Colombia Reports

Revelations of ties between Colombia's military and demobilized paramilitary group AUC will be "more painful and traumatic" than the 'parapolitics' scandal, Salvatore Mancuso, extradited leader of the AUC, said Thursday.

According to Radio Caracol, Mancuso sent a letter to President Uribe noting that "it will be increasingly difficult to conceal the connections of the Police and Military with the different parties involved in the conflict. But the evidence will reveal the obvious."

"These links might be presented as isolated cases which do not involve the responsibility of the military, but in the end it will be proven that the decisions were not made by individuals but by a State policy", Mancuso added.

The former AUC leader asked President Uribe to expand the Justice and Peace Law "to shelter those who are unprotected" like politicians, soldiers and other social sectors which one way or another have ties to illegal armed groups.

Mancuso also said in his letter that despite his criticism of Uribe's policies he supports the President's reelection.

Mancuso is currently in a U.S. jail on drug charges. Colombia's Prosecution charged the extradited paramilitary with more than 112 crimes, including several massacres, forced displacement, recruitment of children and killings of unionists.

---