Spaniard faces charge of being FARC’s European leader

28 July 2008

MADRID – Remedios García Albert, 57, was released on bail Sunday after being arrested on Saturday on charges of being the maximum representative in Europe of the left-wing guerrilla group, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

The Madrid judge set García’s bail at EUR 12,000.

Incriminating evidence on the Spanish citizen was obtained from former FARC commander Raúl Reyes’ laptop, after he was surprised and killed in early March by a Colombian commando attack on his camp in Ecuador. García’s name has allegedly been found on a number of emails to Reyes.

The Colombian police said that intelligence obtained on García showed that she
had been linked to the FARC since 2000 and was nicknamed "Irena," "Zoraya" or "La médica."

She had allegedly raised money for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), supported its members during trips to Europe and carried out propaganda on behalf of the guerrilla movement.

The woman’s cover had allegedly been her post in an aid organization, for which she had worked until recently as its chairwoman in Spain.

Police are currently investigating whether she had also managed ransom money paid for FARC kidnappings in the past. A large number of documents were confiscated at her home in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, near Madrid.

During the past year, she had allegedly travelled to the guerrilla movement’s jungle camps where she met with FARC leaders. She had also exchanged more than 50 e-mails with late FARC commander Reyes.

After her detention by the police, Colombian President Álvaro Uribe said that all FARC members will end up being detained.

Colombian police chief Óscar Naranjo said that there was "convincing evidence" to prove that García formed part of FARC’s network in Europe. She is said to have been especially active in countries such as Spain, Switzerland and Sweden.

[El Pais / Francisco Mercado / dpa / Expatica]