"Kidnapped Briton in plea for help"

[cancunhound]

Reported today in London papers:

---------------------------------
A British tourist kidnapped in Colombia today pleaded for government help to secure his freedom.

Mark Henderson, 31, from Yorkshire, said that being in captivity for two months had driven him to take up smoking again.

"Desperate times, desperate measures," he said.
----------------------------------

That's just great, Colombian soldiers can barely afford cigarettes but it appears the ELN's got plenty to pass around.

[DallasSteve2]

... in response to "Kidnapped Briton in plea for help&..., posted by cancunhound on Nov 12, 2003

Did you see this story:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=535&ncid=535&e=12&u=/ap/20031107/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/colombia_hitting_back_1

It says the FARC had planned to encircle Bogota with 1300 soldiers and stop all traffic in an out via highway.  However, it looks like the army defeated the guerillas approaching the capital.

I had read years ago that the FARC had plans to eventually take Bogota and topple the government like Castro riding into Havana.  However, it seems their chances are growing slimmer with Uribe in power.

I also read a few months ago that their current strategy was to hole up in the mountains until his term was over.  This news story seems to contradict that.

Steve

[Pete E]

... in response to FARC Bogota plot foiled, posted by DallasSteve2 on Nov 12, 2003

1300 soldiers are going to shut down all the roads in and out of Bogota?Uribe could be so lucky they should try something like this.They would then have 1300 less soldiers.
They have only survived by hiding and being elusive.To take on the Colombian military directly would be something like suicide I think.
Now hiding out untill Uribe is gone sounds like a better plan.Uribe needs to get with it.Is it 4 or 6 years,his only term? If he is not carefull he will be out of office without having done much.
Kind of like the Islamic radicals that want to fight the great Satan,going in to Iraq to take on our marines.Better
against the marines there that the general population here.
The only way we can lose that one is to lose patience or lose guts.Won't happen while GWB is around.Maybe if we elected some of the wimps that want to replace him.But I'm getting political again.
Back to Colombia.Are these guys that hard to find? Can't they just go get them? Does any Colombian really give a
Sh!t?
I know,its american for us to just want to form a possie,lynch the bad guys and go home.Where the hell is John Wayne when we need him?
Simple solutions do work if you have the power and the guts.

Pete

[DavidMN]

... in response to FARC Bogota plot foiled, posted by DallasSteve2 on Nov 12, 2003

Hi Steve - That story does sound like an intelligence success. However, with the recent resignations and firings at the highest levels of the police and military, I hope the new people are up to the task and pronto. - David

[DallasSteve2]

... in response to "Kidnapped Briton in plea for help&..., posted by cancunhound on Nov 12, 2003

[This message has been edited by DallasSteve2]

When you go to Colombia you are on your own.  No US police, no US courts, and if you are kidnapped or put in jail, the embassy is not going to rescue you.  That's the risk you take when you travel abroad.  You're on their playing field.  You play by their rules.  (Same thing applies to Britons and other foreigners)

If I was kidnapped I would probably beg the government to help, too, but it's not going to happen.  If they were going to bail somebody out they'd bail out those 3 kidnapped US contractors who were doing work for the federal government.  

The saddest part of that story is that they were working for a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corp.  After they were kidnapped Northrop transferred their contract to another company named Chiao.  Chiao means "GoodBye" in Spanish.  Northrop Grumman just washed their hands of the problem.  I wish there was a way to trade the top execs of Northrop for those 3 contractors.  

Steve

[Gary Bala]

... in response to First rule of travel to Colombia, posted by DallasSteve2 on Nov 12, 2003

As a safety precaution, US citizens visiting or staying in Colombia for any material length of time
may wish to consider registering their contact information with the US Embassy in Bogota.
Regards,
Gary Bala
http://usembassy.state.gov/colombia/wwwsc128.shtml

[cancunhound]

... in response to First rule of travel to Colombia, posted by DallasSteve2 on Nov 12, 2003

I saw the other day where they have definitely pinpointed the area where the 3 are being held.  Problem is extracting them alive - sounds like they may resort to starving them out.  At least the US put up the big reward and free visa carrot for any info leading to their recovery.  There is a big difference in the scenario between the 3 contractors and the Ciudad Perdida backpackers, however.  The contractors were all ex-military and knew very well they were at risk flying a single engine plane in hostile areas targeting drug operations - but hey they were highly paid for it.  If you caught the interviews with them it was all about how they miss their families.

Now these backpackers are a different story - it almost appears they didn't realize that area was dangerous - unbelievable.  When interviewed they whine about being so miserable they've had to "take up smoking" again!  Sounds like these guys are about to be released by the ELN as they've got them surrounded too - Now the ELN has said they will be released without a hostage exchange under some other conditions about a convoy going up to witness the conditions the natives have had to endure with the military blockade in the region.

[Colonialjd]

... in response to Re: The 3 contractors, posted by cancunhound on Nov 12, 2003

I stayed a few nights at the backbacker hotel in Bogota(The Platypus).  Some of the backpackers (Germans, Brits, Aussies,...) had been in Colombia for several months.  They gleefully were traveling the country by bus.  They were quite confident that the rebels would not want to kidnap them, because they were low budget travelers without significant funds.  If I were employed in the Colombian Kidnap industry, I would be wondering which one of those germans might have a rich industrialist father back in Frankfurt.  In their defense all I can say is that I did much more foolish things when I was 20 years old.  

Colonial

[Michael B]

... in response to Re: The 3 contractors, posted by cancunhound on Nov 12, 2003

I've read about the blockade and the lack of supplies for the natives. They have my sympathy, but my brain says that if any supplies were comming in the ELN would just loot them anyway and the natives would still have next to nothing.

[DallasSteve2]

... in response to Re: The 3 contractors, posted by cancunhound on Nov 12, 2003

I remember now, they spelled the name of the new company differently.  They spelled it Ciao.  Without an "H".  So when the FARC heard this (on the interview) they said that meant they were working for the CIA.  They probably already suspected that, but now there was one more nail in their possible coffins.

Northrop isn't going to do anything to help them (like use a kidnapping insurance policy).  The least they could do is not make the situation worse.  But NO, they have to transfer their contract to a company that looks like it might be a CIA front.

Steve

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Re: The 3 contractors, posted by DallasSteve2 on Nov 12, 2003

I don't think any amount of money would free the three contracters. They are even under the personal guard of Mono Joyjoy so there can't be any possible screw ups (read rescue). They are being held to be swapped for important FARC commanders and sad to say they're going to be enjoying FARC hospitality for a long long time. An artical in this weeks SEMANA magazine says the army of late has killed four important FARC chiefs and has caught on to their technique of holing up high on a mountaintop surrounded by antipersonel mines untill the armys enthusiasm flags. The army is now cutting off all re-supply lines to them.

[HeyNow]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: The 3 contractors, posted by Cali vet on Nov 12, 2003

I saw the 60 minutes interview. It is a terrible to be kidnapped and living in those conditions.  It was mentioned the three families still recieve their salaries.  This seem the only consulation.  They have been there quite awhile.  I hope they are released (traded?) soon.

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: The 3 contractors, posted by HeyNow on Nov 13, 2003

Not quite all of them. One of the guys got a bogotana Avianca stewardess pregnant. She's jobless with his baby now and can't get a cent from the US govt.

[cancunhound]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: The 3 contractors, posted by Cali vet on Nov 12, 2003

Is back up and running - all data was restored in the forums except for imbedded photos.  Usernames, passwords remain the same and are active.  If anyone lost theirs, just login as a new user and PM me there so you're "dogs" can be restored!

[DavidMN]

... in response to Re: The 3 contractors, posted by cancunhound on Nov 12, 2003

What surprised me is the amount of work Dnycorp does in Colombia and hot spots like Iraq. I believe Dyncorp was recently purchased by CSC (Computer Sciences Corp) so all you I/T guys and consultants might be able to land your dream job in Colombia after all. ;-)

David