Colombia’s intelligence service DAS was illegally wiretapping
all politicians who were competing for the 2006 presidency,
radio station La FM reported Wednesday. The DAS was even wiretapping the Presidency and the Prosecutor General’s Office, records show.
Records that were given to the radio station by two former DAS officials who were in charge of the interception of communication of presidential hopeful Carlos Gaviria (Polo Democratico), show how the intelligence agency was following every step of presidential candidates and was recording every phone call made by them.
The radio station claims to have a number of recordings of phonecalls made by politicians, all recorded illegally by the DAS.
LA FM also says to have a list of over 100 persons whose communication was being intercepted illegally and records of wiretaps conducted of for example the Presidency itself, then Bogota mayor ‘Lucho’ Garzon, the Prosecutor General’s Office and numerous politicians, magistrates and journalists.
In the case of former Presidential candidate for Polo Democratico, Carlos Gaviria, the DAS technicians would receive a signal every time Gaviria activated his cell phone, so thy could start recording.
According to the former DAS officials, the results of the interception were reported to the highest ranks of the agency.
The Prosecutor General’s Office is currently investigating the DAS for its illegal practices.