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| Colombia boy 'is hostage's son' | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| DNA tests on a young boy in a Colombian foster home show he is almost certainly the son of a rebel-held hostage, the country's attorney general has said. | |
| Correspondents say the findings are a big blow to the credibility of the Farc rebel movement, which claimed to be holding the boy with his mother. | Correspondents say the findings are a big blow to the credibility of the Farc rebel movement, which claimed to be holding the boy with his mother. |
| Questions over his identity emerged amid a Venezuelan-led mission to oversee the release of the pair. | Questions over his identity emerged amid a Venezuelan-led mission to oversee the release of the pair. |
| Rebels had said the release was delayed because of army operations in the area. | Rebels had said the release was delayed because of army operations in the area. |
| The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) announced last month that they were prepared to release Clara Rojas and her son Emmanuel, as well as a former congresswoman, Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo, as a goodwill gesture. | The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) announced last month that they were prepared to release Clara Rojas and her son Emmanuel, as well as a former congresswoman, Consuelo Gonzalez de Perdomo, as a goodwill gesture. |
| Emmanuel, said to be around three years old, is believed to have been fathered by one of Ms Rojas' captors. | Emmanuel, said to be around three years old, is believed to have been fathered by one of Ms Rojas' captors. |
| Ms Rojas was kidnapped in 2002 along with former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. | Ms Rojas was kidnapped in 2002 along with former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. |
| Venezuelan complaint | Venezuelan complaint |
| Colombian authorities say a malnourished boy matching Emmanuel's description was brought to a hospital in San Jose del Guaviare in June 2005 and then wound up in a Bogota foster home, his real identity unknown. | Colombian authorities say a malnourished boy matching Emmanuel's description was brought to a hospital in San Jose del Guaviare in June 2005 and then wound up in a Bogota foster home, his real identity unknown. |
| There are hundreds of hostages held in Colombia | There are hundreds of hostages held in Colombia |
| The tests indicated a complete match between mitochondria in the blood of the boy - who has been given the name Juan David Gomez - and Ms Rojas' mother, Attorney General Mario Iguaran said, quoted by the Associated Press news agency. | |
| This meant a "very high probability" that he was Ms Rojas' son, he added. | This meant a "very high probability" that he was Ms Rojas' son, he added. |
| Mr Iguaran said it would take up to two weeks for a European laboratory to confirm the DNA analysis. | Mr Iguaran said it would take up to two weeks for a European laboratory to confirm the DNA analysis. |
| The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Colombia says the test results show the Farc rebels were either lying or incompetent, and the news is a severe blow to their credibility. | The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Colombia says the test results show the Farc rebels were either lying or incompetent, and the news is a severe blow to their credibility. |
| However, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said the failure to allow Venezuelan specialists to take blood samples from the boy cast a "cloak of doubt" on the results. | However, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said the failure to allow Venezuelan specialists to take blood samples from the boy cast a "cloak of doubt" on the results. |
| Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who was involved in mediation efforts, had put together an international mission to oversee the handover of the hostages. | Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who was involved in mediation efforts, had put together an international mission to oversee the handover of the hostages. |
| But on Monday Mr Chavez read out what he said was a letter from the Farc on Venezuelan television. | But on Monday Mr Chavez read out what he said was a letter from the Farc on Venezuelan television. |
| The rebels said that continuing operations by the Colombian army had prevented them from turning over the hostages. | The rebels said that continuing operations by the Colombian army had prevented them from turning over the hostages. |
| Little trust | Little trust |
| Our correspondent says the test results are unlikely to change the plight of hostages in Farc hands. | Our correspondent says the test results are unlikely to change the plight of hostages in Farc hands. |
| They are unlikely to make any concessions and continue with their demands that hundreds of imprisoned rebels be freed in exchange for their hostages, he adds. | They are unlikely to make any concessions and continue with their demands that hundreds of imprisoned rebels be freed in exchange for their hostages, he adds. |
| The Farc hold some 45 high-profile hostages, including Ms Rojas, who are considered "exchangeable". | The Farc hold some 45 high-profile hostages, including Ms Rojas, who are considered "exchangeable". |
| But it is believed the guerrillas hold about 750 hostages in total, some for political leverage but many for ransom. | But it is believed the guerrillas hold about 750 hostages in total, some for political leverage but many for ransom. |