E2 UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 01 ACTION MCT-04 BOGOTA INFO ADS-00 ARA-00 PM-05 USIE-00 LOG-00 NSCE-00 TRSE-00 SYE-00 13647 RELEASED IN PART B l 1 4 B 1 4 D 061913Z AID-00 NSAE-00 PA-02 FBIE-00 INR-05 SSO-00 INRE-00 FAIM-01 SS-00 SY-05 CA-02 SLPD-01 CIAE-00 L-02 A-02 AS-01 030 W ------------------135071 062241Z 38 0 0619082 NOV 85 ZFF4 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 3441 INFO USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS IMMEDIATE C O N F ID E N T I A L BOGOTA 13647 TERREP E O 12356 DECL OADR TAGS PIER CO SUBJECT TERRORIST ATTACK ON COLOMBIAN PALACE OF JUSTICE CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT 1 2 BEGINNING AROUND 11 30 A M LOCAL TIMEPI TDIDN IS THE BEST WE NOW HAVE -- A RADIO STATION HAS RECEIVED A TAPE ANNOUNCING THAT THE OPERATION ANTONIO NARINO WAS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE M-19 IN SUPPORT OF PEACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AN M-19 BANNER IS REPORTEDLY FLYING -- THE FORCE INVOLVED IS ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN 10 AND 30 GUERRILLAS -- ABOUT 100 PERSONS WERE IN THE PALACE OF JUSTICE WHEN THE ATTACK BEGAN EMBASSY HAS SPOKEN-WITH TWO BY TELEPHONE INCLUDING ONE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 BOGOTA 13647 061913Z SUPREME COURT WHO REPORTED THAT HE WAS GUARDING HIMSELF PRESUMABLY ON THE FLOOR NO PERSON INSIDE THE PALACE HAS YET DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS HOSTAGE ALTHOUGH THE LONGER THE INCIDENT PROCEEDS THE BETTER THE CHANCES THAT THE ATTACKERS WILL PENETRATE TO THE OFFICES OF ONE OR MORE JUSTICES -- ARMY AND POLICE RE-INFORCEMENTS HAVE SURROUNDED UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY NORMAN M BOUTON DATE CASE ID 10 DEC 2008 200703618 UNCLASSIFIED DODE-00 AMAD-01 USSS-00 DEAE-00 UNCLASSIFIED THE AREA ARMORED VEHICLES ARE REPORTEDLY IN THE PLAZA DE BOLIVAR AND EMBASSY CAN CONFIRM ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS AND FIRE ENGINES EN ROUTE FROM OUR OWN OBSERVATION -- TWO WOUNDED PERSONS HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN RESCUED BY POLICE -- PRESIDENT BETANCUR IS REPORTEDLY MEETING IN THE NEARBY NARINO PALACE TO COORDINATE COUNTER-ATTACK EFFORTS 3 NO AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE BELIEVED INVOLVED 4 EXTRA SECURITY PRECAUTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FOR THE DEA CONFERENCE NOW UNDERWAY AT A NORTH BOGOTA HOTEL SEVERAL MILES FROM THE PALACE ALL EMBASSY PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO AVOID SOUTHCENTRAL BOGOTA AND EMBASSY GUARDS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HIGHEST ALERT 5 UPDATE AS OF 1330 BOGOTA RADIO CARCOL CLAIMS TO HAVE AN M-19 TAPE ANNOUNCING AN OPERATION TO TAKE OVER THE SUPREME COURT AND DEMANDING THAT ALL NEWSPAPERS PRINT A PROCLAMATION CRITICAL OF THE PEACE PROCESS RADIO TIME FOR M-19 AND THAT BETANCUR PRESENT HIMSELF AT THE COURT FOR A CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 BOGOTA 13647 061913Z TRIAL OF THE PEACE PROCESS 6 D-2 OF GOC DEFENSE STAFF TOLD DAO ABOUT 1300 LOCAL THAT GOC FORCES HAD SURPRISED M-19 AT START OF OPERATION AND GOC FORCES WERE IN CHARGE OF THE SITUATION NONETHELESS WE NOTE FIRING IS CONTINUING 7 UPDATE AS OF 1400 LOCAL RADIO REPORTS 3 EXPLOSIONS AND PALACE ON FIRE ON 4TH FLOOR FIRING INTO THE STREETS 8• I ITHE GOC CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM IS MEETING THE PERIMITER AROUND THE PALACE IS BEING HELD BY NATIONAL POLICE AND FOUR SWAT TEAMS OF TEN MEN EACH ARE STANDING BY WITH HELICOPTERS FOR A POSSIBLE RESCUE MISSION PENDING ORDERS FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE GILLESPIE CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED BI UNCLASSIFIED END OF DOCUMENT UNCLASSIFIED