U.S. BLACKLISTS PARAMILITARIES IN COLOMBIA

BOGOTA, Colombia, Sept. 10 -- A day before Secretary of State Colin L.
Powell was to arrive to meet President Andres Pastrana, the Bush
administration today blacklisted a right-wing paramilitary group as a
terrorist organization responsible for hundreds of massacres in its war
against leftist rebels.

Being put on the State Department list of terrorist groups means that
financial support for the organization is illegal. The action also makes it
easier for the United States to seize assets, an important factor because
investigators here estimate that the paramilitary groups have hundreds of
millions of dollars in foreign bank accounts.

Washington made its decision as the group, the United Self-Defense Forces
of Colombia, has embarked on a program to shuffle its command and remake
its image.

On June 6, the longtime commander of the 8,000-member group, Carlos
Castano, resigned to oversee its political wing. On Wednesday, the group
said it was forming a nationwide political movement to "to dignify politics
and make peace possible."

But to human rights groups and the State Department, the Self-Defense
Forces is simply seen as a brutally efficient killing machine responsible
for thousands of deaths in the last decade, mainly of civilians suspected
by the group of being rebel sympathizers.

"Many of these massacres were designed to terrorize and intimidate local
populations so the A.U.C. could gain control of these areas," Secretary
Powell said in a statement, referring to the group by its Spanish initials.
"I hope this will leave no doubt that the United States considers terrorism
to be unacceptable, regardless of the political or ideological purpose."

The secretary's visit is intended to reassure the government here that
although the Bush administration is reviewing its anti-drug policy in
Colombia, it is not contemplating a change in the drive to strengthen the
military to fight drugs and support peace negotiations.

Mr. Pastrana's efforts against drugs are being supported by $1.1 billion in
American aid. But they have been complicated by the paramilitary groups,
who have attacked peace advocates and worked to derail peace efforts with
rebels. The group is also heavily involved in drug trafficking and, human
rights groups say, benefits from close ties to some military units.