U.S. man and German woman among 29 kidnapped by armed group in Colombia

From Correspondent Hector Guzman

BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- An armed group kidnapped at least 29 people in Colombia on Wednesday, including a U.S. man and a German woman, officials said Thursday.

The group of university students, professors and researchers were in the central region of the country, they said.

The U.S. man has been identified as scientist John D. Lynch.

Vice Rector Gustavo Montagnes of Universidad Nacional said peasants apparently witnessed the kidnapping, which occurred in a rural area of Antioquia, as the group gathered samples as part of their university field work.

Montagnes said it was unclear if the kidnappers were a paramilitary or guerrilla faction.

He said the kidnappers left no trace as to where they were taking their hostages.

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Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Spanish)
U.S. Embassy in Colombia (Spanish)
FBI's Kidnappings and Missing Persons Investigations
Colombia Travel Warning Issued by U.S. State Department
Suriving a Kidnapping

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