Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Uribe to Farc: "I'm in ur base, freein' the hostages!!"

Wow, wow wow! Huge ups to Uribe and the Colombian military for tricking the FARCsters and freeing Ingrid Betencourt, 3 Americans and 11 Colombians without firing a shot!!

From the AP:

military intelligence agents infiltrated the guerrilla ranks and led the local commander in charge of the hostages, alias Cesar, to believe they were going to take them to Alfonso Cano, the guerrillas' supreme leader.

The hostages, who had been divided in three groups, were taken to a rendezvous where two disguised helicopters piloted by Colombian military agents were waiting. Betancourt said her hands and feet were bound, which she called "humiliating."

The pilots, she said, were posing as members of a relief organization, but "they were dressed like clowns," wearing Che Guevara shirts, so she assumed they were rebels.

But when they were airborne, she looked behind her and saw Cesar, who had treated her so cruelly for so many years, lying on the floor blindfolded.

"The chief of the operation said, `We're the national army. You're free,'" she said. "The helicopter almost fell from the sky because we were jumping up and down, yelling, crying, hugging one another. We couldn't believe it."

The operation, Santos said, "will go into history for its audacity and effectiveness."

"We wanted to have it happen as it did today," added armed forces chief Gen. Freddy Padilla. "Without a single shot. Without anyone wounded. Absolutely safe and sound, without a scratch."


This is huge, people. Now more than ever, I think Uribe's government can by and large eliminate the FARC!

3 comments:

Tom said...

I heard the story on the radio. After months (or years) of searching, the Columbian military designed a ruse, broght in highly trained commandos... these guys took the place down without killing the hostages (or anyone!). Then Betencourt gets to make a statement -- what does she say? She thanks God.

Ungrateful wretch. They shoulda left her there.

Angus said...

Lol, I know what you mean, but it wasn't quite that bad Tom. According to LA blogger extrordinare Boz:
"just saw Ingrid on TV thank President Uribe and Defense Minister Santos. She called on the Colombian people to believe in their military, "which will bring us to peace.""

from her, that's pretty darn good.

Speedmaster said...

Great story! I posted on the Che-shirt angle here. ;-)
Che Guevara still makes a mean t-shirt