FARC has offered to free Betancourt: Uribe

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

BOGOTA (AFP) — Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said Friday a FARC guerrilla had offered to free French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt if his government agreed not to extradite a member of the rebel group.

"I hope it was sincere, the guerrilla's offer communicated to the chief of the DAS (Colombian secret police) to release Doctor Ingrid Betancourt. We would respect our pledge not to extradite if it happened," Uribe told a meeting in Bogota.

The Colombian leader first mentioned the offer Thursday and said he had accepted it, but Friday revealed that it pertained to Betancourt, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia's (FARC's) highest profile hostage.

Seized in 2002 as she campaigned for the Colombian presidency, Betancourt is a dual French-Colombian...