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Colombian hostages used to deliver bombs
LEFTIST rebels in Colombia are now using hostages to unwittingly drive car bombs toward military targets, then detonating the explosives by remote control, authorities have said. "This is the rebels at their most wicked," armed forces chief General Jorge Enrique Mora said today. The army said reports of the new tactic surfaced after one man, Mauricio Avendano, spoke to authorities after he drove one of the bomb-laden cars, but survived the explosion on Saturday.The rebels reportedly asked him to drive the car to a specific location, promising to release one of his brothers, also being held hostage by the rebels. He claimed he did not know about the explosives in the car. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, have waged war against a succession of elected governments in the South American country for 38 years, and have frequently used car bombs - and sometimes even donkey bombs - in their attacks. Donkey bombs? DONKEY BOMBS? But this is the first time they have been accused of sending hostages unwittingly to their deaths. An army spokeswoman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Avendano and his two brothers were kidnapped by the FARC on January 3 as they drove from Bogota to deliver oil field equipment to Arauca state in eastern Colombia. The insurgents directed one of the brothers, Jorge Avendano, to drive a bomb-laden car toward a military checkpoint outside the town of Fortul on Thursday, authorities said. But the bomb exploded before it reached the checkpoint, killing Jorge and three civilian bystanders. The rebels then asked Mauricio Avendano - apparently unaware of his brother's fate - to drive a second car, promising they would free the third brother if he did so, officials said. Mauricio was driving the car toward a military checkpoint in Tame when some of the explosives blew up, injuring Mauricio and a soldier. Military authorities said Mauricio survived because the entire explosive charge did not detonate. Lucky man, and bad quality control - bombwise. Colombian authorities fear the third brother, Rafael, may be used in another car-bomb attack. His sister, Gloria Avendano, appeared on national television today, tearfully begging the FARC to release him. If this guy had not lived, they would have put this down as a suicide bombing. Wonder how common this is worldwide? Posted by: Steve 2003-01-14 |
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