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Ecuador cuts diplomatic relations with Colombia

"[The documents contained] information from one commander to another indicating that FARC was apparently negotiating for radioactive material, the primary basis for generating dirty weapons of mass destruction."

Francisco Santos, Colombian vice president

Ecuador has severed diplomatic ties with Colombia, and Venezuela expelled all Colombian diplomats, in an escalating regional crisis sparked by a cross-border raid against Marxist rebels.

The diplomatic moves came as Colombia accused both its neighbors on Monday of colluding with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) -- which has been waging a four-decade guerrilla war against the government in Bogota.

Ecuador angrily rejected the allegations and severed diplomatic relations, citing "a succession of events and unfriendly accusations."

Venezuela ordered the immediate expulsion of Colombia's ambassador and embassy staff, "in defense of homeland sovereignty and the dignity of the Venezuelan people."

Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa late on Monday said the Colombian raid had blocked "advanced stage" negotiations with FARC for the release of 11 hostages, including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt.

The handover was set to take place in Ecuador sometime this month, Correa claimed. FARC has released six hostages to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in two separate operations so far this year.

But Colombia immediately rejected the claim, saying the documents it seized from FARC computers revealed a deal taking shape that allowed for joint decisions with rebel commanders and FARC recruiting in Ecuador.

"What the documents show looks more like trafficking in hostages for political ends," a Colombian government statement said.

Bogota was not informed that negotiations were under way, it charged.

"On the contrary, President Rafael Correa always assured President Alvaro Uribe that he would take no steps with FARC without the knowledge and authorization of the Colombian government," the statement said.

Ecuador and Venezuela strongly deny having ties to FARC.

Meanwhile, Colombia said yesterday that FARC rebels had been planning to make a "dirty bomb" with radioactive material.

The charges by Vice President Francisco Santos, at a Conference on Disarmament sponsored by the UN, marked a dramatic turn in a regional crisis that has seen Venezuela and Ecuador cut diplomatic ties with Colombia.

"Just yesterday [on Monday] our national police submitted an initial report regarding the content of two computers found with Raul Reyes, second in command of FARC, who was killed last Saturday," Santos said.

They contained "information from one commander to another indicating that FARC was apparently negotiating for radioactive material, the primary basis for generating dirty weapons of mass destruction and terrorism," he said.
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