A Colombian former police officer has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of an Israeli businessman. The kidnapping took place on Friday near Colombia's capital, Bogota. However, the victim quickly succeeded in outsmarting his abductors and alerting authorities, who came to rescue him. The Israeli businessman was kidnapped on Friday after having lunch outside Bogota. The former police officer, who had been hired by the businessman as a bodyguard, drove the Israeli to a field where two accomplices were waiting to take him captive. The kidnappers demanded $7.5 million in exchange for the businessman's freedom. He told them he was willing to comply with their demand and asked to use a phone to arrange the payment. The captive called the Israeli Embassy in Bogota and, speaking in Hebrew, informed officials there of his abduction and location. Fortunately, his captors did not understand that he was calling for help. The embassy alerted local authorities and police arrived at the scene to free the businessman. The former police officer could face 28 years in prison if convicted of kidnapping, authorities in Colombia said. The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the report. It is unknown whether the Israeli planned to return to Israel after the incident or stayed on in Colombia. Kidnapping of tourists and local citizens is common in Colombia, but the phenomenon grew after guerrilla organizations took over large parts of the country. Columbia's security forces have been working hard to eradicate the phenomenon, which has caused fear among tourists and damaged the country's image. The Colombian government has managed in recent years to effectively fight some of the organizations, thanks in part to aid given by the U.S.
