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| Sunday, 29 May 2005 |
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Colombian warlord surrenders BOGOTA, Colombia, Saturday (Reuters) Diego Murillo, a top leader of Colombia's far-right paramilitaries, turned himself in on Friday after a three-day manhunt, a move that may help salvage strained peace talks with the illegal militias. The 44-year-old warlord was on the paramilitary negotiating team trying to reach a peace deal with the government before he was ordered arrested earlier this week for suspected involvement in the April assassination of a provincial lawmaker. Accused by the United States of drug smuggling, Murillo is one of the most feared men in Colombia for his suspected involvement in numerous killings and massacres of peasants suspected of cooperating with Colombia's Marxist guerrillas. Colombian television showed footage of the overweight Murillo being led into custody by police in Santa Fe de Ralito, a town in northern Colombia that for two years has hosted the paramilitary peace talks. Authorities ordered his arrest earlier this week saying he broke a cease-fire by ordering the assassination of Cordoba provincial lawmaker Orlando Benitez last month. He surrendered hours after the government of President Alvaro Uribe offered a $1.2 million reward for Murillo. Uribe has been accused by some of taking too soft a line against the paramilitaries while focusing his war effort on defeating Colombia's rebels. About 5,000 of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia's 20,000 gunmen have laid down their arms since peace talks began two years ago. Together with the cease-fire, the government says the talks have saved countless Colombians from being killed by the paramilitaries. Government peace negotiator Luis Carlos Restrepo released a statement Friday evening saying Murillo promised he would disband the units under his command. Paramilitary sources say Murillo commands about 4,000 militia fighters. |
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