COUNTERTERRORIST CENTER COMMENTARY- ASSESSING THE PROSPECTS FOR THE AMERICAN MTM MISSIONARIES: FARC KIDNAPPING PATTERNS

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01114218
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 16, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 2, 2016
• Case Number: F-2016-00363
• Publication Date: February 23, 1993

Approved for Release: 2016/07/12 CO1114218
iIIN
DCI
Counterterrorist
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Central
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23 February 1993
COMATIRTMKROMIBT CRATER COAMMMTARY
liseessing the Prospects for the American Wit Missionaries:
PARC Kidnapping Patterns
Summary
Kidnapped US missionaries Mark Rich, David Mankins, and Rick
Tonenoff, presumably held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia (PARC), are more likely to be released than killed,
if the guerrillas follow the pattern they have established in
recent years. Although the PARC is both willing to and
capable of killing civilians, only one of the 10 foreigners we
judge it has taken hostage over the last four years has been
killed. The one victim who died in captivity--a British
businessman taken by the PARC in October 1992 --was killed in a
shoot out between the captors and Colombian police during a
raid.
The abduction last month of three US citizens working for the
US-based New Tribes Mission (NTM) in rural Panama was probably
the work of PARC, although no group has claimed
responsibility:
-- The hostages were seized in Panama near the Colombian
border, in an area where the PARC is active.
-- Unlike other terrorist groups operating in Colombia, the
PARC does not typically claim credit for kidnappings.
All but one of the 10 kidnapping victims attributed to the
PARC over the last four years have been released unharmed:
-- In October 1992, presumed FARC terrorists kidnapped a
British business executive of Standard Brands (Dole)
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Banana Company. The hostage was killed 24 hours later
during an attempted rescue by police.
In February 1992, suspected FARC terrorists abducted a US
geologist working for a Colombian firs. He was released a
month later. The company refused to say whether any ransom
had been paid.
In December 1991, a US mining engineer was abducted by PARC
guerrillas. He was released a month later, without any
ransom demands.
In August 1991, two Japanese engineers were taken hostage by
presumed FARC terrorists. The engineers were released four
months later, after the Japanese company paid a large
ransom.
-- In December 1990, two Swiss citizens conducting a medical
tour were kidnapped, but were turned over to the Red Cross
two weeks later. No money was paid for their release. FARC
representatives claimed to have released the Swiss hostages
to demonstrate the FARC's desire to continue negotiations
with the Colombian government.
The kidnappers of the US missionaries have demanded a steep BS
million in ransom and have several times threatened to kill the
hostages if }ITN does not make a monetary counteroffer by a
specified date.
We conclude that any effort to rescue the hostages is likely to
put the NTH missionaries in more immediate danger than that posed
by prolonged negotiations or captivity. The only foreign hostage
believed held by the FARC that was not released was the British
citizen killed during the shootout with police late last year.
Approved for Release: 2016/07/12 CO1114218