Farc accuses its men of betrayal over Betancourt

Bogotá The biggest rebel force in Colombia said that it was betrayed by its own men after the rescue of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages last week.

Two senior guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) had taken the hostages, who included three American defence contractors, to a helicopter that was being flown by intelligence agents posing as aid workers. When the helicopter took off, the rebels, known as Enrique Gafas and César, were disarmed. They are expected to be extradited to the US to face kidnapping charges.

“The escape of the 15 prisoners on July 2 was a direct consequence of the despicable conduct of César and Enrique, who betrayed their revolutionary ideals and the trust we had put in them,” the Farc said.

The group, which holds hundreds of Colombians hostage for political leverage, seized Ms Betancourt, a French-Colombian citizen, during her presidential campaign in 2002. About 1,600 fighters have deserted the Farc since January. (Reuters)

Attacks by pirates on the increase, says report

Kuala Lumpur Pirate attacks worldwide have surged by 19 per cent in the past three months compared with the January-March period, largely because of increased incidents in Somalia and Nigeria, an international maritime agency said.

There were 62 attacks on ships between April and June, up from 52 in the previous quarter, the International Maritime Bureau said in a report released by its piracy reporting centre in Kuala Lumpur. “The frequency and level of violence directed at seafarers is cause for alarm. The abduction of crew and the increasing use of automatic weapons remain unacceptable,” it said.

Africa remains the world’s top piracy hotspot, with 24 reported attacks in Somalia and 18 in Nigeria so far this year, it said. Indonesia ranked third on the global list with 13 reports, mostly of low-level theft. Pirates boarded 71 vessels worldwide this year and hijacked 12. In all, 190 crew members were taken hostage, seven killed and another seven are missing and presumed dead. (AP)

Thousands remember Srebrenica massacre

Srebrenica An estimated 30,000 Muslims from across Bosnia gathered yesterday to remember the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and bury the remains of more than 300 newly identified victims.

The sombre funeral ceremony for the 308 Muslims, among 8,000 killed in Europe’s worst atrocity since the Second World War, was held at a memorial site just outside the town. The remains of the victims, aged between 15 and 84, were exhumed from mass graves after Bosnia’s 1992-1995 war.

After leading mourners in prayer, Bosnia’s Islamic leader, Mustafa Ceric, called on the European Parliament to proclaim July 11 a day of mourning. (AFP)

Warplanes warning

Tbilisi A Georgian official warned Russia that it would have to “collect the shattered fragments” of its aircraft if it violates Georgian airspace again. Four Russian warplanes flew over the breakaway province of South Ossetia on Wednesday. (AP)

Murderer executed

Jakarta Indonesia executed a man convicted of killing 42 women and girls in a series of ritual slayings that he believed would give him magical powers. Ahmad Suradji, 57, was shot by by a firing squad in western Indonesia. (AP)

Explosion kills 5

Hanoi Five people, including three children, died in central Vietnam when 30-year-old ordnance left behind from the Vietnam War exploded, police said. Three boys, aged 12 to 14, were killed in the explosion in Quang Tri province. (AP)

Bat disease warning

Geneva The World Health Organisation has warned people to avoid bat-infested caves in Uganda after a Dutch woman contracted the deadly Marburg haemorrhagic fever, which is related to the Ebola virus. The woman is critically ill. (Reuters)

Shark-infested pool

Sydney A shark was found in a swimming pool at Cronulla beach, apparently having been swept in by a big wave. Robyn Cole, of the Lifesaving Club, said: “Swimmers come at 6am to do laps. It’s still dark then and they mustn’t have even noticed.” (AFP)

Berlusconi sentence

Rome The younger brother of Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, had a four- month sentence upheld by a Milan appeal court. Paolo Berlusconi, 59, was convicted of false invoicing of about €2.5 million (£2 million). (AFP)

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