Colombian Rebel to Seek Asylum, Attorney Says

A leftist Colombian guerrilla wanted for plane hijacking in his country will seek political asylum in Venezuela, where he is being detained, his lawyer said.

The asylum bid by Jose Maria Ballestas, a member of the National Liberation Army, or ELN, could reignite a diplomatic dispute between Bogota and Caracas that followed his initial detention in Venezuela.

In Venezuela, Ballestas admitted that he was an ELN member but denied the hijacking charges.

Ballestas was first detained by Venezuelan police in February but was mysteriously released, only to be recaptured when Colombia complained. He began serving a 21-month jail sentence in May for entering Venezuela with false papers.