Editor's summary:

United States — Nearly two years ago the relatives of five U.S. missionaries slain in the 1990s by the Colombian militant group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), brought a lawsuit against Chiquita Brands International. The suit alleges Chiquita paid FARC for protection and supplied it with weapons in the 1990s. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra in West Palm Beach, Florida, ruled that Chiquita must stand trial for 5 of the lawsuit's 24 claims reports Bloomberg.

In 2007 Chiquita plead guilty to having paid off Colombia's other militia group, the United Self Defense Forces of Columbia (AUC). As part of that plea, Chiquita paid a $25 million penalty.

Posted by: Chef on Feb. 5, 2010 (11:06 am EST)