U.S. Urges Colombia's
FARC to Clarify
Conditions For Hostage
Release
U.S. ambassador to
Colombia William
Brownfield urged on
Friday the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC) to clarify
conditions for the
release of the three
U.S. hostages they have
held for five years.
"The FARC has not
clarified its
conditions, we are still
speculating, we do not
know what they want, the
FARC has the obligation
to clearly state what
they specifically want
to liberate each one of
the hostages," said
Brownfield.
The United States on
Wednesday called on the
FARC to immediately free
all hostages, including
five Americans, as the
day marked the fifth
anniversary of the
kidnapping of Marc
Gonsalves, Thomas Howes,
and Keith Stansell by
the rebel group.
"The United States calls
on the FARC to
immediately release all
hostages so they may be
returned safely to their
families," said State
Department spokesman
Scott McCormack.
Washington "firmly
supports the government
of Colombia in its
efforts to achieve the
safe recovery of all of
the hostages, some of
whom have now been held
for ten years,"
McCormack said.
The FARC accused the
three Americans of
espionage and kidnapped
them on Feb. 13, 2003 as
their plane was over the
area controlled by the
rebel group in south of
Colombia. The FARC
opened fire and forced
them to land.
The FARC, accused of
drug trafficking and
holding some 750 people
hostage in its jungle
hideouts, is classified
as a terrorist
organization by the
United States, the
European Union and the
Colombian government.
The FARC has been
fighting the Bogota
government since the
1960s.
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