Colombian Secret Service ‘planned to gag MEPs’
An Austrian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) has claimed he has been targeted by the Colombian Secret Service over his fight for the rights of farmers in the country.Social Democrat (SPÖ) Jörg Leichtfried said today (Thurs) he got hold of top secret documents revealing that Secret Service officials of the South American country planned to “muzzle” him after he started working for poor farmers and repressed unionists.Leichtfried has spoken out several times in the European Parliament (EP) against the Colombian regimes strict labour policy. He also questioned the European Unions (EU) trade agreement with the country.The Styrian claimed leaked “Operación Europa” documents revealed how Secret Service officials plan to stop him and a handful of other MEPs from highlighting breaches of human rights in Colombia.Leichtfried made clear that the initiative will not keep from him continuing his fight against malpractices in the country.