Rebels deny kidnapping

Colombian guerrillas today denied kidnapping eight foreign tourists, including two Britons, near the ruins of an ancient city.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a 17,000-member guerrilla army, blamed Colombian military intelligence, saying it would probably stage a fake rescue to boost its reputation.

The Britons, four Israelis, a Spaniard and a German were taken hostage on Friday, and marched into the jungle in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Witnesses to the dawn abduction were five tourists the kidnappers decided to leave behind. They blamed rebels for the kidnap.

The government, however, blamed the Farc, Latin America's largest guerrilla army, and sent 2,000 soldiers and police, backed by Black Hawk helicopters, to hunt for the hostages.

In fact a number of groups could be responsible for the kidnapping.

The remote mountains are home to many guerrilla armies, including the National Liberation Army (ELN). The Farc and the ELN regularly take hostages and demand ransom money.

Far-right paramilitary death squads - paid to kill rebels and rebel sympathisers - also operate in the zone and are often accused of kidnapping.