Colombian president apologizes for 1985 army raid in handling hostage crisis

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Friday apologized for the state's actions during a 1985 army raid on the Supreme Court in which nearly 100 people were killed after the building was taken hostage by M-19 guerrillas.

Santos said during an official ceremony at the Palace of Justice that he wanted "a ceasefire forever in Colombia," while recognizing on behalf of the state its responsibility for what had happened 30 years ago.

"Today, I recognize the responsibility of the Colombian state and I ask forgiveness," Santos said, standing outside the Palace of Justice with relatives including current Justice Minister Yesid Reyes, whose Supreme Court president father was among the 11 justices killed.

"Here there occurred a deplorable, absolutely condemnable action by the M-19, but it must be recognized there were failures in the conduct and procedures of state agents," he added.

It all started on Nov. 6, 1985, when at least 30 M-19 guerrilla rebels broke into the basement of the Palace of Justice, seeking to prosecute then President Belisario Betancur for violating a peace agreement that had been signed with the guerrilla force.

M-19 was determined to attract attention on the matter by executing a very symbolic operation in which they wanted to take president of the Supreme Court Alfonso Reyes Echandia hostage in order to put pressure on the government.

The Colombian army decided to take over the palace and its operation succeeded in 28 hours, creating a massive fire that almost consumed the whole building, located in front of Congress and 100 meters away from the Presidential House.

Some 30 years later, the episode known in the country as the Justice Palace Holocaust is far from being clarified, because the details of what had happened during the takeover have been confusing and polarized by those who were involved.

Most of the information of what had happened at the Palace came from the media, both TV and radio.

Colombians heard the radio recordings of the Supreme Court president begging for a ceasefire saying "we need the army to stop shooting or we all will die here." But then-president Belisario Betancur refused to call off the siege.

Families of some victims alleged military involvement in the disappearances of loved ones whose bodies have never been recovered.

Some of the investigations conducted by the Colombian authorities resulted in the sentencing of former colonel Alfonso Plazas Arias to 30 years in prison for forced disappearances related to the operation. Alfonso Plazas Arias led the Palace of Justice takeover

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights said in a 2014 ruling the Colombian state was responsible for forced disappearances, torture and extra-judicial executions during the crisis. Endi