COLOMBIA WORST NATION FOR KIDNAPPINGS, STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS

The U.S. State Department views Colombia as the kidnapping capital of the
world, and the federal government discourages, but does not prohibit,
citizens from traveling or doing business there.

Last year, more than a dozen U.S. citizens were kidnapped in Colombia, twice
as many as in 1998, according to the State Department. It did not have
numbers for 2000.

State Department officials said the kidnappings were conducted by two
leftist guerrilla organizations seeking millions in ransoms to fund their
civil war with the government. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia,
known by its Spanish acronym FARC, and the National Liberation Army, known
as ELN, operate in the mountains of Colombia.

Both groups were designated as foreign terrorist organizations in 1997 by
Secretary of State Madeline Albright. Members of such groups are not
eligible for U.S. visas, and U.S. financial institutions are required to
block funds of those groups and report the action to the Treasury
Department.

FARC and ELN are known to set up roadblocks to nab foreigners, especially
those connected to the oil industry.

According to a 1999 State Department report, "Patterns of Global Terrorism,"
the two rebel groups are involved in trafficking of narcotics in Colombia,
which produces much of the world's cocaine. They also have attacked the
nation's energy infrastructure -- bombing oil pipelines and attacking the
electric power grid.

Since 1980, the U.S. Embassy in Bogota has documented 112 U.S. citizens who
were kidnapped in Colombia or adjacent border areas. Fourteen were murdered,
one died from malnutrition during captivity and the whereabouts of several
remain unknown, according to the State Department. Most of the hostages have
been released.

The U.S. government is giving the Colombian government $1.3 billion in aid
to help fight drug traffickers and guerrilla forces.

President Clinton visited Colombia last Wednesday to tout the $1.3 billion,
part of a larger $7.5 billion aid package to Colombia for fighting drugs,
helping refugees and strengthening government.

The FARC's peace talks with the Colombian government are stalled and the
group -- along with the National Liberation Army -- have promised more
attacks in the face of U.S. aid.