Freed U.S. Hostages Give Thanks For Rescue

Three Hostages Made First Public Statement; Thrilled To "Return Home To The Country We Love"

(AP)  The three American hostages rescued by Colombia's military said in their first public statement that they are doing fine and are thrilled to "return home to the country we love."

In a statement released late Friday by the U.S. Army, the men thanked their families, the Colombian military and the U.S. government, "who never forgot us."

"For five and a half long years, we all hoped and prayed this day would come," the men said. "Now that it has, we're just overwhelmed with emotion. The love and the joy we're all experiencing is beyond description."

The three freed American hostages - Keith Stansell, Marc Gonsalves and Thomas Howes - have been receiving medical care at Brooke Army Medical Center at San Antonio's Fort Sam Houston. The three were working for a Northrop Grumman Corp. subsidiary when their drug-surveillance plane went down in Colombia's southern jungle in February 2003.

They were among 15 hostages, including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 11 Colombians, rescued by Colombia's military in a daring mission Wednesday.

In their statement, which was released on the Fourth of July, the men said, "We can't think of a better time to thank our fellow citizens for never giving up on us, for never forgetting us, for always believing that we would, one day, return home to the country we love."

In an interview broadcast Saturday, Stansell's Colombian fiancee told that nation's RCN Radio that she has traveled to meet him in Texas along with their 5-year-old twin boys, who will see their father for the first time.

Patricia Medina said she and Stansell plan to get married. She spoke before leaving Colombia on Friday for San Antonio.

Medina was pregnant when Stansell's plane went down. Stansell later learned in captivity that she had given birth to twins, Nicolas and Keith.

"We're going to organize the wedding," Medina said. "We talked to Keith last night. He talked with the boys."

She said that Stansell told her "he's super happy, and that he's waiting for us there."

Former Colombian Sen. Luis Eladio Perez, who was freed in February, says he relayed Stansell's marriage proposal to Medina back then, and she accepted.

Medina met Stansell in April 2002 while working as a flight attendant on an Avianca flight.

Stansell, who has other children from a previous marriage, has also been reunited with 16-year-old Kyle and 19-year-old Lauren, his ex-wife Kelly Coady said by phone from Sarasota, Fla.

[sassalin]

hermitdave,

Do some research. Most of those humans are not "innocent".

[nor-one]

These three look far too healthy to have been prisoners for years! They didn''t even need hair cuts! The military took them over as soon as they set foot off the rescure helicopter. Is there an idiot out there that doesn''t believe these 3 got special treatment because they "worked" for the US government?
They look more like they were in club med.

[feelfree4u]

re: "It is o.k. to criticize, but please have a legitimate solution attached as well."

Posted by tcandrews62


O.K.

Ban/outlaw mercenaries.

[hermitdave]

I would love to see one or all three of these guys who are getting so much press about their release mention how similar their fate was to the innocent humans America holds with no charges in Club Gitmo. Perhaps one of them will share their news coverage with those who have none because the government told the media not to mention them.

[TommyCraig]

"It is sad that these mercenaries are once again fouling our shores."
Posted by FeelFree4U at 01:50 AM : Jul 06, 2008
FeelFree,
Mercenaries?
How did you logically assume this?
You are one of the most pessimistic people that I have ever read. You find something wrong with any and everything US. It is o.k. to criticize, but please have a legitimate solution attached as well.
You are a shameless twit with very shallow reasoning.

[shippg-2009]

You call drug-surveillance groups mercenaries? I thought mercenaries were paid soldiers who would kill for whatever country paid them.

[whitemale08]

Now you are free to admit and apologize that Hugo Chavez is not behind FARC but Grasso from Wall Street.

Go ahead and show the pictures to the Condileeza Rice at the State Department evidence of Grasso embracing the FARC.

Come on; Do the right thing and clear Chavez''s name, you at least owe him that.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "As for feelfree,I agree,that mercinaries soldiers
are scum,hopefully those 3 guys have leanred a harsh lesson and will find honest work."

Posted by ratchow1962


Agreed.

[ratchow1962]

There are bad Canadaians too.

As for feelfree,I agree,that mercinaries soldiers
are scum,hopefully those 3 guys have leanred a harsh lesson and will find honest work.

[jdubs63]

ratchow1962 DID YOU KNOW there are 2 types of CANADIANS??

[feelfree4u]

Re: "You have no sense of deceny or respect for your fellow man."

Posted by ratchow1962

I have no sense of decency or respect for mercenaries. They are truly the scum of the earth.

If you do, then I have no respect for you either.

[ratchow1962]

feelfree

Being from Canada I always find there are 2 types
of Americans,the majority of whom are caring,nice, friendly,and intellegent,I enjoy meeting them on my visit there,and then the one are known as the ignorant and stupid Americans who dont know anything
and are unwilling to learn about the world that they live in,those one I really detest.You truly belong
in the second category.

You have no sense of deceny or respect for your fellow man.There are flights from the US to Colombia Why dont you go to there soon and get kidnapped and spend the next several years of your life as a hostage and see how that feels,barely surviving in a stinking jungle setting,being tortured and abused by your captors,never knowing from day to day if you will survive.You wouldnt last a single day and would be screaming for the US Military to come rescue you.

[babooph]

Wow ,so many "news" groups interviewing the Colombian captives & their tribulations-I wonder who directed the blackout of the Gitmo people who are now out?Smacks of central control-all these "Alleged competitors " all being so silent.

[xraytwonine]

yesterday''s news

[feelfree4u]

It is sad that these mercenaries are once again fouling our shores.