This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7486552.stm
The article has changed 28 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Next version
Version 25 | Version 26 |
---|---|
Colombia hostage Betancourt freed | Colombia hostage Betancourt freed |
(about 2 hours later) | |
French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages have been freed after rebels holding them were tricked into handing them over. | |
Colombian soldiers - apparently posing as members of a non-government organisation - flew them to freedom in a helicopter. | |
Ms Betancourt said: "This is a miracle. There is no historical precedent for such a perfect operation." | |
Ms Betancourt was held by the left-wing Farc rebels for more than six years. | |
The Farc has been fighting to overthrow the Colombian government for 40 years, and she was their highest profile captive. | |
Also released were three Americans and 11 members of the Colombian security forces, all said to be in relatively good health. | |
President Alvaro Uribe congratulated the army on the operation, in which no shots were fired, and urged Farc to release its remaining hostages and seek peace. | |
'Miracle' | 'Miracle' |
A pale Ms Betancourt smiled as she emerged with other hostages from a military plane in the Colombian capital, Bogota, to be greeted by her mother and husband. | |
INGRID BETANCOURT Born on 25 December 1961Grows up in Paris1989: Returns to Colombia1994: Elected to lower house1998: Becomes a senator2002: Kidnapped by Farc rebels href="/1/hi/world/americas/7486808.stm">Rescue deals Farc a blow class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7486703.stm">In pictures: Hostages freed href="/1/hi/world/americas/7266587.stm">Profile: Ingrid Betancourt | |
She appealed to Farc to free the other hostages and make peace. | |
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who had made the rescue of Ms Betancourt a foreign policy priority, was joined by her family at his residence, the Elysee Palace in Paris. | |
The freed hostage's son, Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt, told the news conference it was "the best moment of my life". His sister Melanie said it was like "emerging from a bad dream". | The freed hostage's son, Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt, told the news conference it was "the best moment of my life". His sister Melanie said it was like "emerging from a bad dream". |
The siblings are flying to Colombia to be reunited with their 46-year-old mother. | The siblings are flying to Colombia to be reunited with their 46-year-old mother. |
Video pictures released last November had shown Ms Betancourt looking gaunt and frail. | |
Accounts from freed hostages that she was in danger of dying had heightened the sense of urgency surrounding her fate. | |
Naked and blindfolded | Naked and blindfolded |
Also released were three US defence department contract workers who were captured after their light aircraft crashed in the Colombian jungle in 2003. | |
The trio - Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell - have now arrived back in San Antonio, Texas, where they will undergo medical tests and be reunited with their families. | The trio - Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell - have now arrived back in San Antonio, Texas, where they will undergo medical tests and be reunited with their families. |
Ingrid Betancourt's son on his joy at her release | Ingrid Betancourt's son on his joy at her release |
The 11 members of the Colombian security forces who were released had been captured in various rebel attacks. | |
Colombian Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said the Farc rebels had been tricked into handing over the hostages by soldiers posing as members of a fictitious non-government organisation that supposedly would fly the captives to a camp to meet rebel leader Alfonso Cano. | |
"The helicopters, which in reality were from the army, picked up the hostages in Guaviare and flew them to freedom," he said. | "The helicopters, which in reality were from the army, picked up the hostages in Guaviare and flew them to freedom," he said. |
Intelligence agents had infiltrated the guerrilla ranks and duped the local commander in charge of the hostages, alias Cesar, the defence minister said. | Intelligence agents had infiltrated the guerrilla ranks and duped the local commander in charge of the hostages, alias Cesar, the defence minister said. |
Cesar and another rebel who boarded the helicopter had been quickly overpowered and would now face justice, he added. | Cesar and another rebel who boarded the helicopter had been quickly overpowered and would now face justice, he added. |
'Without a scratch' | 'Without a scratch' |
Ms Betancourt later told a press conference she at first had had no idea she was being rescued until she saw her captor naked and blindfolded on the floor of the aircraft. | |
STEPPING STONES TO FREEDOM Jan, 2008: Betancourt aide Clara Rojas and ex-congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez freed by FarcFeb, 2008: Farc vows to hold three US hostages for 60 yearsMarch, 2008: Colombian forces raid rebel camp in Ecuador and kill Farc commander Raul ReyesMarch, 2008: Farc leader Manuel Marulanda dies of reported heart attackApril, 2008: Farc says Ecuador raid has "gravely" harmed efforts to free Ms BetancourtJuly, 2008: Colombian military frees Ms Betancourt, the three US contractors and 11 other hostages class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7486615.stm">World reaction | |
"I saw this guerrilla commander, who had so often been cruel to us, on the floor," she said. "But I did not feel happiness. I felt sad." | "I saw this guerrilla commander, who had so often been cruel to us, on the floor," she said. "But I did not feel happiness. I felt sad." |
Armed forces chief Gen Freddy Padilla said: "We wanted to have it happen as it did today. Without a single shot. Without anyone wounded. Absolutely safe and sound, without a scratch." | Armed forces chief Gen Freddy Padilla said: "We wanted to have it happen as it did today. Without a single shot. Without anyone wounded. Absolutely safe and sound, without a scratch." |
The US ambassador to Colombia, William Brownfield, said there had been "close co-operation" from the Americans, including sharing of intelligence, equipment and training advice. | |
World leaders welcomed the news, and celebrations erupted on the streets of Colombian cities as crowds hailed the jungle rescue in a country plagued for decades by kidnappings. | |
The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Medellin says the successful operation by Colombian security forces is a political and military coup for the country's government. | The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Medellin says the successful operation by Colombian security forces is a political and military coup for the country's government. |
He adds that it is a major blow to the Farc, which had hoped to exchange some 60 political hostages for hundreds of rebels held by the Colombian government, and has now lost a powerful negotiating tool with Ms Betancourt's rescue. | |
Ms Betancourt's release is said to be a huge coup for President Alvaro Uribe | Ms Betancourt's release is said to be a huge coup for President Alvaro Uribe |
The Farc still holds more than 40 high-profile hostages, among up to 700 other captives. | The Farc still holds more than 40 high-profile hostages, among up to 700 other captives. |
Ms Betancourt has dual citizenship as the result of marriage to a French diplomat - since dissolved - which produced her two children, who worked hard to keep her captivity in the spotlight. | |
The politician was kidnapped in February 2002 while campaigning in territory controlled by the Farc. | The politician was kidnapped in February 2002 while campaigning in territory controlled by the Farc. |
What's your reaction to Ingrid Betancourt's release? Do you know her or any of the other hostages? Send us your comments using the form below. | What's your reaction to Ingrid Betancourt's release? Do you know her or any of the other hostages? Send us your comments using the form below. |