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• Marc Gonsalves was captured by Farc on February 13, 2003, after his airplane crashed while flying over Colombia on a narcotics reconnaissance mission.Los Angeles Times: Bristol, Conn.'s, guerrilla hostage (January 24, 2008)

  Gonsalves, fellow Americans Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes, Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 11 other hostages were rescued on July 2, 2008.CNN: Betancourt, U.S. contractors rescued from FARC (July 2, 2008)

• Fast Facts

  1. Birthplace: Bristol, Connecticut
  2. Former U.S. Air Force intelligence officerLos Angeles Times: Bristol, Conn.'s, guerrilla hostage (January 24, 2008)
  3. Hired by Northrop Grumman in 2002Los Angeles Times: Bristol, Conn.'s, guerrilla hostage (January 24, 2008)
  4. Contracted by the Pentagon to survey Colombian junglesLos Angeles Times: Bristol, Conn.'s, guerrilla hostage (January 24, 2008)
  5. Were looking for Cocaine laboratoriesLos Angeles Times: Bristol, Conn.'s, guerrilla hostage (January 24, 2008)
  6. Surveillance plane crashed on February 13, 2008Los Angeles Times: Bristol, Conn.'s, guerrilla hostage (January 24, 2008)
  7. Crash thought to have been caused by mechanical failureLos Angeles Times: Bristol, Conn.'s, guerrilla hostage (January 24, 2008)
  8. Accompanied by Thomas Howes, Keith Stansell and Thomas Janis
  9. Janis shot and killed by FarcLos Angeles Times: Bristol, Conn.'s, guerrilla hostage (January 24, 2008)
  10. Howes, Stansell and Gonsalves taken hostage
  11. Released on July 2, 2008

• Homecoming

  Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes arrived at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas on Wednesday, July 2, 2008. They are expected to be reunited with their families on Thursday evening, July 3, 2008. The former hostages must first undergo medical tests. Gonsalves' relatives are flying to Texas from Connecticut for the reunion.Associated Press: 3 Hostages Rescued in Colombia Return to US(July 3, 2008)

• Return Home Speech

  On Monday, July 7, 2008, Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and Keith Stansell spoke at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. During Gonsalves' speech, he stated that FARC claims to want equality and make Colombia a better place, but they are liars. He continued by calling them terrorists and not revolutionaries. Gonsalves added that FARC's real interests are in "drug trafficking and extortion."CNN: Freed American: FARC 'Terrorists' not Revolutionaries

• Quotes

  "They are not a revolutionary group. They are terrorists -- terrorists with a capital T." -Marc Gonsalves on FARCCNN: Freed American: FARC 'Terrorists' not Revolutionaries

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Ingrid Betancourt | Ingrid Betancourt Rescued | Thomas Howes | Keith Stansell | Farc | FARC Hostages | Colombia

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