FILE PHOTO OF PARAMILITARY CHIEF CARLOS CASTANO, 2000-09-23 (photo)

Carlos Castano, 35, right-wing Paramilitary Forces warlord, walks in front of his troops in a mountain hideout in northern Colombia, in this file photo taken September 23, 2000. Led by an articulate former army scout, Castano, the paramilitaries, known as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), grew ninefold to 8,000 fighters in the eight years to 2000 accused of human rights abuses. The paramilitaries are now one of the biggest military problems for Colombia's guerrilla groups, which are fighting the regular armed forces as well. These have recently been bolstered by $1 billion in mainly military U.S. aid for the government's anti-drug "Plan Colombia". JMG