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Freed Colombian Hostages Return Home

   VOA News 15 June 2010
   Colombia's  Police Gen. Luis Mendieta, right, who was captured by FARC
   in  1998,  smiles  next  to  his daughter, left, and his wife during a
   welcoming ceremony at the National Police headquarters in Bogota

Photo: AP

   Colombia's  Police  General  Luis Mendieta, right, who was captured by
   FARC  in 1998, smiles next to his wife and daughter during a welcoming
   ceremony at National Police headquarters in Bogota, 14 June 2010

   Four  Colombian  men  held  captive by rebels for nearly 12 years have
   returned to Bogota.
   The  four  arrived  in  the  Colombian  capital  Monday, a day after a
   military  operation  in  the southeastern province of Guaviare rescued
   them from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
   The  former police and military hostages got a hero's welcome on their
   return.
   One was found early Monday hiding in the jungle, after Sunday's rescue
   operation  scattered the rebels.  Authorities said the operation took
   six months to plan.
   It  was one of the highest-profile rescues since military forces freed
   former   presidential  candidate  Ingrid  Betancourt  and  three  U.S.
   nationals in 2008.
   While  most  of  FARC's  funding  comes  from  cocaine trafficking and
   extortion,  the leftist rebels are believed to hold at least 20 police
   and  soldiers,  and  an  unknown  number  of  civilians, for ransom or
   political leverage.
   The  rebels  have  been  at war with the Colombian government for more
   than 45 years.
   Colombia,  the  European  Union  and the United States have designated
   FARC as a terrorist organization.

   Some  information  for  this  report  was  provided by AP, Reuters and
   Bloomberg.

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