A Spanish judge on Thursday insisted that Caracas explains the relationship between the Venezuelan government, Colombian rebel group FARC and Basque separatist group ETA.
Judge Eloy Velasco charged six members of the Basque Separatist group ETA and seven members of the Colombian socialist group FARC with varying offenses, most notable conspiring to assassinate Colombian members of state in Spain including the then president Alvaro Uribe, something that the Venezuelan government have been accused of aiding the groups with.
Judge Velasco disclosed he believed the FARC asked the ETA for help in the assassination plot, using camps established just in Venezuelan territory in 2003 to communicate with the Spanish insurgents.
The judge requested information two years ago from the Venezuelan government however the President Hugo Chavez refused to give any information on the grounds that the claims made by the Spaniards were false.
Colombian radio LA W reported Thursday, the camps used by the FARC were used by members of the ETA to train new FARC members.
Judge Velasco stated that there was evidence to support the claims that the Venezuelan government were aiding the two groups, labeled as terrorist organizations by both the U.S. and the E.U, and demanded the extradition of Arturo Cubillas Fortan, a known ETA member, however president Chavez denied any evidence supporting the case and allegedly made no reply to the request of extradition of Fortan.
He said the FARC and ETA had been collaborating since 1993, accusing Fortan as a key link going on to claim that he has held a position in Chavez’ government for some time.
A indictment by Velasco stated a FARC member reported that “it would not be difficult to carry out an attack on those two targets as long as they could count on the help of ETA,”
The claims first came about when a computer used by FARC leader “Raul Reyes” was seized by the Colombian military in a raid on a FARC camp in Ecuador in march of 2008.