The Inspector General’s Office barred two former directors of intelligence agency DAS from holding public office for their role in the illegal wiretapping of opposition politicians, judges, journalists and human rights activists.
Two former directors of DAS, Maria del Pilar Hurtado and Jorge Noguera, former intelligence chief Fernando Tablares, former intelligence director Carlos Alberto Azayus and former counterintelligence subdirector Jorge Lagos will not be able to serve in public office for a time yet to be determined by the inspector general.
Tabares and Lagos reached an agreement with the prosecutor general in their court cases and have become testifying witnesses. During questioning, Tabares has said that in a meeting between Hurtado and Moreno, Moreno expressed the “interest” of Uribe that DAS maintain surveillance in “four key areas.” These included the Supreme Court, presidential candidate Gustavo Petro, Senator Piedad Cordoba, and journalist Daniel Coronell.
The investigations carried out by the prosecutor general are independent of those done by the inspector general, who has declared the officials unable to hold public office. The criminal court cases, including close aides of former President Alvaro Uribe, are still underway.
The Inspector General’s Office is expected to officially announce the amount of time the officials have been banned later Monday.
