(FLIP/IFEX) – On 19 November 2002, at 12:30 a.m. (local time), a bomb that was concealed inside a suitcase was left in front of the regional newspaper “La Opinion”‘s offices, located in Cúcuta, northern Santander. The attackers tried to enter the newspaper’s offices, but the guards stopped them from gaining access. Since the perpetrators were […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – On 19 November 2002, at 12:30 a.m. (local time), a bomb that was concealed inside a suitcase was left in front of the regional newspaper “La Opinion”‘s offices, located in Cúcuta, northern Santander. The attackers tried to enter the newspaper’s offices, but the guards stopped them from gaining access. Since the perpetrators were unable to enter the building, they left a bomb outside the main entrance and fled the scene. A guard noticed the bomb and informed the police. At approximately 4:00 a.m., an anti-explosive unit deactivated the bomb, which contained 30 kilos of the explosive Anfo, preventing any injuries or damages.
Ciceron Florez, assistant editor for “La Opinion”, told FLIP that neither the newspaper nor its journalists had received any threats. However, Florez noted that in March 1993, the daily’s founder and editor, José Eustorgio Colmenares Batista, was assassinated. The National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberacion Nacional, ELN) claimed responsibility for the crime.
North Santander Police Chief Colonel Barragan told IPYS that he attributed the attack on “La Opinion”‘s offices to the ELN. Barragan also noted that Anfo is the same type of explosive that was used in the 13 November bomb attack on RCN Radio, which also affected the Catholic radio station The Cúcuta Diocese (see IFEX alert of 15 November 2002).
On 18 November, a national media journalist working as a correspondent in Cúcuta received death threats on his pager. The journalist told FLIP that he had received threats on a weekly basis during the months of August and September. The journalist added that he had not reacted at the time but was now concerned because he viewed the threats as symptomatic of the recent deterioration of free expression in Cúcuta.
