Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown is delighted by the release of his
friend and Colombian political captive Ingrid Betancourt, who has been
held captive by FARC guerrillas in the Colombian jungle for the past
six years.

Brown, a friend of Ms Betancourt’s, says
that she has at times been chained by the leg to trees and otherwise
cruelly treated in her six years of imprisonment.

"It is wonderful news," Senator Brown said.

"In Canberra at the inaugural Global Greens conference in 2001 Ingrid’s
speech against political corruption brought a standing ovation,"
Senator Brown said.

In 2002 Senator Brown went to Bogota to campaign for Ingrid’s release.
In April he visited Caracas for talks with the Chavez government which
has been negotiating with her captors.
"She is a brilliant spirit and a global inspiration for everyone fighting corruption and cruelty," Senator Brown said.

Watch video of Ingrid getting off the plane in Bogota.  (in French)

Watch video of Ingrid's first press conference.  (in French)

Read  and watch the BBC's report.

Read the UK's Telegraph newspaper article with an overview of the first few days of freedom in Ingrid Betancourt's life.

Ingrid Betancourt talks to CNN's Larry King 10/7/08
I really couldn't even imagine that I was taking the road for seven
years," she told CNN's "Larry King Live." "For me, I thought perhaps it
could last for three months at the most. I couldn't imagine what was
going to come." read and watch more

Medical checks clear Ingrid Betancourt 6/7/08.
After spending 7 hours at France's Val-de-Grace military
hospital, Ingrid was cleared of having any physical side effects from
the years of captivity.

Read more from the BBC's report

Watch Ingrid's interview on France 3 TV (in French)

Ingrid Betancourt returns to France 5/7/08
After 2 days of freedom, Ingrid Betancourt returns to France
to be greeted by the French President. Ingrid says she only dreamed of
the momment during her long captivity. 

Watch the BBC report.

Columbian Government releases rescue footage 5/7/08
Video footage, without sound, of the dramatic rescue of Ingrid
Betancourt from the FARC hideout in the Columbian jungle. Video
released from the Columbian government.

Watch on BBC's website

Ingrid Betancourt reunited with her children after 6 years 4/7/08.
Ingrid Betancourt sees her children for the first time after
more than six years of captivity in the Colombian jungle. Ms Betancourt
embraces her son, Lorenzo and her daughter, Melanie,  at the airport in
Bogota. 

Watch the ABC online report