Ingrid Betancourt ‘rescue’ a fraud - $20 million ransom paid to FARC
turns out that the Betancourt rescue was a fraud afterall
NZZ Online: Die kolumbianische Politikerin Ingrid Betancourt und 14 weitere Geiseln der FARC-Rebellen sollen gemäss einem Bericht des Westschweizer Radios RSR freigekauft worden sein. Die spektakuläre Befreiung vom Mittwoch sei inszeniert gewesen. Experten sind skeptisch und verweisen auf Verschleierungsmanöver.
(sda) Die kolumbianischen FARC-Rebellen hätten rund 20 Millionen Dollar für die Geiseln bekommen, die vor knapp zwei Tagen im Südosten von Kolumbien freikamen, berichtete RSR am Freitag unter Berufung auf eine ungenannte
Times Online: The bloodless and apparently brilliant operation to free 15 hostages from the Colombian jungle today became mired in confusion, with some reports even claiming that the entire episode was nothing but a sham to disguise the payment of a ransom.
Swiss public radio cited an unidentified source “close to the events, reliable and tested many times in recent years” as saying the operation had in fact been staged to cover up the fact that the US and Colombians had paid $20 million for their freedom.
The hostages released on Wednesday, including Ingrid Betancourt, the French-Colombian politician, “were in reality ransomed for a high price, and the whole operation afterwards was a set-up,” the public broadcaster said.
The report added said the wife of one of the hostages’ guards had acted as a go-between after being arrested by the Colombian Army. She was released to return to the guerrillas, where she allegedly persuaded her husband to change sides.
The report claimed that the US, which had three citizens among the hostages, had been behind the deal.
Tags: colombia, FARC, ingrid betancourt
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