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Colombia court orders ex-rebel leader wanted in US detained

Colombia's Supreme Court has ordered the arrest of a former rebel leader wanted in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges.

FILE - In this June 12, 2019 file photo, former FARC rebel Jesus Santrich gives a victory signal to journalists as he attends a session of the Chamber of Representatives at the Colombian congress in Bogota, Colombia. United Nations workers assisting in Colombia’s peace process said Monday, July 1, that Santrich, who's real name is Seuxis Hernandez has gone missing, raising concerns for his safety. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)
FILE - In this June 12, 2019 file photo, former FARC rebel Jesus Santrich gives a victory signal to journalists as he attends a session of the Chamber of Representatives at the Colombian congress in Bogota, Colombia. United Nations workers assisting in Colombia’s peace process said Monday, July 1, that Santrich, who's real name is Seuxis Hernandez has gone missing, raising concerns for his safety. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)Read moreFernando Vergara / AP
    by Associated Press, The Associated Press
    Published 

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of a former rebel leader wanted in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges.

Magistrates ordered Seuxis Hernandez's capture when he missed a scheduled court date.

The former rebel leader, best known by the alias Jesus Santrich, disappeared in late June after abandoning his security detail. He hasn't been heard from since.

Santrich, who is blind, was detained for a year after the U.S. requested his extradition, but Colombia's peace tribunal ordered his release. The tribunal ruled it wasn't given enough information to definitively say the alleged crimes took place after the signing of a peace accord by the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Santrich, who was among the FARC commanders pushing for the accord, had vowed to comply with the legal system as the Supreme Court continued investigating the U.S. accusations.

The inspector general’s office asked the Supreme Court to order his arrest.