Colombians seek probe of Chiquita execs for terror funding

Human rights groups in Colombia are calling on the International Criminal Court to investigate executives from Chiquita Brands for alleged complicity in crimes against humanity as a result of payments made to paramilitary groups more than a decade ago.

Chiquita in 2007 pleaded guilty in a case brought by the U.S. Justice Department to making over $1.7 million in payments to the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia and paid a $25 million fine.

But activists now want to hold accountable those who authorized the payments to the U.S.-designated terrorist group. Declassified documents obtained recently by the National Security Archive through a freedom of information request for the first time name 14 Chiquita executives involved in the scandal.