U.S. judge stops deportation of men accused of Caracas bombings

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MIAMI - (KRT) - An immigration judge in Miami-Dade County has prohibited the deportations to Venezuela of two former national guard lieutenants accused of bombing diplomatic missions in Caracas in 2003 - but gave the U.S. government the discretion to send them to another country.

Judge Neale Foster, in a ruling issued late Friday, granted Jose Antonio Colina and German Rodolfo Varela their requests not to be returned to their homeland. But the judge denied the ex-officers' asylum petitions, giving them a "deferral" of deportation - meaning the government could keep them in detention or try to find a third country that would take them.

Foster, in a 32-page ruling made available Tuesday, said Colina and Varela - who are being held at the Krome detention center - "established that it is more likely than not that they would be tortured" if returned home because evidence showed "Venezuela uses torture of criminals under arrest and torture of dissidents who oppose the government."

"We're pleased with this victory, but it's a partial victory," said Leopoldo Ochoa, one of the attorneys who represents Colina and Varela. "We feel our clients are one step closer to being out of danger. But the relief they were granted is not permanent in nature."

Kansas City Star

[teryang]

1. This article is revealing

One standard for those accused of terrorism without proof by us. A higher standard for those known to be terrorists by others.

Why not send them to Egypt to be tortured?

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2. Hired stooges have to be protected.

Otherwise, the supply could dry up.