Colombia’s Inspector General opened an investigation against sixteen
DAS officials. The investigation includes two former directors. the IG
also announced he will investigate the presidency’s legal advisory for
a meeting he had with paramilitaries.
The DAS came under scrutiny after news broke the secret sevice had illegally conducted wiretaps on political opponents of the government, supreme court judges and journalists.
Tuesday, the DAS dismissed 22 more officials after already having sacked five. Prosecutor General Mario Iguarán, who is criminally investigating the accusations, Tuesday said the case “stinks”.
The legal secretary of President Álvaro Uribe is also investigated for a meeting he had with the late ‘Job’ and the defense attorney of ‘Don Berna’ in 2008. The paramilitary and the lawyer met with Edmundo del Castillo in the presidential palace.Press secretary César Mauricio Velásquez, who was in the same meeting, will not be investigated.
Inspector General Alejandro Ordoñez’ predecessor Edgardo Maya already had started an investigation against the government officials, including Velásquez, but this investigation was discontinued when Ordoñez took office.