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| Betancourt hails 'perfect' rescue | Betancourt hails 'perfect' rescue |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt has hailed as a "miracle" her release from more than six years of captivity in the Colombian jungle. | French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt has hailed as a "miracle" her release from more than six years of captivity in the Colombian jungle. |
| "There is no historical precedent for such a perfect operation," she said. | "There is no historical precedent for such a perfect operation," she said. |
| Ms Betancourt and 14 other hostages were rescued without a shot being fired after rebels holding them were tricked into handing them over. | Ms Betancourt and 14 other hostages were rescued without a shot being fired after rebels holding them were tricked into handing them over. |
| Ms Betancourt is holding an emotional reunion with her family in Bogota. She was held captive for over six years. | |
| Political aspiration | Political aspiration |
| Colombian soldiers, posing as members of a non-government organisation, flew the hostages to freedom in a helicopter. | |
| When the head of the operation told them that they were free, "the helicopter almost fell from the sky because we all jumped, shouted, cried and embraced", Ms Betancourt said. | |
| "We couldn't believe it," the 46-year-old added. | |
| Also released on Wednesday were three Americans and 11 members of the Colombian security forces, all said to be in relatively good health. | Also released on Wednesday were three Americans and 11 members of the Colombian security forces, all said to be in relatively good health. |
| The Americans - military contractors Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell - have flown back to Texas, where they are expected to be reunited with their families and undergo medical tests. | The Americans - military contractors Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell - have flown back to Texas, where they are expected to be reunited with their families and undergo medical tests. |
| The left-wing Farc has been fighting to overthrow the Colombian government for 40 years. | |
| INGRID BETANCOURT Born on 25 December 1961Grows up in Paris1989: Returns to Colombia1994: Elected to lower house1998: Becomes a senator2002: Kidnapped by Farc rebels How the hostages were freedIn pictures: Hostages freedJoy as US hostages return homeMedia marvel at release | INGRID BETANCOURT Born on 25 December 1961Grows up in Paris1989: Returns to Colombia1994: Elected to lower house1998: Becomes a senator2002: Kidnapped by Farc rebels How the hostages were freedIn pictures: Hostages freedJoy as US hostages return homeMedia marvel at release |
| The group still holds hundreds of people hostage, but Ms Betancourt was their highest profile captive. | The group still holds hundreds of people hostage, but Ms Betancourt was their highest profile captive. |
| President Alvaro Uribe congratulated the army on the operation, and urged the Farc to release its remaining hostages and seek peace. | President Alvaro Uribe congratulated the army on the operation, and urged the Farc to release its remaining hostages and seek peace. |
| A pale Ms Betancourt smiled as she emerged with other hostages from a military plane in the Colombian capital, Bogota, to be embraced by her mother and husband. | A pale Ms Betancourt smiled as she emerged with other hostages from a military plane in the Colombian capital, Bogota, to be embraced by her mother and husband. |
| She appealed to the Farc to free its remaining hostages and make peace. | She appealed to the Farc to free its remaining hostages and make peace. |
| She thanked Mr Uribe, against whom she was running as a presidential candidate when she was kidnapped, and said he "has been a very good president". | She thanked Mr Uribe, against whom she was running as a presidential candidate when she was kidnapped, and said he "has been a very good president". |
| She added: "I continue to aspire to serve Colombia as president." | She added: "I continue to aspire to serve Colombia as president." |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who had made the rescue of Ms Betancourt a foreign policy priority, joined her family for a press conference in Paris before Mrs Betancourt's children boarded a plane for Bogota with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. | |
| Mrs Betancourt, who had been waiting at the airport, raced up the steps of the aircraft to embrace her son, Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt, and daughter Melanie. | |
| Earlier, Lorenzo had told reporters that hearing of his mother's rescue was "the best moment of my life". His sister had said it was like "emerging from a bad dream". | |
| Sketchy details | |
| Video pictures released last November showed Ms Betancourt looking gaunt and frail. | Video pictures released last November showed Ms Betancourt looking gaunt and frail. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYThis is the beginning of the end of Farc. As a Colombian citizen, I feel proud of my government and of the armed forces Pedro, Bogota, ColombiaSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYThis is the beginning of the end of Farc. As a Colombian citizen, I feel proud of my government and of the armed forces Pedro, Bogota, ColombiaSend us your comments |
| Accounts from freed hostages that she was gravely ill heightened concerns for her welfare. | Accounts from freed hostages that she was gravely ill heightened concerns for her welfare. |
| Precise details of how the rescue operation unfolded remain sketchy, but Colombian Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said the Farc rebels had been tricked into handing over the hostages. | Precise details of how the rescue operation unfolded remain sketchy, but Colombian Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said the Farc rebels had been tricked into handing over the hostages. |
| He said that soldiers had posed as members of a fictitious non-government organisation that supposedly would fly the captives to a camp to meet rebel leader Alfonso Cano. | He said that soldiers had posed 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, a man known as Cesar, the defence minister said. | Intelligence agents had infiltrated the guerrilla ranks and duped the local commander in charge of the hostages, a man known as 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 told a press conference that she had no idea she was being rescued until she saw Cesar naked and blindfolded on the floor of the aircraft. | Ms Betancourt told a press conference that she had no idea she was being rescued until she saw Cesar naked and blindfolded on the floor of the aircraft. |
| The released American hostages have flown home"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." | The released American hostages have flown home"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 the sharing of intelligence, equipment and training advice. | The US ambassador to Colombia, William Brownfield, said there had been "close co-operation" from the Americans, including the sharing of intelligence, equipment and training advice. |
| The rescued Americans were captured after their light aircraft crashed in the Colombian jungle in 2003. | The rescued Americans were captured after their light aircraft crashed in the Colombian jungle in 2003. |
| The 11 members of the Colombian security forces who were released had been captured in various rebel attacks. | The 11 members of the Colombian security forces who were released had been captured in various rebel attacks. |
| CAPTIVITY TIMELINE Feb, 2002: Betancourt kidnapped by Farc rebelsFeb, 2003: US defence contractors Thomas Howes, Keith Stansell and Marc Gonsalves seized by after their plane goes down in southern ColombiaJan, 2008: Betancourt aide Clara Rojas and ex-congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez freed by FarcMarch, 2008: Colombian forces raid rebel camp in Ecuador and kill Farc commander Raul ReyesMarch, 2008: Farc leader Manuel Marulanda dies of reported heart attackJuly, 2008: Colombian military frees Ms Betancourt, the three US contractors and 11 other hostages World reactionSend us your commentsBetancourt in her own words | CAPTIVITY TIMELINE Feb, 2002: Betancourt kidnapped by Farc rebelsFeb, 2003: US defence contractors Thomas Howes, Keith Stansell and Marc Gonsalves seized by after their plane goes down in southern ColombiaJan, 2008: Betancourt aide Clara Rojas and ex-congresswoman Consuelo Gonzalez freed by FarcMarch, 2008: Colombian forces raid rebel camp in Ecuador and kill Farc commander Raul ReyesMarch, 2008: Farc leader Manuel Marulanda dies of reported heart attackJuly, 2008: Colombian military frees Ms Betancourt, the three US contractors and 11 other hostages World reactionSend us your commentsBetancourt in her own words |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
| 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. | Ms Betancourt has dual citizenship as the result of marriage to a French diplomat - since dissolved - which produced her two children. |
| The politician was kidnapped in February 2002 while campaigning as a presidential candidate in territory controlled by the Farc. | The politician was kidnapped in February 2002 while campaigning as a presidential candidate 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. |