Poison found in cell of witness against Uribe .
Poison found in cell of witness against Uribe .
Wednesday, 20 March 2013 09:14 Benjy Hansen-Bundy
The national coroner's office has found evidence of a toxic substance in the prison cell of a key witness in a case linking former President Alvaro Uribe to a paramilitary group.
The evidence indicates a poison attempt. According to the coroner's office, the substance found produces the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, hyper-salivation, tremors, hypothermia, metabolic acidosis, and deterioration of the mental state. It can also cause cardiac arrest.
Juan Monsalve, who has coordinated with congressman Ivan Cepeda to deliver testimony against Uribe, has received threats in the past. Cepeda requested enhanced security measures for Monsalve in September 2011 after he survived an attack in prison.
Monsalve claims that former president Uribe formed a paramilitary group at his country estate, "Las Guacharacas" in north eastern Antioquia.
In statements to the prosecutor general Monsalve asserted that the paramilitary group known as the Metro Bloc was created in response to a 1995 attack on the Uribe estate in which property was burned and 600 cattle were stolen by the ELN guerrilla group. Monsalve stated that he had worked on the estate previous to the attack. He confessed to have joined the ranks of the Metro Bloc and claimed that the estate served as a military base.
More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/28607-poison-found-in-cell-of-witness-against-uribe.html