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BOGOTA, Colombia – Colombia's main rebel group says it is holding a French journalistwho has been missing since disappearing a week ago while coveringcombat. The ruling secretariat of the Revolutionary Armed Forces ofColombia, or FARC, did not say in the statement released Sunday ifor when it plans to release Romeo Langlois. In a communique published online, the FARC said that Langlois "wasdressed in military clothing of the regular army" on April 28 whenthe FARC attacked security forces he was accompanying on a missionto destroy a cocaine lab. Accompanying the military on such missions serves the government'spropaganda purposes, said the statement, which was dated May 3. "We think the minimum that can be expected for the recuperation of(Langlois') full mobility is the opening of a national andinternational debate over the freedom to inform," it continued."Journalists that Colombia's armed forces take with it on militaryoperations don't adhere to the impartial purpose of informing aboutreality." Colombia's defense minister has said that Langlois removed thehelmet and flak jacket that the army had provided and identifiedhimself as a civilian during the clash. The FARC statement, published by the sympathetic Sweden-basedANNCOL news agency, began with the FARC leadership announcing "thedetention in the quality of prisoner of war the French journalistRomeo Langlois by units of the FARC's 15th Front.". It warned Colombia's military not to try to rescue Langlois,referring to previous instances when it has killed prisoners duringperceived government rescue attempts. Earlier on Sunday, in a video released by independent journalistKarl Penhaul, a man who identifies himself as a rebel squadronleader said Langlois was lightly wounded in an arm but was out ofdanger. It shows armed men and women in fatigues in a jungle area. The rebel says they are from the 15th Front of the RevolutionaryArmed Forces of Colombia and that it captured Langlois in a 7-hourfirefight. He said that now that the rebels know Langlois is a journalist "wehope to quickly overcome this impasse." Langlois, 35, was on assignment for France24 television and hasalso done work for the newspaper Le Figaro. He has been working inColombia for more than a decade. Penhaul said the video, released on YouTube, was recorded Saturday. In its statement, the FARC's secretariat complained about its ownWeb site being "attacked and permanently blocked." Indeed, the FARC periodically changes Web addresses, whetherbecause of cyberattacks or removals ordered by foreign governmentswhere they are hosted. The FARC took up arms in 1964 and is estimated to have about 8,000fighters. It has suffered a series of major setbacks in recent years,including the killing last year of its top commander, Alfonso Cano,and has been urging the government to enter into a peace dialogue. President Juan Manuel Santos says the FARC has not met hisconditions for talks, and insists it must honor its February pledgeto halt ransom kidnappings. The rebels released last month what they said were their last"political prisoners," 10 soldiers and police they had held for aslong as 14 years. ___ Associated Press writer Frank Bajak reported from Lima, Peru. I am an expert from iphoneoemparts.com, while we provides the quality product, such as IPhone 3G OEM Parts Manufacturer , Blackberry Repairing Manufacturer, Apple IPad Repairs,and more.
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