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Body believed to be that of Japanese hostage found in Colombia
Bogota, Nov 25: The Colombian military found a body believed to be that of a Japanese businessman who was kidnapped three years ago by common criminals and later passed on to leftist guerrillas, the armed forces commander said.
Bogota, Nov 25: The Colombian military found a
body believed to be that of a Japanese businessman who was
kidnapped three years ago by common criminals and later passed
on to leftist guerrillas, the armed forces commander said.
General Carlos Alberto Ospina said the bullet-ridden body dressed in a camouflage outfit found yesterday in the central province of Cundinamarca was probably that of Chikao Muramatsu, an executive with the Japanese auto parts maker Yazaki Ciemel.
He was believed to have been held by Colombia's largest rebel army, the revolutionary armed forces of Colombia, or FARC, who reportedly demanded a ransom of between USD 10 and USD 25 million ransom for his release.
Muramatsu was seized February 22, 2001 from a main thoroughfare in the capital, Bogota.
Ospina said an army convoy was carrying out a routine patrol near the town of San Juan de Rioseco, 60 km west of Bogota, when they heard shots being fired. Several hours later, they came across the body.
The rebels "decided to commit murder after discovering the presence of troops in the area," Ospina said. Forensic experts were carrying out an autopsy to determine the exact identity of the body, though officials said they had little doubt it was Muramatsu.
Bureau Report
General Carlos Alberto Ospina said the bullet-ridden body dressed in a camouflage outfit found yesterday in the central province of Cundinamarca was probably that of Chikao Muramatsu, an executive with the Japanese auto parts maker Yazaki Ciemel.
He was believed to have been held by Colombia's largest rebel army, the revolutionary armed forces of Colombia, or FARC, who reportedly demanded a ransom of between USD 10 and USD 25 million ransom for his release.
Muramatsu was seized February 22, 2001 from a main thoroughfare in the capital, Bogota.
Ospina said an army convoy was carrying out a routine patrol near the town of San Juan de Rioseco, 60 km west of Bogota, when they heard shots being fired. Several hours later, they came across the body.
The rebels "decided to commit murder after discovering the presence of troops in the area," Ospina said. Forensic experts were carrying out an autopsy to determine the exact identity of the body, though officials said they had little doubt it was Muramatsu.
Bureau Report