Bodies of 12 young people found in Colombia

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Friday, April 22, 2005

South America — In Buenaventura, 500km southwest of capital city Bogota, Colombia, fishermen found the bodies of 12 young men who were killed and thrown into the sea. According to local newspapers, residents and authorities accuse the revolutionary communist army called FARC.

The victims have been identified, and according to El Pais they are: Iver Valencia, aged 21; Víctor Alfonso Angulo, aged 20; Leonel Salcedo García, aged 20; Mario Valencia, aged 19; Alberto Valencia, aged 18; John Jairo Rodallega, aged 18; Rubén Darío Valencia, aged 18; Pedro Luis Aramburo Congo, aged 18; Carlos Arbey Valencia, aged 17; Pedro Pablo Valencia, aged 17; Concepción Rentería Valencia, aged 16 ; Javier Borja, aged 15.

There are indications that the victims were tortured. Their eyes were pulled out and they were shot in the head.

According to reports, on Monday a man came on a motorcycle and invited the group of young men to take part in a soccer game. The victims' parents and other relatives did not receive any further contact from them and notified the police on Wednesday. All the children lived in the Punta del Este district of Buenaventura.

Colombian authorities say that this act may be revenge by FARC for the arrest of their leader Poca Lucha, but a specific motive has not been clearly identified. No suspects have yet been named.

Sources