Colombia paramilitaries arrested

The AUC has demobilised some 30,000 fighters

Colombian police have arrested 10 senior leaders of a right-wing paramilitary group for breaching the terms of a peace accord.

President Alvaro Uribe recently told the leaders of the Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC) to surrender to allow the peace process to go forward.

He said failure to comply would see them lose benefits they were offered as part of the accord.

But they refused on the grounds that promises of leniency were not enough.

President Uribe said the arrests were aimed at "moving this process forward by gaining credibility."

He said peace talks could still continue in the detention centres where the paramilitary leaders would be held.

Demobilisation

The crackdown, in cities across the country, saw several top officials arrested.

In addition, AUC strongman Salvatore Mancuso turned himself over to authorities, saying the paramilitaries were "respectful of the president and the promises we made to Colombia", the AP news agency reported.

On Monday, President Uribe ordered AUC leaders to report to detention centres to face questioning over their role in atrocities committed during the country's four-decade civil conflict.

He said if they refused, they would lose benefits such as the suspension of extradition orders to the US.

The AUC has demobilised around 30,000 fighters over the past two years under the terms of the peace accord.

The paramilitary group was created to protect ranches from extortion and kidnapping by Marxist guerrillas, but was soon taken over by drug-traffickers.

It has been accused of massacring of civilians and engaging in lucrative drug trafficking.