Venezuela Denies British Investigations in its Territory

November 12, 2003

CARACAS : Venezuelan Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel denied that Britain 's foreign intelligence service is investigating alleged al-Qaeda operations in Venezuelan territory.
 
``On numerous occasions the British government has ratified that it does not have any type of inquiries regarding the anti-terrorist policy executed by the Venezuelan state,'' Rangel said Tuesday.
 
According to a recent report published by The Sunday Express, a British daily, Britain 's MI6 agency is investigating a drug and arms trafficking network in Venezuela that is allegedly financed by al-Qaeda.
 
Rangel was responding to questions by reporters about the article.
 
On Monday, National Guard Gen. Alexis Maneiro said troops seized 3.5 tons of cocaine in eastern Venezuela after receiving a tip from MI6 agents.
 
Maneiro did not comment on the alleged existence of a smuggling network with ties to the terrorist organization led by Osama Bin Laden, but he said authorities would continue working with M16 agents.
 
``This is going to continue with them ... low profile and giving us all the support,'' Maneiro told The Associated Press regarding joint cooperation between Venezuelan authorities and M16 agents.
 
Political opponents of President Hugo Chavez regularly accuse the former coup leader of supporting terrorists, including Colombian rebel groups.
 
Chavez has repeatedly denied the allegations arguing they are only aimed at discrediting his ``revolutionary'' government, particularly within the international community.
 
Monday's cocaine raid was Venezuela's largest since the National Guard seized 10 tons of cocaine in an August 2000 operation with the US Drug Enforcement Administration that led to 16 arrests in Venezuela, France and Italy.
 
Venezuela is a key transit route for Colombian cocaine being smuggled to the United States and Europe.

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