Currant Handling NOFORN Becument Number PAGE 01 ACTION INLMGI i INFO LOGMOO Paga UNCLAS SIFIED RELEASED IN PART E1 Channel n a 01 OF 02 191802Z BOGOTA 00428 SRP9-OO ADS-00 STE-GO Lw l 015w 1918222 38 1918042 JAN 96 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5865 INFO AMEMBASSY NDIC JOHNSTOWN CARACAS PA SECDEF FBI WASHDC DIA WASHDC CIA WASHDC FT GEORGE MEADE DIRONDCP WASHDC USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS 9M NSC WASHDC DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC SECDEF WASHOC USIA WASHDC 8125 AMEMBASSY BRASILIA AMEMBASSY PANAMA AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY LIMA SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 900428 PAGE 02 STATE FOR INL STATE PASS USTR BOGOTA 00428 01 OF 02 FOR K LEZNY 1918022 5 NSC FOR RICHARD FEINBERG - ONDCP FOR RICH PORTER SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEA FOR OF OFL A0 AX JUSTICE FOR CRIM WARREN RICHARD AND FBI FOR DIV 6 VLIET USIA FOR Current Classzgi gw' Page 1 EXTEND CLASSIFICATION UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVHBNAUTHORHWHOONALBA JOHNSTON ID 27 SEP 2601 200101658 UNCLASSIFIED AFTER UNCLASSIFIED Cprr nk Page 2 Current Handling NOFORN Dacument Number 1996BOGGTA00428 Channel n a NOFORN E O 12958 DECL Olwl7w99 TAGS PGOV PINR4 PEEL BOON SNAR CO SUBJ TAPPING THE PHONES REF BOGOTA 246 1 CLASSIFIED BY COUNSELOR WILLIAM LOFSTROM REASON 1 5 C AND Wmm%m__ 2 C THE TAPPING OF EMBASSY TELEPHONES THAT BECAME EVIDENT THE SENSATIONALIST PRESENTATION OF THE BY REP CARLOS ALONSO LUCIO IN EARLY OCTOBER HAS NEVER BEEN CLARIFIED AND PROBABLY CONTINUES TO THIS WITH MOVE TO A NEW CHANCERY THE DISTRACTION OF POLITICAL EVENTS AND THE HOLIDAYS THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN MUCH IN THE PUBLIC EYE PAGE 03 BOGOTA 00428 01 OF 02 1918022 THE RECENT COMMENT TO A OF REPORTER TO THE EFFECT THAT WE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THE GOC IS TAPPING OUR PHONES PROVOKED GREAT UMBRAGE ON THE PART OF COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS AND INSISTENCE FROM THE HIGHEST LEVELS THAT THE GOC NOT THE TAPS THE INTERVIEW MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY AVERTED THE LEAKING OF MORE DEA TAPES WHICH PRESIDENT SAMPER MENTIONED TO THE AMBASSADOR END SUMMARY MORE DEA TAPES 3 C BRESIOENT SAMPER VOLUNTEERED TO THE AMBASSADOR ON JANUARY 12 THAT THE GOC HAS OR MORE TAPES OF DEA ECO CONVERSATIONS SIMILAR TO THE ONES PRESENTED TO CONGRESS BY REP CARLOS ALONSO LUCIO IN OCTOBER THE AMBASSADOR ASKED THE PRESIDENT POINT BLANK WHERE HE GOT THE TAPES BUT SAMPER SMILED ARE CHANGED THE SUBJECT TBE SAME DAY JOSE SANTACRUZ DEFENSE ATTORNEY WHO HAD ACCOMPANIED HIS CLIENT AT THE JANUARY 11 AM INTERVIEW WITH THE PROSECUTOR JUST PRIOR TO HIS ESCAPE TOLD A TV NEWS REPORTER THAT HIS CLIENT PROBABLY HAD BEEN BY THE AND CITED AS PROOF SEGMENTS OF THE PLAYED TO CONGRESS BY REP LUCIO IN OCTOBER IN WHICH U S OFFICIALS DISCUSSED OF Current Page 2 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Cgrrerit Class Page 3 Curr nt Handling NOFORN Dacument Number 1996BOGOTA00428 Channel n a GETTING COLOMBIANS TO THE U S PRESUMABLY FOR TRIAL TESTIMONY OR COOPERATION THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE INTERVIEW 4 C ALLUSION TO THE INTERCERTED EMBASSY PHONE CONVERSATIONS WAS PROBABLYE EGOERED BY A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW THE PAGE 04 BOGOTA 00428 01 OF 02 1918923 AMBASSADOR GAVE TO A REPORTER FOR THE OF PRIMARILY ON TRADE AND ECONOMIC ISSUES THE AMBASSADOR PREFACEE HIS REMARKS BY NOTING THAT EVERYTHING HE SAID ON THE PHONE WAS THE BECAUSE HIS PHONES ARE TAPPED AND THAT THE EMBASSY SOSPECTED THE GOC OF BEING BEHIND IT THE ARTICLE APPEARED ON JANUARY 11 THE FOLLOWING BAY THE COLOMBIAN MEDIA GAVE BROAD COVERAGE TO THE REMARK VIRTUALLY IGNORING THE SUBSTANCE OF THE INTERVIEW 5 C FOREIGN MINISTER RODRIGO PARDO DENIED THAT THE PHONES WERE TARPED IN A RRESS CONFERENCE ON JANUARY 12 EEMANDING THAT EMBASSY PROVIDE AND TRYIEG TO MAKE THE NIGGLING DISTINCTION THAT THE GOC HA3 NOT ANY PHONE TAPS ON THE EMBASSY AT THE SAME TIME NEWLY-APPOINTED JUSTICE MINISTER CARLOS MEDELLIN TOLB THE MEDIA THAT THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THE WERE GENUINE HAD FOR BILATERAL RELATIONS ECHOING THE IDEA THAT SEGMENTS OF THOSE TAFES SUGGEST THAT THE USG IS CONSIDERING COLOMBIAN NARCOTICS TRAFFICKERS PTQ5141 PAGE 01 BOGOTA 00428 02 OF 02 191803Z ACTION INFO ARA-01 SRPP-OG ADS-00 - - - 118396 1918222 38 1918042 JAN 96 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHBC PRIORITY 5866 Page 3 Current UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED if Currenk 81355 Page 4 Curr nt Handling Eccument Number AChannel n a INFO AMEMBASSY CARACAS NDIC PA SECDEF DIRNSA FT GEORGE MEADE FBI WASHDC DIA WASHEC CIA WASHEC DIRONDCP WASHDC USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM NSC WASHDC 1 DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC SECDEF WASHDC USIA WASHDC 8126 AMEMBASSY BRASILIA AMEMBASSY PANAMA AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY LIMA SECTION 02 OF 02 BGGOTA 000428 BOGOTA 06428 02 OF 02 1918033 PAGE 02 STATE FOR INL STATE PASS USTR FOR K LEZNY NSC FOR RICHARD FEINBERG ONDCP FOR RICH PORTER SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAR DEA FOR OF OFL A0 AX JUSTICE FOR CRIN WARREN RICHARD AND VLIET FBI FOR DIV 6 USIA FOR NOFORN E O 12958 DECL 01-17 99 TAGS PGOV PINE PEEL ECON SNAR CO SUBJ TAPPING THE 6 C THE OF INTERVIEW ALSO CAME UP IN A JANUARY 12 PHONE CONVERSATION WITH DAS FBI EQUIVALENT CHIEF MARCO TULIO GUTIERREZ AND IN A JANUARY 17 MEETING BETWEEN THE AMBASSADOR AND THE FOREIGN MINISTER RODRIGO PARDO GUTIERREZ JOKING TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT HE FELT BECAUSE HIS TELEPHONE WAS NOT RUGGED Current Page 4 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED v Page 5 Cyrrenk'bla532'tmaI_ Currant Handling Dacument number 1996808GTA00428 Channgl n a 7 C THE AMBASSADOR TOLD FOREIGN MINISTER JANUARY 17 THAT SAVE TO ABOUT THE TELEPHONE ISSUE AMBASSADOR SAID IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT MOST TEBEPHONE TAPS IN COLOMBIA ARE ILLEGAL I E NOT EXPLICITLY AUTHORIZED BY THE FISCALIA AND REMINDEB PARDO OF A RECENT DISCOVERY BY THE FISCALIA OF WIDESBRSAD ILLEGAL TELEPHONE TAPPING BY DAB AND THE COLOMBIAN NATIONAL POLICE CNP PAGE 03 BOGOTA 00428 02 OF 02 1918033 IN CALI AMBASSADOR COETINOED THAT THE POLICE AND THE DAS ARE RELUCTANT FORMALLY TO REQUEST FISCALIA AUTHORIZATION TO TAP TELEPHONES BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE PEOPLE THE FISCALIA CAN BE BRIBED THE AMBASSAOOR SAID EXACTLY WHY MOST TAPS IN COLOMBIA ARE UNAUTHORIZED THEREFORE YOUR PUBLIC PROTESTATIONS THAT THERE ARE KO TAPS OF THE EMBASSY IS THE AMBASSADOR THEN REMIUDED FARDO THAT PRESIDENT SAMPER HAD IN THE PAST BRAGGED TO THE AMBASSADOR ABOUT HIS SECURE TELEPHONES BECAUSE HE FEARED IS TABPING HIS LINES BE ADDED THAT SAMPER EVEN SUSPECTS THE SALACE PHONES ARE MONITORED BY THE SECURITY SERVICES FINALLY THE AMBASSAOOR MENTIONED THAT HE HAD HEARD RUMORS THAT HIS OWN PHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER AND OTHER SENIOR GOO OFFICIALS HAS BEEN INTERCEPTED AND TAPED PERHAPS TO BE USED LATER BY IN THE SAMPER ADMINISTRATION TO THAT CERTAIN COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS ARE TO THE EMBASSY SEEMINGLY ACKEOWLEDGING THESE ARGUMENTS PARDO SAID THAT HE MUST PUBLICLY DENY THAT THE PHONES ARE TAPPED AND DEMAND OF THE ASSERTIONS FOR A VARIETY OF POLITICAL REASONS INCLUDING BECAUSE THE AMBASSADOR TO COLOMBIA HAS PUBLICLY ACCUSED THE GOC OF BUGGING HIS PHONES COMMENT 8 EMBASSY SUSPECTS THAT THE GOC MAY HAVE BEEN PLANNING TO RELEASE THE OR TAPES MENTIONED BY SAMPER BUT IT THOUGHT BETTER OF THE IDEA AFTER THE OF INTERVIEW AND THE ESCAPE OF SANTACRUZ WE DO NOT DISCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE TAPES OR OTHER TAPES MAY BE PAGE 04 BOGOTA 00428 02 OF 02 191803Z LEAKED IN THE FUTURE DURING THE DEUTCH VISIT POLICE COMMANDER ROSSO JOSE SERRAN04 THAT BI Page 5 Current Class wnzw UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED W99 Cgr n Page 6 Current Handling FORN Dacument Numhex 1996BOGOTA06428 Channel THE GOC HAS A TAPE OF HIM TALKING ON THE PHONE WITH THE AMBASSADOR SERRARO SUSPECTS SOMEONE MAY TRY TO USE THE TAPE TO DISCREBIT HIM BY DEMONSTRATING HIS CLOSENESS TO THE EMBASSY GIVEN THE ABSOLUTE LOYALTY OF NEW DAB CHIEF MARCO TULIO GUTIERREZ TO REFTEL EMBASSY HAS NO DOOBT THE DAS WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE TELEPHONES ARE IF IT SUITS I POLITICAL STRATEGY AT THE MOMENT TRY TO COMPROMISE THE EMBASSY WITH RECORDINGS OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS FRECHETTE Current Class 6 UNCLASSIFIED This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu