Spain arrests former FARC rebel accused of forcing 500 guerrillas to have abortions
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(Photo by Carlos Villalon/Getty Images.) (2002 Getty Images)
Spanish police say they have arrested a suspected former combatant in the Colombian rebel force FARC who they say carried out more than 500 forced abortions on female guerrillas.
Police say in a statement they arrested Hector Albeidis Arboleda Buitrago in Madrid Saturday after Colombian authorities told them that he could be in Spain.
Arboleda Buitrago is wanted in Colombia for allegedly performing abortions in 1998-2000 on combatants of FARC, an acronym for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The women were allegedly threatened they would face execution by firing squad if they refused the terminations.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Police said more than 50 forced abortions were carried out on underage indigenous girls.
Luis Gonzalez Leon, Colombia's public safety spokesman said several women died and others were left injured.