national

DIJ tracks down source of e-mail

la prensa

on display:Police show the the uniforms that the FARC members were wearing when they were intercepted near Jaqué, the Darién.991072

Dirección de Investigación Judicial (DIJ) investigators raided an Internet café in La Chorrera where they think a fake note was sent by e-mail listing demands by the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC).

The note threatened that FARC would begin kidnapping citizens and committing other acts of terrorism if six FARC members being held by the government on drug charges are not released.

DIJ officers searched Foto Internet, on Calle Bolívar in the neighborhood of Colón, from 1:40 a.m. until 3:30 a.m. yesterday morning. They seized the hard drives of 22 computers and took one person into custody for questioning.

That person, identified as Melisa Bustamante, 20, was later released.

Police declined to comment about the investigation beyond stating that they believe that the e-mail originated at the Internet cafe.

Regarding the e-mail, President Martín Torrijos said yesterday that it is irresponsible to publish such threats, but confirmed that the government ordered police to reinforce the border with Colombia because of an earlier message that was in fact sent by FARC and which demanded that the prisoners be released.

"It's irresponsible to publish documents that have...generated anxiety, concern and fear," he said. Police are also investigating a bomb threat that was called in to the Attorney General's office at 9 a.m. yesterday. Some 360 people were evacuated. Officials later determined that the threat was a hoax.

In the wake of the bomb threat, the government has upgraded security for prosecutors and other judicial personnel.

The government captured six FARC members Friday when the boat they were in encountered engine problems in the waters near Jaqué, the Darién.

Three of the Colombians and a Panamanian police officer were injured in a gun battle that erupted as the Colombian boat was being towed to shore.

FARC is suspected of trafficking drugs through Panama, and the boat used by the Colombians tested positive for cocaine residue.