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Ecuador seeks condemnation of killing

Ecuador on Monday sought the aid of the Organization of American States (OAS) in condemning the killing of an Ecuadoran citizen in a cross-border military raid on a Colombian guerrilla camp that has strained relations between the Andean neighbors.

Ecuadoran Attorney General Alfredo Alvear announced earlier in the day that fingerprint tests confirmed that a body, brought from the jungle camp to Bogota along with slain rebel leader Raul Reyes, belonged to locksmith Franklin Aisalla.

"The issue has become more difficult," Ecuadoran Defense Minister Wellington Sandoval said following Aisalla's identification.

Later on Monday, Ecuador's Foreign Ministry released a statement saying Aisalla's killing and the transportation of his body to Bogota constituted a human rights abuse in violation of international law and that the government would support his family in seeking reparations.

"Ecuador will appeal this action to the secretary general of the OAS with the goal of finding a definitive solution to the case," the statement said.

Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said he hoped Aisalla's death would not harm relations -- despite a weekend threat by Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa to launch a new "diplomatic struggle" against Colombia if Aisalla's identity was confirmed.

Santos told Bogota's Caracol radio that he did not understand "why a country like Ecuador would cause problems over the death of someone with links to the FARC," as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia is known.

"Anyone who is in a terrorist camp is taking a very high risk, because it's a legitimate military target," he said in the interview.

On Sunday, Santos said that an individual identified as Franklin Ponelia Molina was found to have been helping members of the FARC.

Franklin Aisalia's father, Guillermo, told reporters in Quito that "it's a lie," saying that his son was never a FARC member.
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