Farc rebel offers to free jungle hostages

Published on Saturday 14 June 2008 19:42

A COLOMBIAN Farc rebel has offered to release French-Colombian hostage Íngrid Betancourt and other captives in exchange for protection from extradition.

Efforts to negotiate with Farc – the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – over its hostages, who have been held for as long as a decade in jungle camps, have stalled.

But the rebels have been weakened by recent deaths of three commanders and desertions prompted by government pay-outs.

President lvaro Uribe said Colombia's intelligence agency, DAS, has responded by offering the guerrilla protection from extradition should the hostages be freed. He gave few details or names.

He said: "We sent a note to the guerrilla who offered to hand over ngrid Betancourt and other kidnap victims. The DAS director sent it with my authorisation, saying there will be no extradition if this goes through. We hope this is true."

Betancourt, a former presidential candidate, was kidnapped more than five years ago while campaigning.

She is the highest profile Farc hostage. Others include three US defence contractors kidnapped in 2003.