Colombian secret police say they have thwarted a plot by a leftist rebel group intending to hijack a plane and crash it into the presidential palace in Bogotá. The attack was scheduled to take place on August 7 during the inauguration ceremony of Alvaro Uribe, the newly elected president of Colombia. Colonel German Haramilio, head of the Colombian secret police, stated on Wednesday that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a rebel group, intended to carry out this attack, but their plans were foiled following the arrest of Javier Enrique Carvajalito, who is said to be the mastermind behind the conspiracy. Colonel Haramilio mentioned that Mr. Carvajalito intended to pay two million dollars to the suicide pilot of the plane. Mr. Carvajalito has denied the charges. In another incident, Colombian government officials suspect leftist rebels of being involved in the explosion of a car in central Colombia, which resulted in the deaths of two people.
Conspiracy in Colombia - 2002-07-25
Colombian secret police disrupted a planned hijacking and suicide attack by leftist rebels aimed at the presidential palace during the inauguration of Alvaro Uribe. The alleged mastermind, Javier Enrique Carvajalito, has been arrested and denies the charges. This incident highlights ongoing violence and instability in Colombia.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Colombian secret police foiled a plot by FARC to hijack a plane and crash it into the presidential palace during Alvaro Uribe's inauguration. The alleged mastermind, Javier Enrique Carvajalito, was arrested.
- The attack was planned for August 7, the day of Uribe's inauguration.
- Carvajalito allegedly offered two million dollars to the suicide pilot.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Colombia has been embroiled in a decades-long conflict with various rebel groups, with FARC being one of the most prominent. Uribe's election was seen as a mandate to tackle these issues aggressively.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%