A top leftist Colombian rebel is in U.S. custody, facing drug and terrorism charges following his group's refusal to free dozens of hostages, including three Americans and a German. Ricardo Palmera became the first leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, to be sent to face prosecution in a U.S. federal court. Taken Friday from a Colombian prison, Palmera, 54, was flown to Washington aboard a U.S. government plane from a military airport on the edge of Bogota.Arriving several hours later, he was rushed to U.S. District Court in one of three black SUVs with emergency lights flashing and sirens blaring. Two marshals wearing body armor and carrying assault rifles flanked the back entrance as authorities took him inside. "They were going to keep the court open ... special for him," FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela said. About 50 minutes later, after what the Justice Department said was an appearance before Magistrate Judge John Facciola, Palmera was driven to an undisclosed location. Palmera, also known by the alias Simon Trinidad, is accused in U.S. indictments of drug trafficking, kidnapping and supporting terrorists. After his arrest early this year in Ecuador, Colombian courts convicted him of aggravated kidnapping and sentenced him to 35 years in prison.