltrated by the illegal militias, known as paramilitaries. Shortly after his resignation, Uribe stirred more criticism by appointing Noguera as Colombia's consul-general in Milan, Italy.

The conviction tightens pressure on Uribe, who has steadfastedly defended his former spy chief while watching other allies come under legal scrutiny.

More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/14/jorge-noguera-conviction-colombia_n_962550.html

[gbscar]

2. Uribe apologizes for supporting ex-DAS leader

Uribe apologizes for supporting ex-DAS leader
Wednesday, 14 September 2011 13:31
Alice Boyd

<...>

The ex-president made the apology after hearing that the former DAS head official had been sentenced to 24 years in prison for criminal conspiracy and illegal use of privileged information. Uribe apologized via Twitter where he said, "I appointed Jorge Noguera for his resume and for his family, I trusted him, it hurts me if he had committed crimes and I apologize to the citizenry."

<...>

http://www.colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/18982-uribe-apologizes-for-supporting-ex-das-leader.html

Comment:

...I don't know whether to laugh, cry or feel insulted.

Perhaps all of the above? Yes, that's it.