Israelis training death squads in Colombia

Press TV
Apr. 06, 2007

The Interpol issued an arrest warrant for three Israelis who are accused of training Colombian private armies, right-wing death squads and drug cartels, Israeli Ynetnews reported.

The Ynetnews added that the three Israelis, Yair Klein, Melnik Ferri and Abraham Tzedaka are wanted for charges of criminal conspiracy, and instruction in terrorism. If convicted, they could face 11 years in prison.

The statements were made by a spokesperson of the Colombian Domestic Intelligence, talking on condition of anonymity.

Also, the three Israelis are accused of helping set up training camps in order to train private armies working for drug lords Pablo Escobar and Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha. The camps are meant to train the mercenaries about explosives, car bombs and high-profile killings, the Ynetnews added.

One of the accused Israelis, Klein, appeared in a video filmed in 1998. The video is used to train far-right squads.

The Ynetnews also said that Klein spent 16 months in a prison in Sierra Leon for his role in what is known as “gun-for-blood” diamonds deal.

Klein was interviewed in Israel by the Carocal TV in March, and denied that he ever worked with the cocaine cartels, but said that he trained far-right death squads on methods to “eliminate leftists insurgency”, the Ynetnews said.

According to Klein, he was originally hired “with the blessing of the Colombian Defense Ministry”. His job was to organize the security of the banana industry in Uraba region.

Many of the mercenaries he trained carried some of the most brutal massacres in Columbia.

Bur Klein argues that these squads are not “trained to kill” and that they are trained to defend themselves.

Also, Escobar is behind bringing down airplanes, detonating police headquarters and offered his army of assassins a set rate for the killing of policemen, the Ynetnews said.

In 1993, Escobar was shot down by the police in Madelin, his hometown, while Gacha was killed by the police in 1989.