Deutsche Welle: Colombia Frees Betancourt, US Hostages in Daring Operation - Betancourt thanks France
Colombia Frees Betancourt, US Hostages in Daring Operation - Betancourt thanks France
Colombian forces freed French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages from FARC rebels on Wednesday, July 2, after military spies tricked captors into giving them up without a single injury. Betancourt's captors were duped by a Colombian military team posing as rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Santos said the military intelligence agents infiltrated the guerrilla ranks and led the local commander in charge of the hostages, alias Cesar, to believe they were going to take them by helicopter to Alfonso Cano, the guerrillas' supreme leader.
Ingrid Betancourt said she will travel to France to meet President Nicolas Sarkozy now that she is free, as she credits her survival of the ordeal to efforts by the French to press for her release. First she will be reunited with her family in Colombia.
Labels: Betancourt, Colombia, EU, France
