| COLOMBIA |
| GENESIS-SCI TRAVEL WARNINGS & ALAERTS |
February 24, 2003
This Travel Warning is being issued to alert American citizens to ongoing security concerns in Colombia.
This supersedes the Travel Warning issued on July 3, 2002.
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Colombia. Terrorist and criminal violence by
narcotraffickers, guerrillas, illegal self-defense (paramilitary) groups and other criminal elements continues
to affect all parts of the country, urban and rural. Citizens of the United States and other countries continue
to be the victims of threats, kidnappings, domestic airline hijackings and murders. Threats targeting official
and long-term resident Americans are expected to continue and possibly increase in response to U.S.
support for Colombian drug eradication programs. Colombian groups have been known to operate in the
border areas of neighboring countries, creating similar dangers for travelers in those areas. Bombings have
occurred throughout Colombia, including attacks on civilian targets in urban areas, and some foreign
interests have been among the targets.
About 3,000 kidnapping incidents were reported throughout Colombia in 2002. There is a greater risk of
being kidnapped in Colombia than in any other country in the world. In the past three years, 26 Americans
were reported kidnapped in various parts of the country. American kidnap or murder victims have
included journalists, missionaries, scientists, human rights workers, U.S. government employees and
businesspeople, as well as persons on tourism or family visits, and even small children. No one can be
considered immune on the basis of occupation, nationality or any other factor. Most kidnappings of U.S.
citizens in Colombia have been committed by guerrilla groups, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), which were both initially designated as
Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the Secretary of State in 1997 and re-designated as such in October
2001. Since it is U.S. policy not to make concessions to, nor to strike deals with, terrorists, the U.S.
Government's ability to assist kidnapped U.S. citizens is limited.
This Travel Warning is being issued to alert American citizens to ongoing security concerns in Colombia.
This supersedes the Travel Warning issued on July 3, 2002.
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Colombia. Terrorist and criminal violence by
narcotraffickers, guerrillas, illegal self-defense (paramilitary) groups and other criminal elements continues
to affect all parts of the country, urban and rural. Citizens of the United States and other countries continue
to be the victims of threats, kidnappings, domestic airline hijackings and murders. Threats targeting official
and long-term resident Americans are expected to continue and possibly increase in response to U.S.
support for Colombian drug eradication programs. Colombian groups have been known to operate in the
border areas of neighboring countries, creating similar dangers for travelers in those areas. Bombings have
occurred throughout Colombia, including attacks on civilian targets in urban areas, and some foreign
interests have been among the targets.
About 3,000 kidnapping incidents were reported throughout Colombia in 2002. There is a greater risk of
being kidnapped in Colombia than in any other country in the world. In the past three years, 26 Americans
were reported kidnapped in various parts of the country. American kidnap or murder victims have
included journalists, missionaries, scientists, human rights workers, U.S. government employees and
businesspeople, as well as persons on tourism or family visits, and even small children. No one can be
considered immune on the basis of occupation, nationality or any other factor. Most kidnappings of U.S.
citizens in Colombia have been committed by guerrilla groups, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), which were both initially designated as
Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the Secretary of State in 1997 and re-designated as such in October
2001. Since it is U.S. policy not to make concessions to, nor to strike deals with, terrorists, the U.S.
Government's ability to assist kidnapped U.S. citizens is limited.
