Americans Colombia

Some Americans began leaving Colombia in the face of an expected backlash as the government pressed its war on drug traffickers in several ways. Minister of Government Orlando Vasquez asked Congress to adopt legislation making permanent the emergency measures decreed by President Virgilio Barco Vargas last month to combat the drug lords. These include the extradition of traffickers wanted for trial in the United States.

The U.S. government is demanding that Marxist rebels in Colombia release information on the whereabouts of three American missionaries who disappeared in Panama eight years ago. "We call upon those responsible within the [Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia] to come forth with a complete account of our missing fellow citizens," read a statement from State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.

Americans kept their children home from school, canceled parties and hired bodyguards Friday in fear of reprisals because of the extradition of drug kingpin Carlos Lehder to the United States for trial. Some U.S. citizens, citing drug traffickers' threats to kill five Americans for every Colombian extradited, said they were sending their families out of the country. Police, meanwhile, announced the arrest of three more men whose extradition is sought by the United States.

Aerial search crews working in bad weather Sunday found wreckage that authorities believe is the U.S. military reconnaissance plane that disappeared Friday during a routine anti-drug mission over a mountainous jungle region of southern Colombia controlled by leftist guerrillas. "There's reason to believe the aircraft is down. The wreckage site is under observation, and efforts to get to that site are underway," Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, the U.S.

As President Bush attended a drug summit in Cartagena on Thursday, guerrillas kidnaped an American priest in Cali, the third American seized by rebels this week. Shortly afterward, the self-styled National Liberation Army (ELN), a Cuban-line guerrilla band blamed for all three abductions, issued a statement declaring that "every U.S. interest in Colombia" has been declared a target. The State Department identified the kidnaped priest as Father Francis A.

In new signs of concern Wednesday over violence by ruthless drug traffickers, the U.S. Embassy ordered American dependents of its employees to leave Colombia, and 48 American exchange students departed for home. In Medellin, where a series of bomb explosions have been blamed on drug traffickers, the mayor imposed a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Family members and co-workers of two U.S. missionary workers taken hostage by leftist rebels in Colombia are waiting, and praying, to hear from the kidnapers. Scott Welch, the son of one of the kidnaped men, attends The Masters College in Santa Clarita. He was unwilling to discuss the situation, fearing it might endanger his father. His father, Steve Welch, 41, of North Platte, Neb., and Tim Van Dyke, 41, of Towanda, Penn., were kidnaped Jan.

Authorities have ordered the arrest of the brother of one of Colombia's top Marxist rebel leaders for his alleged role in the recent kidnapping and slaying of three Americans, judicial officials said. Spokesmen for Prosecutor General Alfonso Mendez said the warrant for the arrest of German Briceno was issued on suspicion that he personally ordered the killings that drew an international outcry. Briceno is the brother of Jorge Briceno, the No.

An American mining engineer held captive nine months by leftist guerrillas was reportedly freed with his Venezuelan translator. Richard Wayne Dougherty, a 54-year-old Colorado native, and Cesar Carrasquero Salcedo were turned over to a priest Thursday in the mountain town of Tibu, 320 miles northeast of Bogota, the daily La Opinion said Friday. The daily La Nacion said that both men were in good health and that no ransom was paid. The two were kidnaped last Sept.

Guerrillas admitted Wednesday that one of their field officers ordered the killing of three kidnapped Americans, but they added that the rebels will judge him themselves rather than turn him over to authorities. The admission marked a turning point for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, this nation's oldest and largest insurgent group, as it attempts to gain legitimacy for its 3-decade-old conflict with the government. However, it fell far short of U.S.

A U.S. helicopter technician working under contract for British oil giant BP Amoco has been kidnapped by leftist rebels in an eastern oil-rich region, police said. Matthew Aaron Burtchell was snatched by four heavily armed gunmen as he traveled by taxi to the town of Yopal, provincial capital of Casanare, police said. Burtchell, whose age and hometown were not given, worked for the aviation firm Air Logistics and was based at BP Amoco's Cusiana-Cupiagua oil field, close to Yopal.

Authorities have ordered the arrest of the brother of one of Colombia's top Marxist rebel leaders for his alleged role in the recent kidnapping and slaying of three Americans, judicial officials said. Spokesmen for Prosecutor General Alfonso Mendez said the warrant for the arrest of German Briceno was issued on suspicion that he personally ordered the killings that drew an international outcry. Briceno is the brother of Jorge Briceno, the No.

Just when Colombian President Andres Pastrana seemed on the road to keeping two crucial campaign promises--improving relations with the United States and ending Latin America's longest guerrilla war--those goals appear to be colliding.

Guerrillas admitted Wednesday that one of their field officers ordered the killing of three kidnapped Americans, but they added that the rebels will judge him themselves rather than turn him over to authorities. The admission marked a turning point for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, this nation's oldest and largest insurgent group, as it attempts to gain legitimacy for its 3-decade-old conflict with the government. However, it fell far short of U.S.

An American woman released after spending a month as a captive of leftist rebels said Friday that she had no regrets about coming to Colombia for the bird-watching trip that resulted in her abduction. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia handed over Louise Augustine, 63, to government and Red Cross officials near this remote town in verdant mountains 60 miles southeast of the capital.

Leftist rebels are holding four American bird-watchers that they abducted at a roadblock south of the capital, a government official said Thursday. The four were among 27 people taken captive. The Americans--three men and a woman--were on a bird-watching trip Monday when they were stopped at a rebel roadblock 35 miles south of Bogota, the official said. The U.S. Embassy had no immediate comment.

A leftist rebel group kidnapped two U.S. citizens in the Medellin area to protest President Bush's participation in the Cartagena drug summit, but one of the Americans was released Tuesday, Radio RCN reported. The radio network, quoting authorities, said businessman James Donnelly of Detroit was freed Tuesday evening. His kidnapers identified themselves as members of the National Liberation Army.

Leftist guerrillas released two Americans 10 days after they were kidnaped to protest President Bush's visit to Colombia for an anti-drug summit. James Donnelly of Detroit and David Kent of Indianapolis were released to a Colombian human rights group. They carried a message that "the country's rich people will be punished if any more guerrillas disappear or if there are any more massacres of peasants." National Liberation Army guerrillas claimed responsibility for kidnaping the two on Feb.

Kidnappers freed an American missionary more than two years after he was seized while riding his motorcycle to work. Raymond Rising, 54, of Glenwood, Minn., was released Monday in Bogota, the Summer Institute of Linguistics said. Rising was kidnapped in March 1994, about 105 miles southeast of Bogota. The rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia is believed responsible. A spokesman for the U.S.-based missionary group said no ransom was paid and no rescue had been attempted.

Soldiers Tuesday recovered the bodies of two U.S. missionaries who were kidnaped by Marxist guerrillas more than a year ago, a Colombian army official said. The official said the soldiers found the bodies of Steve Welsh of North Platte, Neb., and Timothy Van Dyke of Towanda, Pa., near the site of a skirmish with guerrillas Tuesday in the central department, or province, of Cundinamarca. He said the rebels apparently shot the men Monday or Tuesday.