Threats against relatives of extradited members of
the AUC are paralyzing confessions by these paramilitary leaders, Senator Piedad Cordoba said after a meeting at the U.S. State Department
Tuesday.
Cordoba explained in Washington Tuesday that extradited paramilitaries can not confess in justice and peace with their families being threatened, local media reported.
On the question who would be behind the threats to silence paramilitaries, Cordoba replied that “they should be the heads, the bosses of the illegal armed groups, such as politicians, businessmen, landowners and military commanders “, without giving names or details.
However, victims representative Ivan Cepeda was more clear in stating that “extradited paramilitary leaders have confessed the identity of many people and U.S. authorities already have information on those responsible”.
He said that the basis of all paramilitary operations in Colombia are very powerful networks and structures.
Therefore, Cepeda emphasized, “it is necessary that the U.S. works with this information before judges and prosecutors in Colombia receive details”.
Piedad Cordoba and Ivan Cepeda are both members of the activist group Colombians for Peace (CCP).