COLOMBIAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO ARM MILITIA

TAMPA - A Colombian man was charged in an indictment Wednesday with
attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization by
buying $4 million in arms for a paramilitary organization.

Carlos Gamarra-Murillo, 53, was arrested April 1 after authorities said he
tried to purchase the arms from Tampa-based undercover investigators for
the federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Authorities said he tried to purchase a cache of weapons for the left- wing
Colombian paramilitary, the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia.
FARC is the largest paramilitary group in Colombia and has been designated
a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.

"Today's indictment alleges that Carlos Gamarra-Murillo attempted to
provide the fuel to feed a dangerous foreign terrorist organization,"
Attorney General John Ashcroft said. "Those who seek to supply narco-
terrorists with weapons and ammunition must be brought to justice for their
actions."

Among the weapons authorities said Gamarra tried to purchase were 60 M- 60
machine guns, 60 grenade launchers, 600 M-16A1 assault rifles, 600 Galil
7.62 mm assault rifles, 100 Galil 5.56 mm assault rifles, 500 AK- 47
assault rifles, 150 Beretta 9 mm handguns, 2,000 40 mm grenades and 2,000
60 mm grenades.

Officials accuse Gamarra of planning to pay for the weapons with nearly $4
million and 2,000 kilograms of cocaine.

Gamarra faces six charges in the indictment handed up Wednesday, including
attempting to export defense articles without a license, brokering the
exportation of defense articles without registering or obtaining a license
to do so, conspiring to and attempting to distribute 2,000 kilograms of
cocaine, and conspiring to possess machine guns and destructive devices in
furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking crimes.

The charges could bring life in prison, upon conviction.

Gamarra's attorney could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

When Gamarra was arrested, he had come to Tampa bulging with cash, prepared
to do business, ICE Special Agent George Ellis testified in a hearing in
April. Gamarra had $92,000 wrapped in brown paper in packages in his coat
pocket, back pocket and luggage, Ellis said.

Authorities said he came well prepared. Before his visit, he faxed his
shopping list. They said he had visited before to view samples of the
merchandise.

Ellis testified that Gamarra's visits were videotaped by investigators.

After his arrest, Gamarra agreed to cooperate, and he placed a series of
telephone calls to South America, Ellis said.