Hostage shocker: Colombia tricks rebels into freeing Betancourt, three Americans and 11 more
Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt, right, embraces her mother Yolanda Pulecio as she arrives to a military base after being rescued from six years of captivity in Bogota, Wednesday, July 2, 2008. Betancourt is one of 15 hostages rescued by Colombia's military from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Betancourt was abducted by the FARC when running for president in Feb. 2002. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian spies tricked leftist rebels into handing over kidnapped presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. military contractors Wednesday in a daring helicopter rescue so successful that not a single shot was fired.
Betancourt, who was seized on the campaign trail six long years ago, appeared thin but surprisingly healthy as she strode down the stairs of a military plane and held her mother in a long embrace.
‘‘God, this is a miracle,’’ Betancourt said. ‘‘Such a perfect operation is unprecedented.’’
Eleven Colombian police and soldiers were also freed in the most serious blow ever dealt to the 44-year-old Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which considered the four hostages their most valuable bargaining chips. The FARC is already reeling from the deaths of key commanders and the loss of much of the territory it once held.
The Americans — Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell — were flown directl
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