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Paraguay rebels demand ransom after kidnapping Mennonite man

ASUNCION, Paraguay – The Paraguayan People’s Army guerrilla group is asking for a $700,000 ransom to release a kidnapped Mennonite man.

Franz Wiebe Boschman was kidnapped Wednesday night as he was harvesting corn at a farm about 210 miles (340 kilometres) north of Paraguay’s capital.

His father, Abrahan Wiebe, said Thursday that the small, left-wing rebel group has given gave his family a 15-day deadline to pay the ransom. He says that he can’t afford to pay that sum.

Anti-kidnapping prosecutor Alberto Torres says the group burned a tractor and a truck during the kidnapping.

Officials accuse the rebels of carrying out killings, kidnappings, bank robberies and attacks on police.

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