International Plot Targeting U.S. Military Leads to Harsh Sentencing

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Several Colombian nationals were sentenced to decades in prison for plotting to murder American soldiers, but the details of their elaborate plot reveal even darker intentions.

At a Glance

  • Colombian nationals Andres Fernando Medina Rodriguez and Ciro Alfonso Gutierrez Ballesteros were sentenced to 35 and 30 years in prison, respectively.
  • They conspired and attempted to murder U.S. soldiers by detonating a car bomb outside a military base near the Colombia-Venezuela border.
  • The explosion injured three U.S. Army soldiers and 44 Colombian military personnel.
  • The defendants collaborated with the 33rd Front, an extremist faction of FARC, to target American troops.

Decades in Prison for Attempted Murder

Colombian nationals Andres Fernando Medina Rodriguez and Ciro Alfonso Gutierrez Ballesteros have been sentenced to 35 and 30 years in prison, respectively. These sentences follow their convictions for conspiring and attempting to murder U.S. soldiers. The plot, which involved detonating a car bomb outside a military base near the Colombia-Venezuela border, underscores the dangers faced by American military personnel stationed abroad.

The attack took place at the Colombian 30th Army Brigade Base in Cúcuta, Colombia, where American troops were stationed. Medina Rodriguez, exploiting his status as a medically discharged Colombian army officer, conducted surveillance on the base. This allowed him and his accomplice, Gutierrez Ballesteros, to plan and execute the attack with precision.

Details of the Plot

The bomb used in the attack was a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED). Medina Rodriguez and Gutierrez Ballesteros delivered an SUV loaded with explosives to their co-conspirators ten days before the attack. On June 15, 2021, Medina Rodriguez drove the bomb-laden SUV to the base, activated the bomb’s timer, and fled the scene with Gutierrez Ballesteros. The explosion resulted in significant injuries to three U.S. Army soldiers and 44 Colombian military personnel.

“Our most urgent mission and highest priority is to hold those accountable who target Americans, to include the brave men and women who serve as members of our uniformed services domestically and around the world,” U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida said.

The plot was part of a broader collaboration with the 33rd Front, a militant faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). This extremist group has a long history of engaging in violent activities against government and military targets. The defendants fled to Venezuela after the bombing but were later tracked down and arrested in Colombia following an extensive international manhunt.

International Effort to Bring Perpetrators to Justice

The overwhelming success of this investigation and subsequent prosecution was the result of coordinated efforts by multiple agencies. The FBI, Department of Defense, Fiscalía General de la Nación de Colombia, and Colombian National Police were all deeply involved. Additionally, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá played pivotal roles in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendants.

“As seen by the prison sentences imposed upon defendants Medina Rodriguez and Gutiérrez Ballesteros today, individuals who threaten the safety and security of the United States and our fellow Americans will face the full force of our nation’s criminal justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe, and FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells made the announcement. They emphasized the broader efforts to ensure justice for anyone who targets American soldiers, regardless of location or complexity. Both men were charged in a five-count terrorism-related indictment filed in 2022 and pleaded guilty to conspiring and attempting to murder members of the First Security Assistance Brigade.

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Sources:

  1. Colombian Nationals Sentenced to 35 and 30 Years in Prison for Plot to Murder American Soldiers
  2. Colombian Nationals Sentenced for Plot to Murder American Soldiers
  3. Colombian nationals sentenced to prison for plot to murder American soldiers
  4. Two Colombians get 35 and 30 years after pleading guilty to plot to murder U.S. soldiers
  5. Colombian Nationals Sentenced in 2021 Car Bombing Against US Soldiers
  6. Colombian nationals sentenced to prison for plot to murder American soldiers
  7. Retired Colombian army officer sentenced in US over 2021 assassination of Haiti’s president
  8. Two Colombians Jailed In US For Car Bomb Attack

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