From Tel Aviv to Bogota

AP broke the news, confirming what many have suspected - Israelis are training death squads in South / Central America.

The story has been picked up by IHT and Haaretz - the IHT link is here

Interpol issued an international arrest warrant Tuesday for three Israelis
accused of training private armies of Colombian drug cartels and right-wing
death squads.
Yair Klein, Melnik Ferri and Tzedaka Abraham were being sought
on charges of criminal conspiracy and instruction in terrorism and face nearly
11 years in prison if convicted.

The Associated Press, April 3 2007

There have long been rumors of Israeli involvement in the drug cartels - my Colombian relatives tell of recent IDF equipment showing up in rebel hands. Apparantly ex-IAF Cobra gunships are the mule of choice for the Cartagena-Miami cocaine run.

Note that Yair Klein is a former Colonel in the IDF. He's also a former associate of Pablo Escobar and recent prison inmate in Sierra Leone courtesy of an abortive blood diamonds deal.

These arrests fit a pattern. Israel has history in Central America. For years Israeli "Security Companies" did the CIA's dirty work in Honduras ad El Salvador. One of the most notorious operatives was Leo Gleser, who through his front company ISDS trained right wing Honduran death squads at the time of Iran-Contra .

Yossi Melman disects Leo Gesler here

There were years in which "Colonel Gleser," as he is known in several Latin
American countries, was described there as an Israeli mercenary who assists
repressive regimes....Gleser and his company created the Special Forces of the Honduras army and supplied them with equipment manufactured by Israel Military Industries, from Galil and sniper rifles to personal gear

Yossi Melman, Haaretz, 30/03/2006

Amazingly this man is now being quoted, approvingly, by the AJC and The Republican as an "EL AL security expert", competent to advise on domestic law and order.

His company has also been used by the US army at Fort Bragg to train Iraq-bound US "Special Forces". And Americans are surprised that Iraqis see them as Occupiers!

Israeli "Security" - coming soon to a police force near you!