U.S. military aided in hostages rescue

BOGOTA, July 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. government played a key role in the events leading up to this month's rescue of 15 hostages in the Colombian jungle, an official said.

About 900 American military personnel went to Colombia this year to help locate the hostages, thre of whom were Americans, an un-named official told The New York Times.

At one point in the first three months of 2008, the number of American military personnel members in Colombia passed the limit of 800 established by law, the newspaper said.

A loophole in U.S. law allowed authorities to go above that level since the service members, including more than 40 members of the Special Operations forces, were involved in search and rescue operations of American citizens.

Hostages Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansel were captured by Marxist rebels in February 2003.

The three U.S. contractors were being held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.