Financial intelligence head charged over wiretaps

Colombia’s prosecutor general announced Thursday that the director of the Colombian government’s Financial Information and Analysis Unit (UIAF), Mario Aranguren, will be charged in relation to the illegal wiretappings undertaken by Colombian security agency DAS.

Aranguren will be charged with breach of public duty, intent to commit a crime, and abuse of authority, W Radio reports.

Colombia’s Inspector General Alejandro Ordoñez alleged in February that Aranguren had given “instructions to officials of the institution he headed to participate in a meeting on April 24, 2008, where the restricted information was supplied,” to President Alvaro Uribe’s personal secretary Bernardo Moreno.

Presidential secretary Moreno is charged with “exceeding the limit of his powers” for receiving classified information from Aranguren.

The Prosecutor General announced that DAS Intelligence Agent Martha Leal and UIAF sub-director Luis Eduardo Daza will be indicted on the same charges.

Aranguren was first called in for questioning about his alleged involvement in the wiretapping scandal last May.

Aranguren handed in his resignation after his involvement in the wiretapping scandal emerged. President Uribe rejected his resignation, due to his “outstanding” performance as head of the UIAF.

The wiretapping scandal involved the illegal monitoring of Supreme Court judges, opposition politicians and journalists by DAS.

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