BBC News
Betancourt seeks Colombia kidnapping damages
July 9--The former Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, who spent six years as a hostage of leftist rebels, is asking Colombia's government for compensation.
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Ms Betancourt and her family are seeking $6.8m (£4.5m) in damages for emotional distress and loss of earnings during her time as a Farc hostage.
Colombian officials have expressed surprise, noting that troops risked their lives to rescue her in 2008.
They say she ignored advice not to go to the area where she was kidnapped.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) seized her in the south of the country while she campaigned for the presidency.
In July 2008, the group was tricked into handing Ms Betancourt and 14 other hostages over to soldiers masquerading as members of a humanitarian group that had volunteered to fly them by helicopter to a new location. No shots were fired during the rescue.
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