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Monday, July 20, 2009

Colombia Seizes Rocket Launchers From Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC)

LONDON Ñ JaneÕs Intelligence Weekly has received information that Colombia has seized a number of antitank rocket launchers from guerrilla camps. These weapons may have been originally sold to the Venezuelan army before an arms embargo in 2006.   

The seized weapons are believed to be the AT4 model of the 84mm recoilless weapon manufactured by Saab Bofors Dynamics in Sweden. Four separate intelligence and diplomatic sources confirmed the information, although senior Colombian defence officials did not respond to IHS JaneÕs requests for further details. It is not clear how many rocket launchers have been seized.

JaneÕs Intelligence Weekly explained, ÒThese weapons are most effective if the intended target is relatively close and moving slowly, when a direct hit from an AT4 could potentially bring down a helicopter. The seizure of the AT4s will concern the Colombian government, which in the past has experienced a number of tense diplomatic exchanges with Venezuelan President Hugo Ch‡vez over issues such as alleged FARC presence on the Venezuelan side of the border.


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JaneÕs Intelligence Weekly believe that the Colombian government is unlikely to complain publicly about the seizure of the AT4s, since this would further destabilise bilateral relations and because a potential resulting spike in tensions could weigh on crucial bilateral trade, at a time when ColombiaÕs economy is experiencing a sharp slowdown.

JaneÕs Intelligence Weekly concluded, ÒConcern about potential illegal seepage from the Venezuelan military arsenal is likely to be expressed through unofficial channels, with Bogot‡ seeking to put discreet pressure on Caracas to investigate the provenance of the AT4s or further crack down on the FARCÕs efforts to operate across the Venezuela-Colombia border.

ÒTherefore tensions are unlikely to spike to the levels they reached in March 2008, when Venezuela sent tanks to the border with Colombia following a dispute over ColombiaÕs incursion into Ecuadorian territory.Ó



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