Hostages Received Coded Radio Messages

Three engineers held captive by Colombian rebels for seven months received coded radio messages from their employer saying help was on the way, one of the men said Tuesday.

But it remained unclear whether that help included paying ransom to the rebels.

Ulrik Schultz of Denmark, Philip Halden of Britain and Colombian Diego Blandon were set free Sunday after being held seven months and 11 days in the jungle by the leftist National Liberation Army.

Torben Seeman Hansen, a spokesman for Copenhagen-based FLS Industries, refused to say at a news conference whether the company paid ransom for its employees.