Pubdate: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 Source: Inquirer (PA) Copyright: 2000 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. Contact: 400 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19101 Website: http://inq.philly.com/content/inquirer/home/ Forum: http://interactive.phillynews.com/talk-show/ Author: Mark Bowden, Inquirer Staff Writer Note: A list of the chapters published to date is at the end of this item. Bookmark: Reports about Colombia: http://www.mapinc.org/area/Colombia A LONG PHONE CALL HELPS TARGET ESCOBAR Chapter 34 of a continuing serial With the police Search Bloc listening in and recording the conversation, Pablo Escobar chatted on the phone with his wife and family as they holed up in a hotel in Bogota, trying desperately to get out of Colombia. It was Thursday, Dec. 2, 1993. After Escobar had spoken with his wife, his son, Juan Pablo, got back on the line. Juan Pablo had been given a list of questions from a journalist. Often, when Escobar was in trouble, he used the Colombian media to broadcast his messages and demands, trying to whip up public sentiment in his favor. Other times, when he was displeased with the media, he would have reporters and editors killed. Juan Pablo wanted his father's advice on how to answer these questions. "Look, this is very important in Bogota," Escobar told his son. He suggested that they might also be able to sell his answers to publications overseas, an opportunity to lobby publicly for his family to be given refuge. For now he just wanted to hear what the questions were. He said he would call back later to help his son answer them. "This is also publicity," Escobar said. "Explaining the reasons and other matters to them. Do you understand? Well done and well organized." "Yes, yes," Juan Pablo said. He began to read the questions: " 'Whatever the country, refuge is conditioned on the immediate surrender of your father. Would your father be willing to turn himself in if you are settled somewhere?' " ". . . Go on," Pablo instructed. "The next one is, 'Would he be willing to turn himself in before you take refuge abroad?' " "Go on." "I spoke with the man and he told me that if there were some questions I did not want to answer, there was no problem, and if I wanted to add some questions, he would include them." "OK. The next one?" " 'Why do you think that several countries have refused to receive your family?' OK?" "Yes." " 'From which embassies have you requested help for them to take you in. . . ?' " "OK." " 'Don't you think your father's situation, accused of X number of crimes, assassination of public figures, considered one of the most powerful drug traffickers in the world . . . ?' " Juan Pablo stopped reading. "Go on." "But there are many. Around 40 questions." Escobar told his son he would call back later in the day. "I may find a way to communicate by fax," he said. "No," Juan Pablo said, apparently concerned that use of a fax would somehow be too dangerous. "No, huh? OK. OK. So, good luck." Escobar hung up. Lt. Hugo Martinez and his special Colombian police electronic tracking team had not been able to assemble in time to chase the signal from this phone call. However, the American technicians at Centra Spike and the Search Bloc's own fixed listening posts had triangulated it to the same Los Olivos neighborhood where the calls had originated the day before. They hunkered down and waited for the promised next call. If Escobar was going to try to answer 40 questions, he was going to be on the phone a long time. At precisely 3 p.m. that Thursday, Escobar called his son back. Juan Pablo again began relaying the journalist's questions. The first asked the son to explain what it would take for his father to surrender. Escobar instructed, "Tell him: 'My father cannot turn himself in unless he has guarantees for his security.' " "OK," said Juan Pablo. "And we totally support him in that." "OK." "Above any considerations." "Yep." "My father is not going to turn himself in before we are placed in a foreign country, and while the police -" "The police and DAS is better," interjected Juan Pablo. "Because the DAS are also searching." "It's only the police." "Oh, OK." Pablo, resuming: "While the police -" "Yeah." "OK, let's change it to, 'while the security organizations. . .' " "Yeah." ". . . continue to kidnap . . ." "Yeah." ". . . torture. . ." "Yeah." ". . . and commit massacres in Medellin.' " "Yes, all right." "OK," Pablo said. "The next one." - ------------------------------ Chapters in this series with links: Chapter 1: Escobar's Rise To Power http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1692/a04.html Chapter 1 (continued): A Deadly Manhunt Guided By The US http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1690/a07.html Chapter 2: A Top-Secret Electronic Tracking Unit Rejoins The Hunt http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1696/a07.html Chapter 3: With Escobar Eluding Capture, Americans Summon Delta Force http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1702/a01.html Chapter 4: Delta Force, In Bogota, Gets The Lay Of A Confusing Land http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1704/a08.html Chapter 5: Raring To Get Started, Delta Learns Its Limits http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1712/a10.html Chapter 6: Delta, Colombians Get Off To Bad Start http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1715/a05.html Chapter 7: Incorruptible Colonel Rejoins Escobar Pursuit http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1729/a05.html Chapter 8: Escobar's Nemesis Hones His Troops For The Hunt http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1727/a04.html Chapter 9: Luxury 'Prison' Affords A Rare Look At Escobar http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1741.a07.html Chapter 10: A Conditional Offer To Surrender http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1733/a06.html Chapter 11: Frustrating Hunt Gives Rise To Vigilantism http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1741.a08.html Chapter 12: Homegrown Escobar Enemy Joins Fight http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1743.a06.html Chapter 13: Escobar's Powerful Foes Ally Against Him http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1746.a08.html Chapter 14: Angry Widow Aids Pursuit Of Escobar http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1752/a09.html Chapter 15: A Former Ally Offers A Profile Of Escobar http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1757/a04.html Chapter 16: A Rivalry Grows Between Spy Units http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1779/a06.html Chapter 17: A Traitor Within The Search Bloc http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1776/a01.html Chapter 18: Los Pepes' Killings Put Heat On Escobar http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1781/a01.html Chapter 19: Escobar Complains Of Unfair Treatment http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1788/a03.html Chapter 20: U.S. Spy Data, Vigilante Killings Start To Coincide http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1818.a09.html Chapter 21: 'Tacit Support' For Tough Tactics http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1816.a07.html Chapter 22: Martinez Pushes Ahead With The Hunt http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1819/a02.html Chapter 23: Search Bloc Leader Tries To Keep His Son From Joining The Manhunt http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1816.a07.html Chapter 24: Pressure Mounts On Escobar Family http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1821/a01.html Chapter 25: A Father And Son's High-Tech Connection http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1826/a01.html Chapter 26: Mission Stirs Concern Back Home http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1836/a07.html Chapter 27: Trackers Get A Line On Elusive Escobar http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1843/a05.html Chapter 28: As The Hunters Close In, A Narrow Escape http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1849/a05.html Chapter 29: Escobar's Wife, Children Become The Bait http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1853/a04.html Chapter 30: Escobar Employs A Ruse As His Family Takes Flight http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1856.a04.html Chapter 31: Denied Escape, Escobar's Family Returns Home http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1864.a03.html Chapter 32: Ever Elusive Escobar Still Intent On Settling Scores http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1869.a05.html Chapter 33: Quietly, Search Bloc Pins Escobar Down http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1872.a07.html - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake