Colombian authorities say they have identified 800 suspect bank accounts allegedly used by left wing rebels to launder millions of dollars.

One of the accounts was registered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and had been in use for eight months, Colombia's attorney-general said.

Uribe has pledged to establish democratic authority in the country

Luis Camilo Osorio, said the country's main rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) opened accounts under the names of individuals and institutions to launder their profits from drug trafficking and kidnappings.

As part of the government's efforts to undermine the financing of illegal groups, Mr Osorio announced the establishment of an anti-mafia unit with the help of the Italian authorities.

New front

Mr Osorio told a news conference that $49m had passed through the 800 suspect accounts held in nine banks.

The one registered to the Foreign Ministry saw more than $500,000 pass through it monthly, he said.

The accounts were tracked down after the Colombian authorities launched an operation codenamed Black Cat four months ago.

"If we manage to stop the financing of the guerrilla, the drug cartels and the paramilitaries, it will be easier to combat these organisations," Mr Osorio said.

The BBC's correspondent in Colombia says this crackdown on criminal finances is just the opening of another front in the widening war on rebels and paramilitaries.

Colombia's new hardline President, Alvaro Uribe, has pledged to establish democratic authority in the country, particularly in the half of it dominated by the warring factions.