U.S. official vows search for captives to continue

BOGOTA, Colombia -- The United States "will never give up" trying to bring home three American contractors held captive by Colombian rebels for six months, a top U.S. counterterrorism official said Wednesday.

But Ambassador-at-Large J. Cofer Black, the U.S. State Department's counterterrorism coordinator, said Colombian troops -- and not Americans -- will conduct any rescue operation on the ground.

"We have no intention at this point of replacing Colombian personnel in a combat role," Black said.

The 28-year CIA veteran, sworn in as counterterrorism chief in December, met with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and top civilian and military officials to track the effectiveness of U.S. assistance in helping the country battle terrorism.

The U.S. government has given billions of dollars in aid and training to the Colombian military to support its war against leftist rebels and to wipe out cocaine and heroin production. Some of the most hazardous missions are being carried out by contractors.

Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes were captured by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, after their plane crash-landed Feb. 13 in southern Colombia. The trio, who worked for Pentagon contractor California Microwave Systems, reportedly was on an intelligence mission for the Pentagon.

A fourth American, Thomas Janis, and a Colombian army sergeant aboard the single-engine Cessna were executed by the rebels.

"We have not forgotten," Black said. "We are very determined to bring back our three Americans."

Colombian army troops, advised and guided by U.S. Special Forces, have not found any traces of the Americans in the jungles and Andean mountains of southern Colombia.

In March, the United States offered a reward of $300,000, a U.S. visa and a new life in America in exchange for information leading to the captives' rescue.

Three Americans searching for the captives were killed March 25 when their plane crashed in southern Colombia.

Black insisted that the U.S. government will stay focused on getting the missing Americans home.

"As long as they are alive, we will never give up," he said.

Also Wednesday, authorities said rebel gunfire forced a U.S. drug-spraying plane piloted by an American contractor to crash-land in northern Colombia, slightly injuring the pilot.

The plane was flying above the town of Santa Rosa, 220 miles north of Bogota, on Monday when it was hit by small-arms fire, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity. Colombian police are investigating which of two main rebel groups is responsible.

The government is battling the FARC, the smaller National Liberation Army rebel group and illegal paramilitary forces formed to combat the rebels in a four-decade-long civil war that kills an estimated 3,500 people, mostly civilians, a year.

The militia and rebels, all of whom have been branded terrorist organizations by the U.S. government, use drug trafficking to finance their battles.

The rebels indiscriminately attack civilians with bombs and missiles, and both sides have massacred civilians suspected of collaborating with their foes.

"When I look at Colombia, I see a terrorist war as vicious as any," Black said. "I am impressed by the loss of life and the great challenges here."

Earlier Wednesday, Black attended a ceremony launching a program to train Colombian soldiers and police in hostage-rescue tactics. The United States donated $25 million and instructors from the United States, England and Australia will train 400 members of Colombia's security forces during the next year.