Paramilitary chief held back forces and arms to maintain control over drugs: Report
Paramilitary chief held back forces and arms to maintain control over drugs: Report
Sep 9, 2014 posted by Joel Gillin
Top paramilitary commander and Medellin crime lord “Don Berna” reserved men and arms to keep control of criminal activity while in a 2005 event he was officially demobilizing forces, according to a report by El Tiempo.
Several testimonies from demobilized paramilitary soldiers, obtained by the Tribunal of Peace and Justice of Medellin, have claimed that Diego Fernando Murillo, alias ‘Don Berna,’ placed at least 40 of the most dangerous men from the Bloque Heroes de Tolova and their best weapons under the command of his cousin in the northern state of Cordoba. The rest of the members of the group, along with the older arms, were handed over to authorities to be processed according to the 2005 Justice and Peace Law.
The authorities believe, citing evidence from intercepted phone calls, that Berna continued to lead the group even after his incarceration in the prison of Itagui.
This group of men grew and eventually became known as Los Traquetos, a band mostly involved in narcotrafficking which, according to testimony of its former leader Uber Dario Yañez Cavadias obtained by the tribunal, enjoyed the support of the mayor of Valencia, Cordoba, in addition to military units and local police.
More:
http://colombiareports.co/paramilitary-chief-misled-govt-2005-demobilization-report/
