U.S. Justice Dept. indicts Colombian kidnappers

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Justice Department delivered indictments earlier this month for five Colombian nationals apprehended Friday by the Colombian government in connection with a kidnapping sting operation, U.S. officials have told CNN.

The kidnapping gang is accused of abducting non-native oil workers in Ecuador last year, including five Americans, one of whom they killed.

The men were allegedly part of a kidnapping ring operating in Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

On Friday, Colombian authorities arrested 57 members of the gang in a series of raids near the Colombian and Ecuadorean borders.

The alleged kidnappers indicted by the United States are Gerardo Herrera, Juan Luis Bravo, Henri Jamioy Quistial, Cristobal Alvarado and Jose Del Carmen Alvarez Iles.

The indictments list charges of conspiracy and other crimes related to a series of hostage takings between 1997 and 2001, officials said.

The indictments were returned under seal June 8.

The men listed in the U.S. indictments, excluding Iles, are wanted in connection with the kidnappings of the five American citizens and six hostages of other nationalities last October.

Hostage killed

The Americans, who were working at oil sites in northern Ecuador at the time, were held captive in the jungle of Colombia for about five months.

One of the hostages, Ronald Clay Sander, was killed by his captors.

The rest of the hostages were released in March, after their employer paid ransom to the kidnappers.

Colombian authorities estimate the kidnapping ring is responsible for abducting at least 12 Americans over the last several years.

The gang is also believed to be responsible for kidnapping seven Canadians and one American in Ecuador in 1999, holding them for 100 days.

The Colombian government crafted sting operations which led to the arrests Friday, aided by the the CIA, FBI and the Ecuadorean police.

U.S. officials praised the Colombian government for its "diligent" work and its "excellent" cooperation with United States authorities.

"The government of Colombia deserves great credit," one U.S. official said.

"They conducted a complex, nationwide operation to apprehend those indicted, and it was a complete success."

The official added the indictments are "clear evidence that those who take Americans hostage will be brought to face justice."

Under an extradition treaty with Colombia, the suspects could be brought to the United States for trial.