Colombian minister: Ecuadorean killed in cross-border raid on rebels

[bemildred]

Source: AP

BOGOTA, Colombia: Colombia's defense minister announced Sunday that an Ecuadorean was killed during Colombia's controversial March 1 raid on a rebel camp in Ecuador's jungle.

Ecuador briefly mobilized troops to its border with Colombia in the wake of the attack that killed top Colombian rebel commander Raul Reyes and 25 others. Confirmation of the Ecuadorean death threatened to revive tensions among the Andean neighbors that still have not renewed diplomatic relations.

Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said one of two bodies brought to Colombia after the attack belonged to the Ecuadorean he identified only by the nom de guerre "Lucho."

The Ecuadorean's body was initially identified as that of a Colombian rebel troubadour, alias Julian Conrado, and brought back to the Colombian capital of Bogota with Reyes' body.

Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/24/america/LA-GEN-Colombia-Ecuador-Rebels.php

[Rydz777]

1. What is a "rebel troubador?"

[Judi Lynn]

2. You don't get a chance to see a "troubadour" too often, dead OR alive!

Lucky for us, google images just happens to have a photo:



"Far out," eh?

[Judi Lynn]

3. The jungle would tear the heck out of his tights, however! n/t

[Judi Lynn]

4. Oh, this is getting WIERD. Look at this photo (graphic warning) :

It's "Julian Conrado," the FARC "troubador."

According to CNN, from an article run earlier:

updated 3:54 p.m. EST, Sat March 1, 2008
No. 2 Colombian rebel killed, government says

(CNN) -- Colombian forces on Saturday killed the second in command of the country's main rebel group, a strike the government said was the most significant yet.

Luis Edgar Devia Silva, known as Raul Reyes, died in a joint operation conducted by Colombian national police and military forces, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said.

The fighting took place just across the Ecuadorean border, he said.

Reyes was among 17 killed, Santos said.

Also killed was Guillermo Enrique Torres, called Julian Conrado, who Santos said was a key ideologist for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/03/01/colombia.rebel/

From the International Herald Tribune:

Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said one of two bodies brought to Colombia after the attack belonged to the Ecuadorean he identified only by the nom de guerre "Lucho."

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/24/news/Colombia-Ecuador-Rebels.php

However, in other places, the family of the guy says that his name is Franklin Guillermo Aisalia Molina.

Here's the photo published in "El Pais Vallenato:"



A little the worse for wear, of course, since he's DEAD.

http://www.elpaisvallenato.com/html/noticias/2008/marzo/22/5804497delicadasacusacionesdeecuadoracolombia.html

Article names him as "Franklin Guillermo Aisalia Molina."

Colombian authorities, remember, also identified a Chilean official as a high-ranking FARC, too, in the last week or two. You know, now that I think about it, some DU'ers look a lot like FARCs to me, too!