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Farc camps 'had Swedish weapons' Swedes quiz Venezuela on weapons
(about 4 hours later)
Officials in Sweden are investigating reports that Swedish weapons were found in camps of Colombia's Farc rebels. Sweden has asked Venezuela to explain how Swedish-made weapons ended up in the hands of Colombia's Farc rebels.
The Colombian government says it believes the rocket launchers had originally been bought by Venezuela. Swedish officials said the anti-tank rocket launchers had been sold to Venezuela in the 1980s.
Defence journal Jane's Intelligence Weekly reported last week that weapons thought to have been sold by Sweden to Venezuela were found in a Farc camp. Colombian troops recovered the weapons in a raid on a Farc camp. Colombia has long claimed that Venezuela has backed the left-wing rebels.
Venezuelan officials said the latest reports were a "media show" aimed at harming their country. The Caracas government denies this, and dismissed the latest reports as an attempt to harm Venezuela.
A political adviser to the Swedish ministry of commerce told AFP news agency that Sweden was calling on Venezuela to explain how the weapons ended up in a Farc camp. Jens Eriksson, a senior official at the Swedish Trade Ministry, said his government was working with Colombia "to find out how this happened".
"We have asked the officials of the government of Venezuela to give us information on how they believe this material was found in Colombia," said Jens Eriksson. "We have asked the officials of the government of Venezuela to give us information on how they believe this material was found in Colombia," he said.
Jan-Erik Lovgren, of the Swedish Inspectorate for Strategic Products, told Radio Sweden that the country had not exported weapons to Venezuela since 2006. Jan-Erik Lovgren, of the Swedish Inspectorate for Strategic Products, told Radio Sweden that the weapons had been sold to Venezuela in the 1980s.
Anti-tank weapons He said the incident was a clear violation of end-user licenses and could affect future decisions on whether to allow weapons sales to Venezuela.
On Monday, Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos said the anti-tank rocket launchers seized from the Farc had been purchased by Venezuela in Europe. Mr Lovgren said that no Swedish company had ever been granted a permit to sell weapons to Colombia.
'Media show'
On Monday, Colombian Vice-President Francisco Santos said the anti-tank rocket launchers seized from the Farc had been purchased by Venezuela in Europe.
"In several operations in which we have recovered weaponsÂ… we have found powerful ammunition (and) powerful equipment, including anti-tank weapons which a European country sold to Venezuela and which turned up in the hands of the Farc," he told Colombia's Caracol radio."In several operations in which we have recovered weaponsÂ… we have found powerful ammunition (and) powerful equipment, including anti-tank weapons which a European country sold to Venezuela and which turned up in the hands of the Farc," he told Colombia's Caracol radio.
In response, the Venezuelan interior minister, Tareck El Aissami, said the allegations that weapons bought by Venezuela had ended up in rebel hands were a "media show". Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro said Colombia wanted to justify US bases
"It's part of a campaign against our people, our government and our institutions," he said. In response, Venezuelan Interior Minister Tareck El Aissami said the allegations were a "media show".
On Sunday, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe criticised nations which sold weapons that ended up in the hands of guerrillas, but he did not name any individual countries. "It's part of a campaign against our people, our government and our institutions," he added.
Venezuela's Foreign Minister, Nicolas Maduro, said it was a campaign "to justify the presence of US bases" in Colombia.
Correspondents say he was referring to reports that Washington and Bogota are close to an agreement that would increase US military operations in Colombia.
Colombia has fallen out with its neighbours in the past over suspected links to the Farc movement.Colombia has fallen out with its neighbours in the past over suspected links to the Farc movement.
Colombia and Ecuador broke off diplomatic ties last year after Colombian troops raided a Farc base just over the Ecuadorean border.Colombia and Ecuador broke off diplomatic ties last year after Colombian troops raided a Farc base just over the Ecuadorean border.