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Colombia orders Uribe ally arrest | Colombia orders Uribe ally arrest |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Colombian prosecutors have ordered the arrest of a cousin and key ally of President Alvaro Uribe over alleged ties to paramilitary groups. | Colombian prosecutors have ordered the arrest of a cousin and key ally of President Alvaro Uribe over alleged ties to paramilitary groups. |
Mario Uribe Escobar, who stepped down as a senator last October, is accused of criminal conspiracy. | Mario Uribe Escobar, who stepped down as a senator last October, is accused of criminal conspiracy. |
He went to the Costa Rican embassy in Bogota seeking asylum, but his request has been turned down. | |
Mario Uribe, one of the most prominent figures arrested over alleged paramilitary links, denies wrongdoing. | |
A jailed former paramilitary leader, Salvatore Mancuso, has alleged that he met Mario Uribe several times and was asked by him to support his senate campaign in 2002. | |
Former paramilitary commanders have also testified that militias reached agreement with him to help him take over farmland. | |
A statement from the prosecutor's office accused Mario Uribe of entering into "agreements to promote illegal armed groups," the Associated Press news agency said. | |
'Inappropriate' | |
Mr Uribe went to the Costa Rican embassy shortly after the arrest warrant was issued. | |
But the Costa Rican foreign ministry said it would be "inappropriate to grant asylum to Mario Uribe." | |
The scandal is inching closer to President Alvaro Uribe | The scandal is inching closer to President Alvaro Uribe |
To date, inquiries have been opened into dozens of current or former members of congress over their alleged ties to the United Self-defence Forces of Colombia (AUC) paramilitaries in what has been dubbed the "parapolitics" scandal. | To date, inquiries have been opened into dozens of current or former members of congress over their alleged ties to the United Self-defence Forces of Colombia (AUC) paramilitaries in what has been dubbed the "parapolitics" scandal. |
Most of those being investigated are allies of President Uribe. The president remains popular, however, for overseeing aggressive military action against leftist rebels. | Most of those being investigated are allies of President Uribe. The president remains popular, however, for overseeing aggressive military action against leftist rebels. |
He also negotiated the 2003 peace deal that saw paramilitary leaders surrender and demobilise 31,000 of their men in exchange for reduced jail terms and protection from extradition. | He also negotiated the 2003 peace deal that saw paramilitary leaders surrender and demobilise 31,000 of their men in exchange for reduced jail terms and protection from extradition. |
The right-wing militias were created by landowners and drug-traffickers to combat left-wing rebels and anyone suspected of being a sympathiser. | The right-wing militias were created by landowners and drug-traffickers to combat left-wing rebels and anyone suspected of being a sympathiser. |
The paramilitary groups, including the AUC, and the leftist rebels are listed by the US and the European Union as terrorist organisations. | The paramilitary groups, including the AUC, and the leftist rebels are listed by the US and the European Union as terrorist organisations. |