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Bill could allow compensation to terror victims

Captives who were once held for more than five years by FARC, a designated terrorist organization in Colombia, may be a step closer to collecting a 2010 federal judgement that said they were entitled to a share of $300 million seized assets.

The U.S. House of representatives on Wednesday passed the Captive Act HR 3394, a bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Bill Posey which ensured that American victims of terrorism can collect the blocked assets derived from drug proceeds as compensation awarded through court judgments.

On Feb. 13, 2003, FARC or Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, captured four Americans; Tom Janis, Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Tom Howes, of Brevard. Janis, the pilot was executed at the crash site, and the others were held captive for five and a half years. The men had been on a counter narcotics mission.

The Senate companion bill has been introduced by Senators Bill Nelson ad Marco Rubio.

The bill would allow funds seized from terrorist drug operations to be used to satisfy judgments. The money is in accounts of FARC agents that have been blocked under the Kingpin Act.