Security notice - U.S. warns of possible bombings in Colombia
U.S. warns of possible bombings in Colombia
POSTED: 1550 GMT (2350 HKT), September 22, 2006 (on CNN.com)
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- The U.S. Embassy in Colombia has told its staff to stay away from upscale shopping malls and restaurants in the capital, saying it has information that leftist rebels are planning a possible bomb attack.
In an e-mail sent to embassy employees Thursday, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the U.S. Regional Security Office said that "all personnel are prohibited from frequenting all shopping malls and their immediate surrounding areas" in northern Bogota until October 1.
Talk of the embassy ban dominated radio airwaves as Colombians voiced dismay that U.S. authorities apparently had kept them in the dark about the supposed threat.
The e-mail said the warning was based on intelligence obtained from Colombian authorities.
But Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos denied that Colombian authorities were the source of information about the possible threat from rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
"I don't know where they got this information," Santos told Caracol Radio on Friday. "We've done a thorough sweep of our intelligence services and can confirm it wasn't us."
U.S. Embassy officials were not immediately available for comment. A spokesman said they were meeting with Colombian defense officials.
One of the "no-go" areas mentioned in the e-mail, a dining district popular with Americans and well-heeled Colombians known as the Pink Zone, has been targeted previously.
In 2003, rebels attacked two bars in the area with grenades, killing a Colombian woman and injuring more than 70 people, including five Americans.
But since then, the capital has been largely insulated from deadly violence stemming from a half-century of civil conflict -- a calm that many attribute to law-and-order President Alvaro Uribe's policy of beefing up the military's presence in urban areas.
With more than 500 employees, the U.S. Embassy in Bogota is the headquarters for the multibillion-dollar anti-drug military strategy known as Plan Colombia.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Just to let any mongers in Colombia know the potential risk.
$Bill
Safety guide about Colombia
[url]http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/7315[/url]
Every new about safety in English is here.
A quick local lingo question
Hi All,
New member here but not new to the life. Thanks to all for great info across the many forums here. Great resources like this sure help planning and prep. I and a friend are visiting Colombia for the first time in late Oct and early Nov. Hmmm, I wonder what Halloween is like at Mango's in MDE? Anyway we'll be staying at the Mansion while in MDE and also plan 3-4 days in CTG. I was going over some Spanish language prep with regard to interviewing and negotiating and came up with a question. While I know many Latinas understand English for BJ I still wanted to ask if there is any common Colombian slang that is used for BJ. I'd appreciate any input anyone might have for this word as well as for any other s*x acts.
Thanks! So has anyone been to Mango's for Halloween?
Play No Games what dates r u going to be in the PI?
Play No Games, I have tentative plans to be in the P.I from November 15th through the 26th so maybe we can have some San Miguels there if these dates corralate to any of yours and of course they will be on me. :) My friend and I been mongering there for years, and we both stay at the Dusit Nikko Hotel in Makati which is a beautiful hotel and close to the action. If you have any questions feel free to ask me and I will do my best to help you make your stay a great one. Another good source for info on the P.I is Surfer, and he actually just got back from there. As far as NewYears in Colombia I cannot tell you what the best city to go to is because I have never been there during those times, but this board has some great members who are very helpful and I am sure they will help you in your decison.
Good luck to you.
Non Biased Feedback / VIP Medellin / Albert
Since I had a good initial meeting with Albert, I decided to post some feedback. I called Albert yesterday and we agreed to meet at the DHL building at 1:00 p.m. as I have been living in MDE for approximately 6 months and need a VISA & cedula. Albert showed up right on the button and picked me up to transport me back to the VIP. We arrived at a gated entrance just a block or two off of Avenida Poblado on Calle 21. Very secure and had a man working the entrance. As a matter of fact, you could not even see the house or property until the gate opened allowing for access. Very nice place. Awesome stone paved driveway. Alot of work went into this place at some point in time. There were about a half dozen or so guys hanging around, working on their laptops, etc. We went into Albert's office and he handed me a list of items that would be needed for the two documents. Very organized and very professional. He also agreed to allow me to pay 1/2 now and 1/2 upon issuance of the documents. I will be back on Monday to execute my power of atty and deliver 1/2 of the fee. EZ PZ. We also discussed investors VISA's and the purchase of property. There are definite paths to take when executing ALL of these decisions and Albert seems very versed in the process(es). After 15 minutes or so of discussions, I was walked back out to the gate and a polite gentleman who worked for the VIP assisted me in hailing a taxista. I will report back upon receipt of my new documents. So far, I would highly recommend Albert in this area as you can probably cut somje corners and save a little money, but I prefer the quick and efficient paths to getting things done. Certain things are always worth the money paid, especially good service in Colombia.
