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Document #1283263
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa
In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an official from the Police Department of Valle del Cauca indicated that their database does not cover events prior to 2007 (Colombia 6 Apr. 2012). The following are the events that were recorded after that date:
| Date | Event | Responsible |
|---|---|---|
| 7 February 2007 | Launching of two explosives against El Galeón police headquarters. | Front Manuel Cepeda Vargas, FARC |
| 29 September 2007 | Launching of an explosive against El Galeón police headquarters. One officer slightly injured. | Front Manuel Cepeda Vargas, FARC |
| 9 June 2008 | Launching of two grenades against the CAI [Comando de Atención Inmediata (Immediate Response Command) (ibid. n.d.a)] in the 14 de Julio neighbourhood. | Front Manuel Cepeda Vargas, FARC |
| 4 July 2008 | Launching of a grenade against the CAI in the 14 de Julio neighbourhood. | Front Manuel Cepeda Vargas, FARC |
| 7 January 2009 | Detonation of an explosive near the Bocana police station. One officer injured and property damage to the police station and six houses. | Front Manuel Cepeda Vargas, FARC |
| 25 February 2011 | Detonation of a grenade in front of El Galeón police headquarters. | Support Line of Front 30 of the FARC |
(ibid. 6 Apr. 2012).
The official indicated that in the above mentioned attacks, no information was lost or destroyed (ibid.).
In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an official at the Branch of Criminal Investigation and Interpol Section [Seccional de Investigación Criminal e Interpol (SIJIN) (ibid. n.d.b)] of the Santiago de Cali Police Department indicated that a total of 130 attacks with grenades, bombs hidden in packages, improvised explosive devices and long guns were made against police stations in the Cali metropolitan area (ibid. 29 Mar. 2012). The official also indicated that, in the following attacks by the FARC, police stations in Santiago de Cali suffered losses of records related to administration, human resources, and case files, among others:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 5 June 2004 | Detonation of a car bomb at the Los Mangos police station |
| 20 February 2005 | Detonation of a car bomb at the municipal police station |
| 4 August 2006 | Detonation of a motorcycle bomb at the El Vallado police station |
| 9 April 2007 | Detonation of a car bomb at the Fray Damian police station |
| 1 September 2008 | Detonation of a car bomb at the Fray Damian police station |
| 1 February 2009 | Detonation of a car bomb at the Fray Damian police station |
(ibid.).
The Research Directorate could not obtain the names of the other police stations affected among the sources consulted within the time constraints of this Response.
In correspondence to the Research Directorate, the Interim Chief of the Metropolitan Police Headquarters of Cali also indicated the following attacks:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 7 March 2003 | Armed attack against La Vorágine police station |
| 16 February 2006 | Detonation of bomb hidden in a carriage against the SIJIN |
| 19 November 2006 | Detonation of an explosive against the CAI in Bellavista |
| 9 April 2007 | Detonation of a car bomb against the Cali Metropolitan Police Headquarters |
(ibid. 27 Mar. 2012)
The official did not mention whether records were destroyed.
In correspondence with the Research Directorate, the coordinator of the Human Rights Office of the Bogotá Metropolitan Police indicated the following attacks against police stations in Bogotá:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 25 January 2002 | Detonation of a bicycle bomb in front of the Sixth Police Station in Tunjuelito. Four police officers and one civilian died; 7 police officers and 22 civilians were injured. |
| 22 October 2002 | Detonation of a car bomb at the SIJIN headquarters. One police officer and one civilian died; 39 persons injured; damage on 16 SIJIN vehicles and the building of the Metropolitan Police Station of Bogotá. |
| 9 December 2002 | Detonation of a car bomb at the CAI in Normandía. 12 people were injured. |
| 23 December 2002 | Detonation of an explosive at the CAI in Santander. One police officer injured. |
| 23 July 2004 | Launch of a two mortar grenades against the CAI in Fatima. One of them exploded and injured one police officer. The other grenade was deactivated. |
| 26 August 2004 | Detonation of two improvised explosives at the CAI in Pinar. Two police officers died and 5 persons, including 3 police officers, injured. |
| 22 August 2006 | Detonation of a grenade at the CAI in Villa Luz, injuring 2 police officers and damaging the police command. |
| 10 June 2008 | Detonation of an explosive at the Police Station in the locality of Suba. The explosion injured 6 police officers and caused damage to the police station, the local Court House, 270 nearby properties, and police and civilians' motorcycles and vehicles. |
(Colombia 24 Apr. 2012)
The official did not mention whether records were destroyed.
In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate through the Canadian embassy in Bogotá, an official at the Criminal Investigation and Interpol Directorate (Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol, DIJIN) of the National Police indicated that no record was found concerning attacks against police stations in Cartagena between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2008 (Colombia 27 Nov. 2012). The official also indicated that the Statistical Information System on Crime, Contraventions and Operations of the National Police (Sistema de Información Estadístico Delincuencial, Contravencional y Operativo de la Policía Nacional, SIEDCO) was established on 1 January 2003, and that no information previous to this date was available (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Colombia. 27 November 2012. Policía Nacional de Colombia, Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol, DIJIN. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by an official.
_____. 24 April 2012. Policía Nacional de Colombia, Policía Metropolitana de Bogotá. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by an official.
_____. 6 April 2012. Policía Nacional de Colombia, Departamento de Policía Valle. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by an official.
_____. 29 March 2012. Policía Nacional de Colombia, Policía Metropolitana Santiago de Cali. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by an official.
_____. 27 March 2012. Policía Nacional de Colombia, Policía Metropolitana Santiago de Cali. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by an official.
_____. N.d.a. Policía Nacional de Colombia. "Contactos."
_____. N.d.b. Policía Nacional de Colombia. "Seccional de Investigación Criminal e Interpol."
Internet sites, including: Alcaldía Distrital de Buenaventura; Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá D.C.; Alcaldía de Santiago de Cali; Amnesty International; Colombia — Defensa Civil Colombiana, Defensoría del Pueblo, Ministerio de Defensa Nacional; El Colombiano; Cruz Roja Colombiana; El Espectador; Factiva; Freedom House; Gobernación del Valle del Cauca; Human Rights Watch; El País; Semana; El Tiempo; US — Department of State; UN — Office on Drugs and Crime.
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