Former Captive Brings Hope that Others Might Be Alive
LEMON: Three Americans missing for four years now in the jungles of Colombia, captives of a rebel group. Now word they've been seen and it comes from a former captive. Here's CNN's Randi Kaye.</s>RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He emerged from out of nowhere, a gaunt, shadowy figure from the Amazon jungle who holds clues to three missing Americans. He brought hope -- all soured by a tale of terror.</s>JHON FRANK PINCHAO, ESCAPED HOSTAGE: They would chain us to each other's necks to sleep. There were months when we had to wear them for 24 hours, most recently, we only wore them for 12 hours.</s>KAYE: After nearly nine years in captivity, Jhon Frank Pinchao says he slipped off his chains when the guards weren't looking, then walked 17 days through the jungle before police picked him up. He was held captive by a group called the "Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia," known as FARC. FARC has been at war for decades with the Colombian government. It's blamed for the kidnappings of hundreds, including police, politicians, and U.S. civilians. Just weeks before escaping, Pinchao says he caught of glimpse of these men, the longest held U.S. government hostages ever. Seen here in this proof of life documentary by a Colombian journalist captured in February 2003. They had been working for Defense Department contractor Northrop Grumman surveying fields of cocoa, a key ingredient for cocaine, when their plane crashed.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love you guys and I'm just waiting to come home.</s>KAYE: This video was taken only months after Mark Gonsalves, Thomas House and Keith Stansel were kidnapped. Until now, it's been the only solid evidence they were taken alive.</s>JO ROSANO, MOTHER OF HOSTAGE: I have other evidence from God. He tells me every day in my heart that he's alive and he will be home.</s>KAYE: And if Mark Gonsalves mother Jo Rosano needs more proof, it may be this e-mail, sent from another hostage's brother just before Mother's Day. She believes this part is from her son.</s>ROSANO: You have the complete adored mom security. In any moment, we are going to reunite. For that reason, you must take care of oneself. I read it over and over and over.</s>KAYE: Rosano says she has visited Colombia three times to urge the government to find her son.</s>ROSANO: I look around, I see all these mountains and I say, my son is somewhere up there. And I'm getting no help at all from this government. No help at all.</s>KAYE (on camera): Have you contacted President Bush. Have you attempted to reach him about this?</s>ROSANO: Oh, my gosh. I e-mailed him about 50, 60 times and all I got was an automated e mail.</s>KAYE: FARC considers the men political prisoners and says they will only be released in an exchange for FARC prisoners held by U.S. and Colombian governments. But the U.S. does not negotiate with terrorists and FARC, in the eyes of the federal government, is a terrorist group. A rescue attempt, it seems, could be too dangerous.</s>PINCHAO: They told us that their responsibility was to keep us alive, but that the minute a rescue attempt was made and we cannot extract them all alive, we will have to kill you.</s>KAYE: Northrop Grumman released this statement Thursday, 'Northrop Grumman continues to work on efforts to secure the safe, timely release of all three employees. We are deeply concerned about news reports of a possible health issue involving one of our employees." Pinchao says Gonsalves has hepatitis, his mother worries he won't survive. She also fears he'll be punished for Pinchao's escape.</s>PINCHAO: I asked God to protect them. I hope they're not paying the price because of me but I imagine they are.</s>KAYE: The U.S. State Department is again promising action.</s>SEAN MCCORMACK, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: We want to see these three returned to their families safely and as soon as possible and we are going to do whatever we believe is appropriate to make sure that that happens.</s>KAYE: Until then, Jo Rosano will continue to pray hoping somebody hears her. Hoping her son too might some day simply appear out of the jungle. Randi Kaye, CNN, Bristol, Connecticut.</s>PHILLIPS: Her autistic students need extra attention and now she's getting extra help to make sure they get it. Ahead in the NEWSROOM, technology helps capture critical moments.