A Colombian judge Saturday ordered the arrest of former president Alvaro Uribe's chief of staff for alleged involvement in spying on judges, journalists and politicians by the domestic security agency. Bernardo Moreno, 51, is the second top former aide to Uribe to be ordered arrested on criminal charges. A former agricultural minister, Andres Felipe Arias, was jailed Tuesday for allegedly favoring political cronies with irrigation subsidies. But the Moreno case is the first affecting Uribe's former inner sanctum. He was the president's chief of staff for both his terms in office from 2002-2010. Judge Marlene Orjuela ordered Moreno jailed while he is tried for criminal conspiracy, abuse of public office and other charges. Moreno faces at least three years in prison if convicted by the Supreme Court. He denies any wrongdoing. Colombia's chief prosecutor, Viviana Morales, alleges Moreno took part in a key September 2007 meeting at an exclusive Bogota club in which he directly instructed officials of the DAS state security agency to spy on political foes and critics of Uribe. In her arrest order, Orjuela noted that Moreno was accused of trying to persuade the attorney for a former DAS agent to not mention his involvement to prosecutors. Orjuela said the alleged action amounted to obstruction of justice. Her ruling came a day after she heard arguments from Moreno's lawyers and attorneys for prominent Colombians, including judges, ex-senators and journalists, who were wiretapped or watched by the DAS. Most of the testimony against Moreno comes from jailed former DAS detectives. Uribe himself denies any knowledge of the illegal spying and had no immediate comment on Saturday. His opponents say they find it difficult to believe the conservative former president could not have been aware. Uribe said he was “deeply pained” by the jailing of Moreno.
