A Colombian judge sentenced Ulises Castellanos Beltran to 30 years in prison after an assassination attempt against former Minister Fernando Londoño Hoyos in May 2012, Colombian media reported Thursday.
Castellanos, alias “Apu,” was indicted on charges of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, terrorism and conspiracy, La Nacion newspaper reported.
MORE: Authorities arrest perpetrator in Londoño attack
The May 2012 attack against Londoño occurred in the north of Bogota, when two men on a motorbike allegedly attached an explosive device to the car Londoño was travelling in.
Six other vehicles, including a public bus, were in the immediate area, and all were affected when the device exploded.
The attackers allegedly knew the route the former minister would take and type of car he rode in and, although Londoño escaped with minor injuries — including a lacerated lung and a ruptured eardrum — his bodyguard and driver were killed by the blast. At least ten other people in the area were injured.
In February the police detained six alleged FARC guerillas also linked to the assasination attempt on the former politician
MORE: Colombia detains FARC members accused of attack on former minister
MORE: Londoño has ‘absolute conviction’ FARC are behind terrorist attack
Londoño, who has worked as a journalist since leaving the government and hosts his own radio show called “The Hour of Truth,” previously stated that the incident was an attack against journalists and “that there are things in Colombia which cannot be said, opinions that cannot be issued, views that cannot be sustained,” referring to the limitations of freedom of the press in the country.
Sources
- Condenado a 30 años de cárcel por atentado contra el exministro Londoño (Vanguardia)
- Condenado por ataque a Londoño(La Nacion)
