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US admits support for rescuing Colombia's former senator
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-28 11:43

BOGOTA -- The US ambassador to Colombia Monday said his country has offered logistic and intelligence support to Colombia in the rescue of former Senator Oscar Lizcano, who was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) some eight years ago.

Freed former Colombian lawmaker Oscar Lizcano (C) and Colombian Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos (L) arrive at a military base in Cali October 26, 2008. Colombian soldiers have rescued Lizcano who was kidnapped more than eight years ago by FARC guerrillas in another blow to Latin America's oldest rebel insurgency, authorities said on Sunday. Lizcano, snatched in 2000 and reportedly in very poor health, was the FARC's longest-held politician. [Agencies]

"We offered some support on transportation and of course on intelligence," William Brownfield, the US ambassador, said in a radio broadcast in Colombia.

Washington has supplied Colombian President Alvaro Uribe with billions of US dollars in aid to battle FARC and the drug trade that finances the rebels.

The ambassador hailed the release of Lizcano and urged other countries to assist Colombia in the battle.

Lizcano was listed among FARC's "exchangeable" hostages. Another 15 hostages of the same type had been freed in a surprise military operation in July, in which the United States was also allegedly involved.

The Colombian government denied the US participation in July's operation, saying it had persuaded FARC commanders to transfer some hostages to an international humanitarian mission.

Three US militaries, 11 Colombian soldiers and former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt were rescued in July.