How the rescue operation happened
http://www.miamiherald.com/1060/story/592126.html ^ | July 3, 2008

July 3, 2008

Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said Colombian military intelligence managed to infiltrate the top hierarchy of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and arrange for a transfer of hostages purportedly to be handed over to Alfonso Cano, the rebel group's top leader.

A government mole arranged for the hostages to be brought from three locations to one camp, then taken to a helicopter the FARC believed belonged to a friendly aid group that would take the hostages to Cano.

Instead, the chopper was a military helicopter piloted by intelligence officers who whisked a total of 15 hostages to freedom, including three American defense contractors -- Keith Stansell, Thomas Howes and Marc Gonsalves -- and former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt.

The infiltration of the guerrilla group took place over a period of years, military sources told El Nuevo Herald.

Betancourt told Colombian radio that their last moments of captivity were tense. As she and the other hostages were being marched toward the helicopter, they were sure they were part of some international hostage deal. But then they saw the pilots dressed like guerrillas and their hopes were dashed.

''They tied our hands and feet,'' Betancourt said.

It was not until the hostages were aboard the helicopter and the pilots subdued the rebel commanders that they learned the truth. ' `We are with the army; you are free,' '' the pilots told the hostages, Betancourt recalled.