The Colombian government denied allegations that its intelligence agency DAS carried out surveillance on members of the European Parliament (EP).
“The information compiled by DAS, which is part of a file called ‘Europa,’ makes reference to data collected in 2004 and 2005 whose sources were published in the media and at public events,” reads a foreign ministry press release.
“The collection of this information did not involve any kind of irregularity in intelligence material, nor any violation of the rights of European citizens,” the press release continues.
According to El Tiempo, DAS sources say the “Europa file” was created because the Colombian government wanted to know to what degree the FARC has penetrated European institutions after the creation a demilitarized zone in 1998.
Leaked reports from the prosecutor general provide evidence that DAS carried out illegal monitoring as part of a smear campaign against European organizations, which led to calls from EP members to be put off until allegations were clarified.
According to the files, the European Parliamentary committee on human rights, the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, and certain national governments were deemed a threat to the Colombian government.