Ex-Colombian president under investigation – key witness safe in Panama

Colombia’s former president Alvaro Uribe will appear on Thursday, June 16,  before a congressional committee investigates the secret intelligence service during his administration but a key witness is resting safely in Panama.

 While Uribe  governed (2002-2010)  the secret intelligence services carried out  operations against judges, opposition leaders, journalists and human rights defenders. The commission also seeks to question Maria del Pilar Hurtado, former director of the Administrative Security Department (DAS, secret service),  who reported directly to Uribe and who last November was granted asylum in Panama by President Ricardo Martinelli. {jathumbnail off}

An international warrant has been issued for her arrest, but Martinelli  says she will remain in Panama and will not be questioned by Colombian authorities.

The Committee on Accusations of the House of Representatives opened an investigation to determine whether Uribe was involved  in the spying  He says he had nothing to do with it.

The process  is led by the Attorney General whose predecessor   dropped out after getting death threats from right wing para-military groups who warned him “not to mess with Uribe”. Colombia has a long history of political assassinations.
As part of the case against Uribe, the  committee will hear the testimony of former Senator Piedad Cordoba, a victim of espionage.
Acuña, elected representative to the House for the ethnic constituency of blacks, is viewed with suspicion by opposition sectors and victims of spying  who consider him very "close" to businessmen and politicians from the Caribbean coast allegedly linked to paramilitary groups .
Salvatore Mancuso, who was extradited to the United States on drug charges, was the alleged leader of armed gangs  who he said support Uribe in the presidential election.
The International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) on Wednesday called on to the Colombian authorities to guarantee the independence and impartiality of the process.
The agency said in a statement it "welcomes progress in the investigation," but also expressed concern "about the irregularities in the access of victims as civil parties to the process" and the threats made against the original prosecutor.
"The FIDH urges the Colombian authorities to guarantee the independence of justice and due process, and urges that the preliminary investigation against former President Alvaro Uribe does not become a travesty of justice." 

The case came to light in February 2009 when a magazine revealed that the DAS was carrying out  illegal spying activities not ordered by a judge or  prosecutor.

Former DAS officials have admitted that the intelligence agency, which reports directly to the President spied on "political targets", and some have already been sentenced to prison. Their boss remains safely in Panama.