Colombian rebels freed two European hostages Monday, handing them over to a humanitarian commission that whisked them by helicopter from the mountains where they spent 74 days in captivity. During their release in the jungle, the two smiled and stood for photos with their captors — members of Colombia’s smaller rebel group, the National Liberation Army, or ELN. One hostage, Reinhilt Weigel of Germany, posed with an AK-47 automatic rifle under her arm, next to rebels wearing bandanas over their faces. A Catholic church official said he believed the five other kidnapped backpackers could be released before Christmas. Weigel and Asier Huegen Echeverria, of Spain, were flown by helicopter from the Sierra Nevada mountains where they were handed over to the town of Valledupar. Full Story
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