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PARIS : Former Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt said she had been given a clean bill of health on Saturday after a series of medical tests at a Paris military hospital.
"The doctors showered me with good news. I have had a number of concerns all these years. Now, I'm totally happy," she told France 3.
The 46-year-old former hostage, who was freed on Wednesday, spent almost seven hours at the Val-de-Grace military hospital.
She said she was "very, very surprised" not to have any physical side-effects after more than six years of captivity in the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
"The spirit helps you to carry on," said Betancourt, who has often spoken of her Catholic faith and of a "spiritual protection."
Earlier, her sister Astrid had told AFP that the results of the tests were "satisfactory", stressing that the doctors had recommended rest for Betancourt , who has faced numerous interviews, press conferences and official receptions.
"Now, I'm going to be very sensible," said Betancourt, who is staying for several more days in France. "Besides, I want to take time to really enjoy this happiness with my children. This time of rest, it's a time I dreamed of," she said.
On the subject of possible psychological effects, the former hostage spoke of a moment of "dread" in her Paris hotel on Friday night when her son had inadvertently turned off the bathroom lights.
"I found myself in the bathroom, without any light, in the pitch black, and I lost track of where I was. I had this dread and told myself 'my God, they're back. The FARC have returned.' I was in a nightmare," she said.
Betancourt said in a radio interview earlier she had been chained up night and day for three years by her captors.
Asked whether she was tortured, she replied: "Yes, yes." She said she saw her captors lapsing into "diabolical behaviour."
"It was so monstrous that I think they themselves were disgusted," she said.
She has also paid tribute to one of her fellow-captives, Colombian army corporal William Perez, saying he had saved her life thanks to some medical knowledge.
"When he saw I was no longer getting out of my hammock, and I refused even to take a bath because I had no strength, he came to see me, he did a diagnosis, and took it upon himself to restore me to life," she said.
Perez, who was freed along with Betancourt, said she was very ill, and could no longer eat.
Doctors have warned against the psychological effects of captivity, following the initial euphoria, including depression and lack of self-confidence which could be lasting.
Meanwhile a video showing hostages sobbing with relief aboard a helicopter upon discovering they had been freed was shown Friday at a press conference by Colombia's military.
The video was released to counter questions about the military's dramatic and bloodless coup, Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said, denying reports that it was arranged in advance with the help of 20 million dollars (12.7 million euros) paid to bribe the hostages' guards.
Bogota insists the 15 captives were rescued Wednesday after Colombian soldiers disguised as rebels arrived at a jungle hideout of the FARC and tricked the guerrillas into handing them over, ostensibly to be transferred to another FARC site.
Santos also vehemently denied that foreign nationals had taken part in either the planning or execution of the operation.
But Rodolfo Rios, an attorney for one of the FARC members taken prisoner during the rescue, said his client had told him that "foreign nationals were aboard the rescue helicopter."
Rios said their nationality was unknown.
Army chief General Mario Montoya warned the FARC against harming any of the dozens and perhaps hundreds of hostages it still holds.
Defence Minister Santos also said the rescue operation was moved forward by 10 days because Colombian authorities feared word of it would leak out.
In her interview on France 3, Betancourt said she did not believe the local commander had been paid any money to hand over the hostages.
"When I saw him on the ground with his hands and feet tied and his eyes blindfolded, the expression on his face, on his mouth, it was not of someone who had been bought. He was mortified," she said.
- AFP /ls
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