by Jim Kouri
A Colombian army captain and ten soldiers were killed in an ambush by narco-terrorists from Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on Saturday, according to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration intelligence analyst specializing on Latin America. FARC also threatened American law enforcement advisors assisting the Colombian forces.
The terrorist ambush occurred near the Colombian-Venezuelan border while the troops were patrolling an area about 250 miles from the capital Bogota, the analyst told the Law Enforcement Examiner. Besides the 11 deaths, two soldiers were seriously wounded, he said.
According to a Colombian government's press statement, this was the worst terrorist attack in many months. In October 2011, FARC terrorists killed a total of 20 soldiers in two separate attacks.
In this latest attack, the rebels are believed to have launched improvised explosive missiles (IEMs) at the patrolling soldiers.
The area adjacent to where the attack took place a center for exploration by oil companies and is frequently victimized by terrorists who vandalize and steal property or kidnap oil company executives for ransom.
The patrol ambushed by FARC on Saturday belonged to a military detail assigned to protecting oil installations and roads used by petrol tankers.
The attack came on the same day as the FARC announced it was ready to release 10 soldiers and police officers it has held hostage for as long as 14 years.
However, the FARC commanders said on the group's web site that President Juan Manuel Santos must first allow a group of activists to visit imprisoned FARC members.
President Santos told the terrorist group's leaders that once all of the hostages are freed and the group complies with his order to disarm and rejoin civilian society, then he will allow prisoners visitor privileges.
He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country.
He holds a bachelor of science in Criminal Justice from SCI Technical School in New York City and completed training at the NYC Police Academy, FBI Continuing Education Program, Yale University Administration and Management Certification, and the Certified Protection Professional (CPP) of the American Society for Industrial Security.
Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. Kouri appears regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc.
