COLOMBIA: Colombia shows proof FARC hostages alive

Colombia's government on Friday (November 30) broadcast videos of rebel-held hostages, French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. contract workers, including images apparently recorded in October. The images, confiscated from three suspected guerrillas captured in Bogota, would be the first proof Betancourt and the Americans are alive in rebel captivity since a video of the hostages was released in 2003. Betancourt, a dual French-Colombian citizen and former presidential candidate captured in 2002, and the Americans, are among the highest profile captives held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia rebels waging Latin America's oldest insurgency. Luis Carlos Restrepo a Colombian peace commissioner told Reuters The images seem to have been recorded in late October. "These images are painful, strong and we hand them over so that the relatives who have longed so much to know of their loved ones who are in captivity, at least have some speedy relief" Restrepo said. The FARC wants to exchange the four as part of a swap of key hostages for jailed rebel fighters, but recent efforts by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to broker a hostage deal fell apart after Colombia suspended his role as mediator in any talks to free rebel kidnap victims.

ITN Source | November 30, 2007

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