Police Helicopter Forced to Land

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Leftist rebels opened fire on a police helicopter
that was helping to spray drug crops Wednesday, forcing it to make an
emergency landing that injured two crew members.

The Americanbuilt UH1H helicopter, which was accompanying cropspraying
airplanes used to destroy coca fields, was hit several times, said Col.
Leonardo Gallego, Colombia's antinarcotics police director.

Police returned fire, but there was no word on rebel casualties. Two crew
members were injured in the emergency landing.

Gallego blamed the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the nation's
largest and oldest rebel group, for the attack. Rebels are often paid by drug
traffickers to guard crops such as coca, which is used to make cocaine.

The UH1H was one of several Vietnamera helicopters the United States
donated to Colombia earlier this year to help fight drug trafficking.