CARTAGENA, Colombia – In the Ligueros Pub, one of several busy bordellos within coastal visitors urban area, prostitutes wear underwear loose time waiting for an effective bell so you can band, signaling the fresh new coming of men to the hunt. But the next group of U.
U.S. investigators looking to get to your base of the claimed later-nights circumstances out-of a small grouping of Secret service agents and you may army professionals allotted to President Barack Obama’s current trip to Colombia has begun trying to find as much as 21 women who are thought to add prostitutes also to possess spent the night for the safety officers.
Shortly after uncovering proof misconduct, detectives towards Secret service are searching for in order to interview women who have been shown to have used 11 agents – also snipers and you can explosives gurus – on the resort rooms immediately after a nights heavy-drinking, said Agent. Peter T. Queen, R-Letter.Y., the fresh new president of the house Panel towards Homeland Cover.
The brand new institution knows its identities because lodge where it existed keeps a policy demanding women in order to making copies of the identity cards before you go into rooms, told you Queen, who was simply briefed to the study Friday day from the Secret service director Draw Sullivan.
Sen. Susan Collins from Maine, the fresh new elderly Republican toward Senate Homeland Cover Panel, who had been and briefed by Sullivan, said 20 so you’re able to 21 local female was introduced into the Hotel Caribe, a sprawling beach front complex.
Brand new disclosures clear up you to definitely exactly what first looked like an enthusiastic isolated matter of misbehavior was a nights a great deal more widespread debauchery.
This new accusations is actually creating scrutiny of your own community of Miracle Service, in which married representatives was indeed read so you can laugh throughout flights takeoff you to their motto was “wheels up, groups off.”
To your Friday, an air Force colonel and you can an armed forces lawyer arrived in Colombia to help you make a study on the part of new Safeguards Agencies, said Col. Scott Malcom, captain spokesman to your You.S. South Command into the Miami.
The new enrolled personnel not as much as scrutiny is several Aquatic dog handlers; one or more person in the brand new Military Environmentally friendly Berets regarding the seventh Unique Forces Category, hence focuses on South america; and you can Sky Force and you will Navy teams who are experts in the convenience of explosives.
The fresh dual research possess throw a light for the Cartagena’s free-wheeling nightlife, in which prostitutes stroll the road and operate in the latest bars and you can an array of individual clubs, where it sometimes real time and in some cases charges $three hundred or more to go aside that have consumers.
Where exactly the fresh You.S. safety personnel came across the ladies was still below research, new U.S. officials told you, with over one place under feedback.
She told you a few of the female implemented Secret-service agents and you will someone else escorted members of the newest military, that’s conducting a unique study
The brand new 11 citizens were section of a much bigger Secret service contingent away from dozens support Obama’s see. Brand new agencies arrived in Colombia towards Monday or Wednesday and you may, according to King, had not yet been briefed on their certain tasks otherwise already been its certified obligations once they went out Wednesday evening.
What amount of army team below analysis in case, that your Pentagon initial numbered on five, try anywhere between 10 and you may twelve, the authorities said. It wasn’t thought that the secret Services representatives while the army staff went in one large team, authorities said, proving that there ericans just who sought out that evening.
“You will find other versions away from what happened, although newest variation would be the fact one of many girls reported from the six have always been that she had not become paid off,” King said. “The key Service wouldn’t allow the lodge manager with the room, is soulmates free plus the cops appeared.”
Collins said she pushed the key Services to determine which the women was indeed and you can whether or not they got links so you’re able to teams hostile for the You.
The brand new contribution out-of one or two Secret-service administrators, people who have knowledge of the study advised the fresh Washington Blog post, means that the fresh males got little anxiety about repercussions up to resorts workers and you will Colombian cops reported the challenge towards the U
Collins told you she got expected of the Secret-service, “You will definitely they have planted insects, handicapped weapons,” or perhaps in different ways “affected coverage of chairman or our very own country? Will there be one proof past misconduct of the these or people almost every other representatives to the most other objectives?”
Within his every day briefing, Light Domestic force assistant Jay Carney said Obama provides “confidence” within the Sullivan’s frontrunners of Secret-service and will wait for the brand new consequence of an interior data ahead of weighing-in then for the future of the newest department.
“Sullivan acted quickly responding to this event, and you can he is overseeing a study these days,” Carney said. “We are really not likely to imagine regarding results it could arrived at.”