Wisconsin Mother Pleased Daughter's Killer Extradicted To U.S.

themilwaukeechannel.com POSTED: 8:48 a.m. EDT May 9, 2003 UPDATED: 10:12 a.m. EDT May 9, 2003

SHAWANO, Wis. -- A Wisconsin mother is heartened to learn that a man accused of killing her daughter has become the first leftist Colombian rebel extradited to the United States.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe ordered Nelson Vargas Rueda Wednesday to face murder charges in the 1999 slaying of three American activists in Colombia, including Ingrid Washinawatok, 41. She's a Keshena native and member of the Menominee Tribe.

Ingrid's mother, Gwen Washinawatok, says it's good news for the family because she didn't think anything more was going to happen, other than to get her home.

Vargas is one of six members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, indicted in April 2002 in federal court in Washington.

The three killed were in northeastern Colombia to help set up a school system for the 5,000-member Uwa Indian tribe when FARC rebels kidnapped them in February 1999.

Days later, the kidnappers shot the victims. Their bullet-riddled bodies were found across the border in Venezuela.