(KUNA) -- A Dutch woman and 17 other members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) designated foreign terrorist organization were indicted by a federal grand jury here today on seven counts of terrorism and weapons charges arising out of their participation in the hostage-taking of three American citizens in the Republic of Colombia, the Justice Department announced here Tuesday.The Department said in a statement that the indictment charges Tanja Anamary Nijmeijer, 32, who moved to Colombia and joined the FARC in 2002 and the other 17 defendants "with one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking, three substantive counts of hostage taking, one count of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of conspiracy to provide material support to gunnies and a designated foreign terrorist organization." The three former hostages, identified as Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes, were held in the Colombian jungle by members of the FARC for more than five years, until their rescue by Colombian military forces in July 2008.
"Today's indictment demonstrates our firm resolve to bring to justice every last FARC commander who played any part in this brutal act of terrorism," US Attorney for the District of Columbia Ronald Machen said.
For his part, John Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, of the FBIs Miami Division said that the FARC "has authorized the use of violence and attacks against American citizens to forward their mission of terrorism." "Today's indictment represents the continuing commitment of the FBI to fully investigate and to bring to justice gunnies throughout the world who harm citizens of the United States," he stressed.
Todays charging document represents the fifth indictment issued in the District of Columbia against various FARC members involved in the kidnappings, the Justice Department indicated.