The Colombian government has apologised for misusing the symbol of the Red Cross in this month's military rescue of politician Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other guerrilla-held hostages.
"We regret that this occurred," President Alvaro Uribe said in a speech following reports that the Red Cross emblem was displayed on a vest or T-shirt worn by a Colombian intelligence officer who took part in the rescue mission.
Falsely portraying military personnel as Red Cross members is against the Geneva Conventions as it could put humanitarian workers at risk when they are in war zones.
Mr Uribe had drawn widespread praise for the July 2nd rescue of French-Colombian Ms Betancourt, three US defence contractors and 11 other kidnap victims held for years by Marxist rebels.
A soldier used the agency's emblem when he was pretending to be an aid worker. Mr Uribe said the soldier attached the insignia to his jacket because he feared for his life.
"Parties to the conflict must respect the Red Cross emblem at all times and under all circumstances," said Yves Heller, a Bogota-based spokesman for the organisation. "We will continue working in the field in Colombia."
Use of the insignia could be considered a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and international law, CNN cited Mark Ellis, a director of the International Bar Association, as saying.
Reuters, Bloomberg