Cartagena (colombia), April 15: A dozen Secret Service agents sent to Colombia to provide security for president Barack Obama at an international summit have been relieved of duty over alleged misconduct. A caller who said he had knowledge of the situation claimed the misconduct involved prostitutes in Cartagena, site of the Summit of the Americas. A Secret Service spokesman did not dispute the claim.
A US official, who requested anonymity, put the number of agents sent home at 12. Secret Service was not releasing the number of personnel involved.
The incident threatened to overshadow Obama's economic and trade agenda at the summit and embarrass the US. The White House had no comment, but also did not dispute the allegations.
In Washington, Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan would not confirm that prostitution was involved, saying only that there had been "allegations of misconduct" made against Secret Service personnel in Cartagena for the summit. Donovan said the allegations of misconduct were related to activity before the president's arrival on Friday night and didn't impact security plans for Obama's trip.
Obama attended a leaders' dinner on Friday night at Cartagena's historic Spanish fortress and was due to attend summit meetings with regional leaders on Saturday and on Sunday. The agents were staying at Cartagena's Hotel Caribe. A hotel employee described them as drinking heavily.
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