US SAYS WILL 'PULL NO PUNCHES' ON COLOMBIA DRUGS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said Monday it would pull no
punches in bringing Colombian drug lords to justice despite the risk
of a backlash following a landmark extradition of a suspected heroin
smuggler.

Hailing Bogota for sending a suspect to a U.S. court for the first
time in nine years, State Department spokesman James Rubin said: ``We
regard this as a very positive sign that demonstrates the courage and
commitment of the (President Andres) Pastrana administration in the
battle against narcotics trafficking.''

Despite fears of a violent backlash like one waged by late drugs
kingpin Pablo Escobar, Colombia lifted a ban on extraditing smuggling
suspects after the United States blacklisted the country for failing
to cooperate in the fight against drugs.

Rubin said the United States and Colombia had a ``very close working
relationship'' and that he hoped more suspects would be brought to
justice like Jaime Orlando Lara Nausa, who was whisked away by
helicopter from Bogota on Sunday.

``It is our view that bringing narcotics traffickers to justice is an
important deterrent,'' Rubin told a briefing.

Asked about the risk of a backlash from so-called ''narco-terrorists,''
Rubin said: ``The fight against trafficking with drug lords and
narcotics traffickers is a hard fight.

He added: ``The question is whether one should pull one's punches in
bringing to justice these people and let their terrorism deter
justice. And what I'm indicating ... is that's not our view.''

Rubin said he hoped the courage of Pastrana's administration would be
a sign of greater cooperation in fighting drugs.

Colombia banned the extradition of its citizens in 1991 after a bloody
campaign of bombings, kidnappings and murders masterminded by Escobar.

U.S. authorities have so far requested the extradition of some 50
alleged Colombian drug smugglers since the end of the constitutional
ban on the practice.

Lara Nausa appeared in a Manhattan federal courtroom on Monday and was
ordered held without bail. His attorney, Richard Lind, said Lara would
enter a plea of not guilty when he is arraigned on Wednesday.