Two US soldiers detained in Colombia released to US authorities: Pentagon

WASHINGTON - Two US soldiers who were detained in Colombia on suspicion of arms smuggling were released Thursday to US authorities, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday.
"We're working to ascertain all the facts," said Bryan Whitman, the spokesman.
Whitman said the they were released to US authorities Thursday morning, two days after being detained by Colombian authorities.
Colombian authorities said Wednesday the two were detained at an apartment complex near Bogota where a search turned up 31,000 rounds of ammunition. Colombian officials raised suspicions the munitions were destined for sale to right-wing paramilitary groups.
Police were led to the apartment by a "very suspicious" person who had attempted to bribe them, they said.
The Pentagon would not identify the two. A Colombian television station identified them as Lieutenant Colonel Alan Norman and Sergeant Jose Hernandez, who it said were assigned to a training unit in Colombia.

05/05/2005 15:53 GMT