How Farc was tricked into releasing the hostages.

`Che' Shirts, Fake Rebels, Acting Class Helped Free Betancourt

July 4 (Bloomberg) -- The T-shirts with images of Ernesto ``Che'' Guevara convinced Ingrid Betancourt. She assumed the men with the iconic revolutionary on their chests were ushering her into the helicopter for transfer to yet another rebel camp.

Instead, Betancourt, along with 14 other hostages, was taking her first steps toward freedom after six years of captivity at the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Less than 24 hours later, she would be reunited with the two children she hadn't seen since her capture.

The white helicopter Betancourt climbed into was piloted by Colombian troops, and the six men wearing Che shirts were soldiers who tricked the rebels into following ``orders'' to move the prisoners. Colombian intelligence had infiltrated the group, known as the FARC, and started planning the rescue mission as long as a year ago.

``What I am feeling now must be something very close to Nirvana, paradise,''..

Oh yeah, Nirvana!

Yeah well, who wouldn't trust a guy wearing a Che t-shirt?

*PLUS*

An interesting video from Al Jazeera , in English, featuring the Us captives and investigating US involvement.