FARC rebels unilaterally free Colombian hostages

Bogota: Colombia's badly battered FARC rebels delivered three police officers and a soldier to the International Red Cross on Sunday in a mission marred by accusations of military interference.

A Brazilian military helicopter, emblazoned with the Red Cross insignia, retrieved the four hostages from a guerrilla stronghold in Colombia's southern jungles and flew them to a provincial airport where they were met by relatives and peace activists with hugs and white daisies.

A reporter accompanying the release, Jorge Enrique Botero, said it was hounded and delayed by more than two hours of military over-flights that he called "notorious, abundant and repetitive... for more than two hours."

"They were flying in circles. There were several types of airplanes conducting the flights and this of course caused enormous nervousness, not just among us but also among the people of the FARC," Botero said at the Villavicencio airport in Colombia. He said that he would provide audio and video evidence.

The government's peace commissioner, Luis Carlos Restrepo, called the allegations "baseless." He said authorities honoured an agreement with the Red Cross for no military flights beneath 6,100 metres during the liberation.

Captured by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in 2007, the four security-force members freed are among six hostages the FARC pledged to liberate unconditionally this week.

The other two, the only Colombian politicians believed still in rebel hands, have been held far longer. Analysts consider the releases - the guerrillas' first in nearly a year - a goodwill gesture.

However, chances for a peace dialogue with Colombia's government remain far off. Sunday's alleged military interference only complicated matters.

A guerrilla commander who identified himself as Jairo Martinez, speaking on television, accused the military of killing a rebel in his unit in combat on Sunday.

The government peace commissioner, Restrepo, did not directly deny the allegation, but said, "We are accustomed to the lies of the FARC."