Colombian citizen sentenced to 6 years in prison in Romania for attempted sabotage

A Colombian national arrested last year for planning acts of sabotage in Romania at the request of a Russian citizen has been sentenced to six years in prison by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, Biziday.ro reported. The verdict is not final and may be appealed within ten days.

Luis Alfonso Murillo Diosa was convicted of attempted diversion, a serious offense under Romanian law.

According to the court decision, time already served in detention and pre-trial custody, from August 1, 2024, to present, will be deducted from his sentence. The judge also ruled to keep the defendant in pre-trial detention.

In December 2024, Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) and the Intelligence Service (SRI) announced the arrest of Murillo Diosa.

Authorities said that in July 2024, acting on instructions from a foreign national residing in the Russian Federation, the Colombian carried out reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering activities in preparation for potential arson or explosive attacks targeting strategically important sites in Romania. These actions were considered a direct threat to national security.

Investigators revealed that Murillo Diosa previously completed military service in Colombia and had specialized training in intelligence gathering, further raising concerns about the level of coordination and intent behind the planned attacks.

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