Three U.S. military contractors captured by Colombian rebels more than a year ago are in good health but will never be freed except as part of a broad prisoner exchange, a senior rebel commander said Friday. Tom Howes, Marc Gonsalves and Keith Stansell — who were captured by rebels in February 2003 when their single-engine plane crash-landed in southern Colombia — will be released with dozens of other rebel hostages only in exchange for all rebels being held in Colombian jails, rebel commander Raul Reyes told The Associated Press. Reyes ruled out a direct swap with the United States for any rebels in U.S. custody. Reyes, a leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces in Colombia, or FARC, also said the rebel group will maintain its 40-year armed struggle to win power and rejects running in elections because of a failed, bloody effort in the past. Full Story
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