UPDATED ON:
Monday, July 07, 2008
11:43 Mecca time, 08:43 GMT
 
News Americas
Colombia seizes 'Farc' explosives
About a ton of explosives were found
just outside Bogota [REUTERS]

The Colombian army has seized about a tonne of explosives that 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 tonne 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 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.

 Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
 
ARTICLE TOOLS
 Email Article  Email article
 Print Article  Print article
 Send Feedback  Send feedback
 Share article  Share article