Bogota, Aug 30 (IANS/EFE) A former rightist militia chief convicted in absentia for his role in massacres has been arrested in Panama, Colombian police said Friday.
Colombian police informed Panamanian counterparts about Armando Alberto Perez Betancourt's presence in the country.
Perez was head of the Catatumbo Bloc of the AUC militia federation and spread terror in northeastern region of Colombia along the Venezuelan border.
Forces commanded by the militia leader killed at least 5,200 people and buried them in common graves, according to Colombian police, who have been chasing the erstwhile warlord for more than a decade.
Perez has been sentenced to a total of 120 years in jail for his part in the 1999-2000 massacres at Tibu and La Gabarra.
--IANS/EFE
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