Betancourt has medical check-up

2008-07-05 14:42

Paris - Ingrid Betancourt checked in to a French hospital on Saturday for tests that should reveal any medical problems following her six years as a captive in the Colombian jungle.

The 46-year-old former Colombian presidential candidate made a hurried entrance to the Val-de-Grace military clinic in Paris without saying a word to waiting journalists.

Snatched from the grip of Marxist FARC rebels in a Colombian army operation on Wednesday along with three US hostages and 11 Colombians, Betancourt arrived in France two days later on board a French presidential plane from Bogota.

"I am so happy to breathe the air of France. I owe France everything," a smiling Betancourt told the crowd waiting to welcome her with President Nicolas Sarkozy and First Lady Carla Bruni.

After being feted by Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace, Betancourt told reporters on Friday that she felt "in great shape" although she developed a string of ailments while in captivity, possibly including hepatitis.

Extraordinary, perfect operation

A video showing hostages angry and resigned at having their hands bound, and then minutes later sobbing with jubilation aboard a helicopter upon discovering they had been freed, was shown on Friday for the first time by Colombia military.

The video of FARC rebels benignly handing over the 15 hostages to disguised Colombian commandos was released to counter questions about the military's dramatic and bloodless coup, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said.

The video shows the unarmed, disguised Colombian commandos binding the hands of the hostages with plastic cuffs, as one hostage, a Colombian soldier, angrily scolds the fake guerrillas for his treatment.

Once aboard the disguised military helicopter, the video shows Betancourt and others reacting in surprise and breaking out in tears after the cuffs were removed and the soldiers revealed themselves.

Betancourt was accompanied on the flight to Paris by her daughter Melanie, 22, and son Lorenzo, 19.

She paid a personal tribute to the French president, who made her release a top priority, as "this extraordinary man who fought so hard for me".

"This extraordinary, perfect operation by the Colombian army... is also the result of your struggle," she said, explaining that France staunchly opposed any armed "military operation that would put the hostages' lives in danger".

Speaking at the reception with her supporters at the Elysee palace, she urged Sarkozy to keep working to free the hundreds of other hostages still held by Colombia's FARC rebels, Latin America's most powerful left-wing insurgency.

"Let it be clear, we will continue," the French president replied.

- AFP