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| Caribbean-Latin America | |
| US assisted Colombian rescue mission | |
| 2008-07-06 | |
The jamming operation, high above the Amazonian rainforest canopy, was the key, final element in an elaborate plan to hoodwink César into surrendering the communist rebels' most prized assets: the former presidential candidate Ms Betancourt, 46, three American defence contractors and 11 Colombians. At a rendezvous point in a jungle opening he was told they were to be ferried by helicopter supplied by the "International Humanitarian Group" to a base where Alfonso Cano, the overall supremo of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), wanted to question them. César, a commander notorious for his cruelty, decided to comply with the instructions. He had tried to contact Cano on four separate occasions, unaware that intelligence aircraft were intercepting or blocking his radio and satellite phone communications. In fact the orders were fake, sent to him by Colombian intelligence teams that had infiltrated the Marxist rebel force with well-paid double agents. The audacious rescue in Operation Checkmate involved "a combination of electronic penetration of Farc's command and control and human infiltration into its guerrilla units", said John Marulanda, a Colombian special forces officer. The Colombian mission was backed by a multi-billion dollar US spy operation and dozens of American officials who worked full-time at the US embassy in Bogota on rescuing the three anti-narcotics contractors, captured when their plane crashed in 2003. The rebels, who are in an increasingly demoralised state after a series of recent raids against their high command, have been so well infiltrated that their communications by satellite, mobile phone and radio are routinely picked up by US monitoring. "The guerrillas thought that they were talking to their leaders when they were in fact talking to us," said the Colombian army chief, Gen Mario Montoya. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #12 Next operation custom order. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-07-06 23:05 |
| #11 They're probably going to have to come up with a better uniform than a bunch of Che' t-shirts bought at Target. |
| Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2008-07-06 20:50 |
| #10 I understand your point of view, PBMcL, but I think in this case the coverage is warranted. This is the kind of trick that will only work once, and now FARC is wondering how badly they have been penetrated. They're watching their own shadow now. |
| Posted by: Mizzou Mafia 2008-07-06 20:05 |
| #9 I'm surprised at CANO THE KILLER = "JAP/SAMURAI CANO" > he's well-aware of US methodisms. FARC must be truly hard up materielly not to attempt to shoot down the recce plane. IMO, CANO > the altern is that CANO + COMMANDANTE GERARD, etc. are following the SADR-ISLAMIST lead in Iraq + Iran, to focus more on Diplo-politics + PR 2008-2012??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-07-06 19:53 |
| #8 A fair amount was blown by the op itself. Plus we don't know how much of the info is BS and neither do the bad guys. And every time any of the bad guys think about dealing with the outside world, their sphincters are going to pucker a bit more. So on balance, it's worth it. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-07-06 19:33 |
| #7 I think that's right, Paul. This rescue was so spectacular that a lot of info was going to end up in the press. Good news is, we have plenty of bright people who can come up with another plan when needed. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2008-07-06 19:08 |
| #6 The planners of the mission knew that a lot of cover would be blown, but they figured that it would be worth it. Just a value judgement on the situation. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2008-07-06 15:52 |
| #5 Vz opposition blogs saying the NGO guys looked like Che Clones, had to trust 'em. Also a journo with them being cool. |
| Posted by: .5MT 2008-07-06 09:20 |
| #4 This statement also tends to indicate a US Law Enforcement task force lead vs military or Central Intelligence Agency. I think you got the situation pegged. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-07-06 08:43 |
| #3 For phuechs sake! Entirely TOO MUCH information has been released concerning the Signals intelligence, tactics, techniques, and procedures of this successful event. While I am very happy at the release of these folks, the publicity of the operation and endless crowing ensures it will be a one off. "Humanitarian missions" are generally held as suspect in the third world, ie, US spy operation and dozens of American officials who worked full-time at the US embassy in Bogota ..... This statement also tends to indicate a US Law Enforcement task force lead vs military or Central Intelligence Agency. My guess, the image hungry FBI or DEA, or both. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-07-06 08:29 |
| #2 Great. Let's tell everybody how it was done, down to the smallest detail. It's not like we'd ever want to do it again... |
| Posted by: PBMcL 2008-07-06 01:11 |
| #1 Anyone have any insight into this "International Humanitarian Group" and why FARC trusted them to pick up the prisoners? |
| Posted by: tipover 2008-07-06 01:00 |