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| International |
| Colombian hostages used to deliver bombs |
| 2003-01-14 |
| 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 |
| #7 Someone should lodge a very strongly worded letter of protest, that'll do it. Or maybe we should have meetings and form committees and write letters and sign petitions. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-01-14 22:44:19 |
| #6 Donkey bombs, eh? Anyone contacted PETA about this yet? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-01-14 16:56:44 |
| #5 Donkey bombs, model airplane bombs, what's next? Flying an RC plane for a mile will be a trick. When one gets way out there one does not know whether it is coming or going without strong lenses. I bet the IDF is setting up a spoofing program to turn 'em around and head 'em back to the transmitters. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-01-14 16:40:28 |
| #4 "What could possibly be next???" Hmm...how about lethal chickens? |
| Posted by: Pink & Fluffy 2003-01-14 16:07:18 |
| #3 Model airplanes. DEBKA has a report stating that Yassar has bought around 300 radio controlled model airplanes they purchased in Europe for the poor children in hospital. They are fitting them with small explosive charges and are going to fly them over Israeli territory and then crash them. Supposed range of 1 mile, altitude of 300 meters. Going for a mini version of the V-1, I guess. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-01-14 15:54:38 |
| #2 Message bearing dogs, hockey sticks, now Donkey bombs. What could possibly be next??? |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-01-14 14:56:58 |
| #1 donkey bombs Damn hard to toss from the back of a motor scooter. Come on... "I was a hostage" is the Patty Hearst defense. How much don't I believe this guy? |
| Posted by: Chuck 2003-01-14 14:39:23 |