BOGOTA, Colombia (AP):

Colombia extradited 14 paramilitary warlords to the United States yesterday on drug-related charges in a surprise move that brought praise from Washington but raised fears that justice would be thwarted for thousands of victims.

Those extradited in the pre-dawn operation include Salvatore Mancuso and most other leaders of Colombia's illegal right-wing militias notorious figures blamed for some of modern Colombia's worst atrocities, including the deaths of at least 10,000 people.

Victims' families fear that once the warlords are in US prisons, it will be more difficult to get them to confess to human rights violations and reveal details of their connections to Colombian politicians.

Compensation

But US officials vowed yesterday to cooperate with Colombian prosecutors in any and all investigations, and President Alvaro Uribe said any international assets seized from the warlords by the United States would go to compensate the victims.

"It's a great day," US drug czar John Walters told The Associated Press. He said the US justice system is "far less likely for them to be able to attack or intimidate or corrupt.''

Uribe said the militia bosses were extradited for continuing to commit crimes from prison, failing to "duly cooperate" with prosecutors and neglecting "to compensate victims hiding assets and delaying their delivery."

''The country has been generous with them but the government can't tolerate a relapse into crime,'' he said national address.

The U.S. charges, some of which remain in sealed indictments, apparently are limited to drug trafficking and related violence. There is indication that the United States will prosecute the warlords for massacres and other rights violations.

Under a 2003 peace pact, the militia leaders were supposed to confess to all their crimes, surrender ill-gotten riches and halt illegal activities in exchange for reduced jail terms and protection from extradition.

Victims' relatives fear it will be more difficult to obtain confessions and cross-examine the warlords, meaning their rich and powerful accomplices can now more easily evade justice.