28/04/2002

Colombian Rebels Release Engineer

ROME, Italy (AP) � An Italian engineer has been released in Colombia for humanitarian reasons after more than five months in captivity, according to a Rome-based Catholic organization involved in negotiating the release.

Gianluigi Ravotti was kidnapped Nov. 10, 2001, from a rural road outside Guadalupe, 175 miles northwest of the Colombian capital, Bogota.

At the time, police blamed the National Liberation Army. But the Community of Sant'Egidio organization, which has helped in efforts to release several kidnapped Italians, said the culprits were probably tied to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the larger of Colombia's main leftist rebel groups.

Ravotti, a turbine engineer working for the Genoa-based company Ansaldo Energy, was released Saturday and was to return to Italy within days, the Catholic organization said.

On April 12, two more Italians kidnapped 1 1/2 years ago by Colombian rebels were released, also in negotiations including the Community di Sant'Egidio.

Colombia is plagued by civil war and frequent kidnappings.