Hi Chatters,

I am posting this at 10:14 PM PDT. Again information about how to sign on CNN
is at the end of this post. You can get up to date information faster than I
am able to post it. There is another birder on another, smaller list that is
beating me to the punch in posting the news, who apparently has signed up to
CNN, too.

Again, this is a copyrighted story of CNN and Reuters. It use should be
limited to us birders. Thanks.

Colombia Rebels Say US Hostages Not Secret Agents

Reuters
03-APR-98

BOGOTA, April 3 (Reuters) - Marxist rebels holding three U.S. hostages in
mountains outside Bogota issued a communique on Friday night accepting that
their captives were not spies -- effectively lifting a death threat hanging
over their heads.

In the message telephoned to RCN radio network, a copy of which was obtained
by Reuters, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas said they
conducted checks on the Americans seized 12 days ago and were satisfied they
were not undercover U.S. intelligence agents.

A regional rebel commander, known by his alias ``Romana,'' whose 53rd Front is
holding the U.S. citizens, had said he would kill them only if they were
spies.

In the communique called through to the radio network, the guerrillas said
they had released a fourth American, Thomas Fiori, on Thursday as a ``goodwill
gesture.'' They rejected Fiori's account that he had escaped.

``The 53rd Front has completed its checks and found that none of the U.S.
nationals has links to security organizations,'' a rebel said as he read the
six-point communique to a RCN reporter.

``As a sign of goodwill, we released Fiori safe and sound. The other Americans
in our power are in good health,'' he said.

The guerrilla said the other three, identified by immigration officials as
Louise Agustine, Todd Mark and Peter Shen, would be held until ``further
orders'' from the FARC's supreme commanders.

The FARC said almost a week ago that it would demand ransom for the Americans
even if they did not prove to be secret agents. There was no immediate
indication if the rebels would back down and release the hostages
unconditionally.

The (U.S.) State Department insisted all four Americans were on a bird-
watching trip to Colombia. They were kidnapped by the FARC, along with an
Italian and a group of Colombians, at a rebel roadblock on March 23 on a major
highway about 35 miles (55 km) east of the capital.

Fiori made his way to freedom on Thursday. He was helped to safety by a local
television crew he met by chance after stumbling for more than six hours
through a rugged mountain region. He told them escaped his rebel captors while
they slept.

But Colombian security service sources told Reuters that Fiori had been freed
and was carrying a message for the U.S. government.

In comments to reporters at an official event in the Caribbean resort city of
Cartagena, U.S. Ambassador Curtis Kamman referred to Fiori as having been
``liberated,'' but made no mention of any letter from the FARC to Washington.

Local media, citing unidentified military sources, said the message was a call
for the United States not to intervene in Colombia's internal affairs.

The FARC says Washington is pouring advisers into Colombia on the pretext of
helping fight the drug war, but that they are really heading covert
counterinsurgency operations.

The FARC, Latin America's oldest and largest rebel army, was blamed for
kidnapping more than 900 people last year and using ransom payments to
bankroll its long-running war to topple the state.

At least 81 Americans have been kidnapped in Colombia since 1980, according to
a report published on Friday in El Tiempo newspaper.

Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.All rights reserved.
Copyright 1998 Cable News Network, Inc. A Time Warner Company


If you want to sign up for your own CNN news service and not have to wait for
me to forward these posts you can go to CNN at http://www.cnn.com It is
simple, free and is done by paging all the way down their home page. On the
right side, almost the last thing on the page is a hot-key that is head
with"Custom News" Register for your personal news. Click on it and answer
the questions and you will receive a daily news service with only stories you
are interested in. Well, almost only. In the personal section, the Target
section, of your personal news put "Birdwatching or Birding" This is were I
am find the news story waiting for me each day about the kidnapping. Other
interesting news stories have appeared under "birds" in the past, which is
also one of my options. Also, you may want to check the country "Colombia" in
the world news section to insure you get all of the stories.

Great birding and find that next lifer,

John (One of Birders2)

John + Irma = 2, we are birders, too.

John C. LeVine
Birders2 at aol.com
Los Angeles, CA

Please put <To Birders2> in subject line when e-mailing us personally. I do
not open all of the 200-300 e-mails I receive each day, but I want to be sure
to read your e-mails to us. Thanks!

April 3, 1998
10:18 pm PDT