Ex-Nicaraguan president launders 54 million dollars in Panama
Former Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Aleman and his partners laundered about 54 million US dollars in Panamanian banks, Attorney General of Nicaragua Alberto Novoa said Thursday.

He said the Panamanian Attorney General's office has sufficient evidence to indict Aleman, several former officials working in his administration and Panamanian lawyers who were involved in the money laundering.

Novoa arrived in Panama on Wednesday night, where he met with his Panamanian counterpart Jose Soza to analyze the judicial proceedings against Aleman.

He said there is sufficient evidence that Aleman transferred millions of dollars from Nicaragua to Panama.

According to Novoa, the money, once transferred to Panama, returned to Nicaragua again and then was deposited in the banks onVirgin Islands.

The Panamanian authorities have retained some 10.5 million dollars deposited in Panamanian banks in the names of Aleman and his relatives, said the attorney general.

The Panamanian authorities have also confiscated several real estates of Aleman and his family.

Aleman was sentenced to 20 years in jail on the money-laundering charge.

Novoa said the Nicaraguan authorities will demand Panama return the money Aleman deposited in Panamanian banks.
 

Salvadorian president accused of supporting Taiwan independence
El Salvador's major opposition in a statement Thursday accused President Elias AntonioSaca of supporting Taiwan independence at a United Nations session.

In his speech at the 59th United Nations General Assembly session, Saca insisted that an investigation on so-called "Taiwan's special status" be carried out. He also mentioned "the possibility of Taiwan's representation in the session and other international organizations."

Salvador Sanchez Ceren, general coordinator of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, noted that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, which has been recognized by the international community, reports reaching here said.

Last Wednesday, the General Committee of the United Nations General Assembly decided not to include into the agenda of the current session the so-called "question of the representation of 23 million people of Taiwan in the UN."

The decision was announced by Jean Ping, president of the current session of the UN General Assembly, after a long debate on the issue, raised by Chad and a few other countries.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's spokesman Fred Eckhard also said Taiwan enjoys no access to the UN headquarters building which belongs to governments.

The General Assembly this year has, for the 12th consecutive time, thwarted Taiwan's attempt to join the inter-governmental world body made up of sovereign states.
 

Colombian govt confirms release of businessman kidnapped by FARC
The Colombian government Thursday confirmed the release of Juan Carlos Andrade, director of the municipal firm Aseo de Florida, who was kidnapped by the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on Friday.

By now, Andrade and his three relatives have been freed, but his mother, Cecilia Rebolledo, 75, and Jairo Lozano were still held hostage.

Andrade's relatives said they did not know the plotter of this capture or its purpose.

Andrade was abducted along with five of his family members in arural house in El Pedregal, La Florida municipality.

The FARC, with 20,000 combatants, is the country's largest and oldest rebel organization and allegedly finances itself through drug trafficking and kidnappings.

Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war, in which leftist rebels, far-right paramilitary and government troops figh teach other, killing 3,500 people every year.
 

Peru renews request for Japan to extradite Fujimori
Peru will file a new request for Japan to extradite Alberto Fujimori, who is accused of human rights abuses during his 10 years as president of Peru, Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo said Thursday.

The extradition request was ratified Thursday by Peruvian Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez, said Toledo, who was attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

At the UN General Assembly, Toledo called on the international community to support the extradition by the Japanese government of Fujimori, who faces 15 charges before the Peruvian justice and is considered one of the 10 most corrupt politicians in the world.

According to Rodriguez, a new extradition petition against Fujimori will be filed on charges that Fujimori made an irregular payment of 15 million US dollars to his former adviser and ex-chief of the National Intelligence Service, Vladimiro Montesinos, currently in jail.

Fujimori, who ruled Peru between 1990 and 2000, is now living in Japan. In July 2003 the Peruvian justice requested his extradition on charges of human rights abuses that involved 25 lives,including a minor.

Japan has refused to extradite Fujimori, who holds dual Peruvian-Japanese citizenship, and said it is still evaluating Peru's request.