Colombia Reports

Colombia news, sports, culture and travel

Thursday
Mar 11th
Text size
  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Home News News Uribe orders Neiva neighborhood militarized after bomb explosion

Uribe orders Neiva neighborhood militarized after bomb explosion


Colombian President Alvaro Uribe ordered Saturday the militarization of some neighborhoods in Neiva, capital of the Huila department, hours after a bomb exploded and destroyed a hardware store and several other businesses nearby.

Uribe told commanders of the army and police to establish a greater presence, particularly in the so-called Diez commune of that city, where informers have reported that guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, are operating.

"It can't go on that there's a bomb every month. The army and police in Neiva have to find a definitive solution. From today on we must begin a militarization and a massive police presence in the communities of Neiva and Diez," Uribe said.

The explosion took place Saturday before dawn and wounded one person, destroyed a hardware store and damaged several stores in downtown Neiva.

The president said that "according to informants, there is an enormous plague of FARC rebels" in the Diez commune, and said that it is necessary "to capture them without delay." Uribe gave the order to militarize those districts of Neiva during a council meeting in the town of Chaparral in the southern province of Tolima.

Uribe also gave a warning to the FARC's top leader, "Alfonso Cano," the alias of Guillermo Leon Saenz, and invited the guerrillas of that organization to lay down their arms.

"So don't dream, Alfonso Cano, that you're going to play around with Colombia," Uribe warned.

According to the president, "Cano is a little celebrity to the international press, who will be caught by the armed forces and police just like the group's other ringleaders." Uribe continued, stating, "No doubt that while we're closing in on him, he'll go on posing like a little celebrity for the international press. But we'll get that bandit too." (Efe)




Reddit! Del.icio.us! Mixx! Free and Open Source Software News Google! Live! Facebook! StumbleUpon! TwitThis Joomla Free PHP

Comments (1)add comment

chris said:

0
...
What about the cleaning of the streets letter that has been going around Medellin? Telling people to stay off the streets after 11 pm because they will be cleaned of all the "dirty things" sounds like the para-military thugs are back in business again! Demobilization is a great thing!! Please send us some more because the USA has plenty of space for these murderous clowns!
 
March 08, 2009
Votes: +0

Write comment
smaller | bigger

security image
Write the displayed characters


busy
 

Your opinion please

Colombia's best looking presidential candidate is
 

CR members

Advertise with us

Reach out to the tens of thousands reading Colombia Reports