How Israel Facilitated the Guatemalan Genocide

[Judi Lynn]

12. From the Associated Press: Israeli who trained Colombian militias goes home

Lt.-Col. Yair Klein wanted in Colombia on charges of training the 'death squads' released from jail and is on his way back to Israel.

By DIAA HADID, Associated Press

JERUSALEM — An Israeli wanted in Colombia for training militias that killed hundreds returned home Saturday after he was released from a Moscow jail, disappointing activists and victims who have tried for years to bring him to justice.
Yair Klein is accused of training far-right paramilitary groups in the 1980s that stole land and murdered Colombians during a decade-long reign of terror across the countryside.

Human rights activists are pleading with Israel to open an investigation into Klein’s actions during that period in the hopes that he could be tried locally.

“Israel should not be a safe haven for somebody who is implicated in atrocities in Colombia,” said Jose-Miguel Vivanco of the New York-based Human Rights Watch.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman did not return requests for comment.

Colombian officials said they would still try extradite the former Israeli military officer, who was sentenced in absentia in 2001 to almost 11 years jail. Israel, however, is not likely to agree ship off one of its citizens to trial elsewhere.

. . .

Klein was convicted in Colombia of helping set up training camps to teach private armies working for drug lords Pablo Escobar and Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha about explosives, car bombs and high-profile killings. The armies later morphed into Colombia’s right-wing death squads.

More:
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-israeli-who-trained-colombian-militias-goes-home-2010nov20-story.html