Church condemns Colombian terrorist attack that killed five

Bogotá, Colombia, May 16, 2012 / 11:04 am

The bishops of Colombia condemned the terrorist attack that took place in the capital city Bogota on May 14 that left five people dead and nineteen wounded.

The attack took place on 74th Street and Caracas Avenue on a public bus, moments after another car bomb was deactivated in the Eduardo Santos district in downtown Bogota. Two other explosive devices on the bus failed to detonate.

Bishop Juan Vicente Cordoba, secretary general of the bishops' conference, told CNA that the local Church “deplores and rejects these terrorist acts that are an attack on the peace that should reign in our society.” 

“We are disturbed by these acts of violence that have just taken place,” the bishops said. “It is a shame that we are returning to this terrorist escalation that only leaves behind death and sorrow.”

According to the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, those wounded in the attack included former interior minister Fernando Londono, who was sitting in a gray van that was parked nearby.  His driver was killed by the blast.

Colombia’s president, Juan Manuel Santos, also condemned the attack “in the strongest terms.” 

“We don’t understand what the purpose was behind this, but be assured that the Government will not be derailed by these terrorist acts,” he said.

The bishops’ conference released a statement expressing solidarity with the victims, the wounded and their families, as well as with former minister Londono.

Bogota Police Chief Luis Eduardo Martinez said all the evidence suggests that the Marxist rebel group FARC was responsible for the attack.