Colombia suspects ELN of bombing despite peace talks

Colombian authorities suspect the rebel group ELN of carrying out a bombing at a bullring despite peace talks between the leftist force and the government, an official said Monday. Sunday's attack followed the start of talks this month between the government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) which aim to seal an end to five decades of conflict. The ELN said on Twitter that none of its units had owned up to the attack at the Plaza Santamaria bullring, which injured 24 police officers and two civilians. But ELN involvement in Sunday's bombing "is one of the main theories" being considered by investigators, Bogota's Mayor Enrique Penalosa said on RCN radio station. He had earlier ruled out the possibility that animal rights campaigners carried out the bombing in protest at the resumption of bullfights at the ring. Penalosa said the bombing bore similarities to other attacks in Bogota claimed by the ELN. "If they want to somehow affect the negotiation process then we all need to be very vigilant, because they might want to carry out other attacks," he said. Closed in 2012 by the city's former leftist mayor Gustavo Petro, the bullring was allowed to reopen last month by Colombia's Constitutional Court. It was targeted by protesters when bullfights resumed there on January 22. Police have mounted a heavy guard at the venue during bullfights every Sunday since the protests. President Juan Manuel Santos is trying to seal a "complete peace" by seeking a deal with the ELN. He signed a historic disarmament accord last year with the country's biggest rebel force, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The two forces took up arms in 1964 at the start of a conflict that drew in various groups. Authorities say the conflict has killed 260,000 people.