Colombia extradites top drug suspect to US

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Colombia extradites top drug suspect to US
December 12th, 2008 @ 9:21am
By CESAR GARCIA
Associated Press Writer

http://media.bonnint.net.nyud.net:8090/apimage/16c6abd6-3745-4e03-8dc7-7d6e4b0b46ec.jpg

Police officers escort Diego Montoya, center, known as
"Don Diego" before being extradited to U.S. at a military
airport in Bogota, Friday, Dec. 12, 2008. Montoya is
charged in two U.S. courts with drug trafficking, money
laundering and murder. Colombian authorities say he sent
tons of cocaine to the United States and is responsible
for at least 1,500 killing in a two-decade career. (AP
Photo/Fernado Vergara)

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Colombia extradited one of its most notorious reputed drug kingpins to the United States on Friday, sending Diego Montoya to face trial on drug trafficking, money laundering and murder charges.

When elite commandos captured him in September 2007 at a remote farmhouse, the man known as "Don Diego" was on the FBI's list of 10 most wanted fugitives, the last at-large "capo" of a major Colombian cartel.

~snip~
At the time of his capture. Montoya headed a private army of several hundred gunmen. He had remained a fugitive for years by paying off military and police officials.

Montoya, 47, was indicted in two U.S. courts _ southern Florida and District of Columbia. He sent tons of cocaine to the United States and is responsible for at least 1,500 killing in a two-decade career, Colombian officials say.





Read more: http://www.620ktar.com/?nid=46&sid=1007901

[Judi Lynn]

1. This man worked with members of the Colombian military. From October:

Two retired Colombian colonels sought for Trujillo Massacre
Wednesday, 01 October 2008 20:16

Two retired Colombian army colonels and eight other members of the armed forces are sought by the country’s Attorney general for allegedly killing approximately 200 civilians over eight years.

Between 1986 and 1994, in what is known as the Trujillo Massacre, residents of Trujillo and other communities were killed by what the attorney general called a “sinister alliance between the military, paramilitaries and narcotraffickers,” writes The Associated Press’ Spanish edition.

While the Associated Press reports 200 were killed, Caracol Radio states 107 were killed in the massacre and El Tiempo writes more than 200.

Ten civilians are also sought for their alleged participation in the massacre. All 19 remain fugitives, despite arrest orders being released more than a month ago, anonymous sources from the Human Rights Unit told the AP.

Aside from the two army colonels, the nineteen is made of ex-Public Forces members, ex-functionaries and ex-paramilitaries, reports Caracol Radio. Each is charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and murder.

Only two names were mentioned in the AP report: active colonel Wilfredo Ruiz Silva, who was a lieutenant at the time of the massacre, and retired coronel Hernán Contreras Peña, who was commander of the military unit near Trujillo at the time.

But Caracol Radio, citing judicial sources, names retired army major Alirio Antonio Urueña, retired lieutenant José Fernando Berrío—formerly commander of the Trujillo police station—and retired sergeant Aníbal Álvarez Hoyos, also a member of the town’s police station.

Narcotrafficker Henry Loaiza, a.k.a. “El Alacrán”, formerly head of the Cali Cartel, and Diego Montoya Sánchez, a.k.a. 'don Diego', are also sought, reports El Tiempo.

The Attorney General said the alliance between the military unit, the paramilitaries and narcotraffickers was formed to dislodge rebels from the region and consolidate the region’s drug routes, reports the AP.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombian-news/news/1518-two-retired-colombian-colonels-sought-for-trujillo-massacre.html

http://img.dailymail.co.uk.nyud.net:8090/i/pix/2007/09_02/3DiegoMontoyaEPA_468x402.jpg

http://www.elconfidencial.com.nyud.net:8090/fotos/noticias/2007091197diego.jpg