[R-G] Colombia seizes 'Farc' explosives

[Anthony Fenton]

News Americas
Colombia seizes 'Farc' explosives
About a ton of explosives were found
just outside Bogota [REUTERS]
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2008/07/200875233241617582.html

The Colombian army has seized about a tonne of explosives hat  
officials say were intended to be used in attacks across the capital.

Officials said they suspected the explosives, found on a farm outside  
Bogota, were to be used by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia  
(Farc) as a reprisal for the army's rescue of 15 hostages held by the  
Farc.

But Monica Villamizar, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Bogota, warned  
the army's claims should be treated with some scepticism.

"The military says it was a ton of explosives that would have  
allegedly been used in several attacks ... we haven't been able to  
confirm that," she said.

"In the past the army has given press conferences and come to  
conclusions ... and then its turned out not to be the Farc," she said.

Hostage rescue

The hostages, including Ingrid Betancourt, the French-Colombian  
politician, were rescued on Wednesday when Colombian troops posing as  
Farc fighters fooled the rebels into releasing the captives into their  
custody.

The bloodless rescue of the hostages, including the high-profile  
Betancourt, was a severe blow to Farc, who have also lost their leader  
and many members this year.

The 15 hostages have been undergoing health check-ups over the past  
two days and Betancourt received a clean bill of health on Saturday.

After undergoing a series of medial tests at the Val-de-Grace military  
hospital in Paris she said: "The doctors showered me with good news."

"I have had a number of concerns all these years. Now I'm totally happy.

Betancourt, who had been campaigning for the Colombian presidency when  
she was captured by the Farc, spent more than six years in captivity.

Trauma

Al Jazeera's Monica Villamizar said some of the rescued Colombian  
hostages have been allowed to return to their families after medical  
treatment while some others are still in hospital.

"There are still four soldiers in a military hospital. Rumour has it  
that they are not in very good health, that they are highly  
traumatised. Some of them were kept hostage in the jungle for up to  
nine years," she said.

The Farc have been waging an insurgency against the government for  
four decades.

While they were once considered to be close to overrunning the  
government, analysts now say that they are almost defeated.