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FARC Backed Into A Corner Agian

Once again we see the narco criminals known as FARC are being pushed hard-their desperation and lack of imagination/guts/cojones have led them to a dead end.
Plus one of their chief assasinos is now behind bars.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/world/americas/10130331.htm

Posted on Mon, Nov. 08, 2004

Colombian Rebels Nix Prisoner Swap Plan

KIM HOUSEGO-Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia - Marxist rebels on Monday rejected a Colombian government proposal to hold talks at a foreign embassy in Bogota over a proposed swap of jailed rebels for guerrilla-held hostages, including three Americans.

In a statement posted on its Web site, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, insisted President Alvaro Uribe grant the rebel group two demilitarized zones before any discussions on a prisoner swap - a demand the government already has rejected.

Uribe said Oct. 29 the government was ready to free 15 rebels jailed on minor charges as a first step to build confidence, provided the FARC at least expresses a willingness to reciprocate. The two sides then would meet at the Vatican's embassy or another diplomatic mission in Bogota, according to the government proposal.

The proposal calls for 50 jailed rebels to be freed in exchange for about 60 prisoners held by the FARC in jungle hideouts. The FARC's hostages include politicians, police officers, soldiers and three American contractors whose small plane crashed in rebel-held territory early last year. Tom Howes, Marc Gonsalves and Keith Stansell were working for California Microwave Systems of Belcamp, Md.

But the FARC said in its Monday communique it will not negotiate unless two southern counties are demilitarized, allowing the rebels to transfer dozens of hostages from a region where the government has mounted a military offensive. The government repeated its policy Monday of not removing its forces from any part of the country.

"The government will not demilitarize any zones because it has to guarantee the safety of the people across the country," Interior and Justice Minister Sabas Pretelt said.

The FARC also denounced as unacceptable a government condition that any rebels freed in the exchanged be exiled from Colombia or enter a government program to reincorporate them into civilian life so they do not rejoin the guerrillas.

The rebel response came as National Police Chief Gen. Jorge Daniel Castro announced the capture of a commander of an urban FARC unit suspected of involvement in the February 2002 bombing of an exclusive social club in the capital that killed 36 people.

Jose Hurtado, also known by his alias Carlos Huevo, was arrested Sunday during an operation north of Bogota, Castro said. Hurtado is believed to have procured the explosives used in the attack on the El Nogal club.

"This is extremely important because we are talking about an individual implicated in various attacks in Bogota," Castro said.

The FARC and a smaller rebel group, known as the ELN, have been battling a succession of elected governments for 40 years.

By Sam Salmon on Nov 8, 2004, 17:19 in Politics & the war.