Colombian rebel group FARC on Monday released a statement to reiterate it had no involvement in the recent kidnapping of a Spanish couple in Colombia’s north and highlighted the presence of a number of other organizations in the region.
The statement pointed out that the FARC operate in line with the “February 2012 ban on the kidnapping of people for economic purposes,” and clarified that they are not in possession of the captured Spanish couple that was kidnapped in the department of La Guajira last month.
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The FARC also claimed that a number of other government and illegal groups commit crimes in the area where the kidnapping took place and said that illegal activity often is falsely attributed to the rebel group.
“We take this opportunity to claim that in the department of la Guajira, illegal activities such as assassinations, kidnappings, contraband gasoline and “false positives”, which are falsely attributed to the FARC, are carried out by the national police units and the 10th division of the army, paramilitary groups and common criminals such as the Rastrojos and Urabeños,” stated the document.
The kidnapping, which took place on May 17, was initially attributed to the FARC after one of the kidnappers allegedly identified himself as a member of the guerrilla group in a phone call to one of the victims’ families. The FARC previously denied the claim.
MORE: FARC deny involvement in kidnapping of Spanish tourists