Rebel leader discusses foreign hostages with priest

A senior Roman Catholic Church leader met with imprisoned leaders of Colombia’s second-largest rebel group as part of stepped up efforts to secure the release of seven foreign hostages.

The Rev Dario Echeverri told The Associated Press he held several hours of talks at the high-security Itagui jail in north west Colombia with Francisco Galan and Felipe Torres of the leftist National Liberation Army, or ELN.