VZCZCXYZ0008
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBO #1847 1372239
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 162239Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2912
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8199
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0431
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAY 9448
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 6212
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 1698
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 6865
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 4432
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 001847
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2009
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER VZ CO
SUBJECT: GOC PLEASED WITH INTERPOL CONFIRMATION OF
AUTHENTICITY OF FARC-REYES COMPUTERS
REF: BOGOTA 1714
Classified By: Classified by Acting Political Counselor David M. Zimov
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) Interpol Secretary General Ronald Kenneth Noble said
at a May 15 press conference in Bogota that Colombia did not
tamper in any way with files on computers seized after the
March 1 raid on Raul Reyes FARC camp in Ecuador. Noble said
Interpol is "absolutely certain that the computer exhibits
our experts examined came from a FARC terrorist camp."
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez denounced Interpol's
conclusions, and called the press conference a "clown show."
2. (U) Noble said there are over 38,000 files are on the
three Toshiba laptop computers, two hard disc drives and
three USB memory sticks that belonged to the FARC's
former-second-in-command. Interpol said there were 37,872
written documents, 452 spreadsheets, and 210,888 images on
the computers. It took Interpol two weeks running 10
computers simultaneously to break into encrypted files on the
computers. Interpol said the data was the equivalent of 39.4
million pages of word documents.
3. (C) Vice Minister of Defense Sergio Jaramillo, who is
managing the GOC's strategy on the use of Reyes computer
information, told us the GOC is pleased with the outcome of
the Interpol effort. He said the GOC's targeted leaks of
information from the computers over the past month had worked
well, but he thinks the best thing the GOC can do is remain
quiet after the Interpol announcement and allow Chavez to
talk. Jaramillo said enough incriminating evidence has been
leaked; the next step is to brief additional countries on the
findings and begin domestic prosecutions--likely by the end
of May. Jaramillo also reiterated the GOC's request that the
USG maintain a low profile, especially in regard to Latin
American countries. He added that U.S. reinforcement or
discussion with EU countries on the Reyes computer data would
be helpful.
BROWNFIELD