The Chengue massacre On January 17, 2001, a large party of members of self-defense groups murdered 27 people, set fire to a number of houses and ransacked them at Chengue municipal district, municipality of Ovejas, department of Sucre. The Human Rights Unit of the Prosecutor General's Office is conducting an investigation into these events, which is now at a preliminary stage. On February, a restraining order was handed down for the preventive detention of two individuals, accused of having being accomplices in homicide for terrorist ends, in addition to other crimes and arrest warrant was issued against another person. The government gave immediate attention to this case. A security council was held, presided over by the Vice President of Colombia, Defense minister and the General Commander of the Military Forces and other e civil and military authorities took part in the council. Another meeting was held with the region's military commanders, and there also was a separate meeting with the community. In addition, the Office of the Presidential Program for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law has collaborated with the Human Rights Unit of the Prosecutor General's Office in promoting the investigation. Kidnapping of the passengers of the Avianca plane On April 12, 1999, an Avianca Fokker 50 plane en route from Bucaramanga to Bogotá was hijacked by the ELN, diverted and forced to land at an airstrip in the municipality of Simití, south Bolívar. All of the 41 passengers on board, including a baby, several elderly persons and 5 crew members were taken to camps and kept there until their release. After accepting responsibility, the ELN started to set the passengers free in groups, although a number of those kidnapped remained captive for over a year. One of them died. In November 1999, 13 people were arrested for rebellion in concurrence with kidnapping for purposes of extortion. The arrest of another four people, alleged members of the "Heroes of Santa Rosa" Front, was also ordered. Only one of them has been apprehended, although that individual was discharged when an investigation into charges of kidnapping for purposes of extortion had to be stopped on procedural grounds. However, he is still under investigation for rebellion. A restraining order was subsequently issued against another person, an alleged accomplice in kidnapping for purposes of extortion and rebellion. Another individual was charged, in absentia, with rebellion and kidnapping for purposes of extortion. In October 2000, restraining orders were handed down against alias Antonio García, alias Pablo Beltrán and alias El Gallero for rebellion, kidnapping for purposes of extortion and manslaughter for the death of one of the captives. As a result of the investigation, three individuals were indicted for rebellion and kidnapping for purposes of extortion. On this year, 2001, the Unit of the Prosecution Service for Judicial District Superior Tribunals dropped all charges against the three individuals mentioned above, and ordered their immediate, unconditional release. Twelve out of the thirteen persons initially implicated have been discharged. Through a resolution, an order was issued to request the extradition of José María Ballestas-Tirado from Venezuela. Another resolution supplemented the order issued against alias Antonio García, alias Pablo Beltrán, alias José Gutiérrez and alias El Gallero for rebellion, aggravated kidnapping for purposes of extortion, manslaughter, and seizure and diversion of an airplane.