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Freed hostage calls Colombian rebels

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (Reuters) - In his first public remarks since he and two other American hostages were freed in Colombia, a U.S. defense contractor on Monday branded their captors as terrorists and praised the Colombian army for a daring rescue.

American defense contractor Marc Gonsalves appeared with fellow hostages Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes at a military medical facility at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, after returning last week from more than five years of captivity.

Gonsalves leveled strong criticism at his captors -- the leftist rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC.

"The FARC are not a revolutionary group," Gonsalves said. "They are terrorists with a capital 'T.' Bad people."

Gonsalves said he had seen the guerrilla group withhold medical care from a sick newborn baby.

He also talked about the lives of other hostages still being held.

"Right now they are wearing chains around their necks," he said. "They will be forced to march, with that chain around their neck, while a guerrilla with an automatic weapon is holding the other end of his chain, like a dog."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080707/ts_nm/colombia_hostages_americans_...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25575008/

By aztec on Jul 7, 2008, 17:32 in Friendly Talkzone.

Lisa Zee says on Jul 7, 2008, 19:21:

Great articles, thanks.

0 funny, 0 helpful.