Karl Penhaul

CNN: Did Colombia Commit War Crime in FARC Hostage Rescue?

CNN.com screencap from July 16, 2008 | NewsBusters.orgUpdate at bottom of post.

Leave it to CNN to worry that the Colombian government committed a war crime in its recent rescue of FARC hostages, including former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt.

This morning in the Latest News menu on CNN.com, I found this teaser headline (shown in screen capture at right): "Did Colombia skirt law in hostage rescue?"

My curiosity piqued, I followed the link to an article by CNN correspondent Karl Penhaul entitled "Colombia military used Red Cross emblem in rescue."

That clever ploy could constitute a big no-no under the Geneva Conventions, Penhaul insisted, citing an international law expert: