Colombia’s disgraced intelligence agency must be replaced by a smaller, better controlled spy service that will respect citizens’ rights and not bear the tainted name “DAS,” the chief of the agency said.
The Administrative Security Department, or DAS by its Spanish initials, has been racked by scandals including allegations of illegal wiretapping of judges, journalists and opposition politicians.
Felipe Munoz, head of the agency for the last 16 months, wants Congress to dismantle the department and create a new service with a tighter handle on its agents.
“It will not be called the DAS, because that brand has been completely devalued,” Munoz said in an interview.
The revamping of its intelligence services could help Colombia clinch a pending trade pact with the US. Democrats in the US Congress say Colombia must do more to protect human rights before they approve the deal.
Scores of former agents are being investigated as headlines in the local press describe “political warfare” waged by the DAS against critics of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, Washington’s key military ally in South America.
Lack of good pay and professional incentives at the DAS fostered corruption at the agency, Munoz said.
The US has cut off aid to the agency amid allegations that Uribe’s advisors directed some of the abuses from the presidential palace.
Munoz said the agency has been saddled with extraneous tasks such as immigration control, criminal investigations and providing a corps of poorly paid body guards to protect people under threat.
About 6,000 people work for DAS, but only 1 out of 7 does intelligence-related work, the spy chief said. He envisions an agency with 1,300 people doing intelligence work and 1,200 employees devoted to immigration control.
Lawmakers are expected to start debating the DAS restructuring bill next week. Munoz says he is lobbying to have it passed before the June 20 congressional recess.
Many of the DAS’ current tasks would be transferred to Colombia’s national police force, the attorney general’s office and private security companies, under the plan.
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