Aug 22, 2005 / 22:00 pm
A Marxist rebel group in Colombia, the Army of National Liberation (ELN), issued a statement this week claiming responsibility for the murder of two priests, Father Vicente Rozo and Father Jesus Emilio Mora, who were both killed last week in the Diocese of Ocaña.
The priests’ drivers, Jose Carrascal and Edgar Vergel, were also killed during the attacks.
Authorities at first blamed the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC) for the killings. In its statement the ELN asks for forgiveness from the family members and claims the deaths of the priests were “accidental.”
The group says the attacks were due to “intelligence and tactical errors.” It also said the Church is not one of its targets and that it continues to consider the Church a bridge to facilitate a political solution to the country’s civil conflict.