Back when we were talking Betancourt, that is, Che, Chavez and the surly Bob Brown, I also noted the use of an NGO as a cover for the operation.

Recall Bob Brown in parliament on 14 May (PDF) after his publically funded visit to Chavez:

There are hundreds of other FARC captives, including three American businessmen.  I call on the Rudd government to join President
Sarkozy of France, the Swiss, Spanish and other European governments and the Red Cross to raise the international efforts to end the hostages’ suffering. Firstly, support should be given to the Chavez government’s
efforts to negotiate with FARC, which led to the release of six prominent prisoners, including former Senator Perez, in March of this year. Secondly, pressure should be brought to bear on President Uribe of Colombia to cease bombing the areas where Ingrid is held and to negotiate her release. It was the Colombian army’s invasion of Ecuador earlier this year and the killing of the FARC negotiator and deputy commander Raoul Reyes which led to the FARC closing off talks. Without Uribe’s action, Ingrid Betancourt would now be free.

Now Chavez's connection to FARC is well known - to everyone but Bob Brown.

According to EUReferendum, even Sarkhozy wasn't told of the rescue (only the Colombians and Americans knew, and we know even John McCain was briefed).

EUReferendum had picked up on the NGO connection too...in a piece about NGO complicity, ironically mentioning the Italian Red Cross transporting terrorists in Iraq, and also quoting Mary Anastasia O'Grady from the WSJ:

Since the late 1990s, the NGO practice of dragging the military into court on allegations of human rights violations has destroyed the careers of some of the country's finest officers, even though most of these men were found innocent after years of proceedings. "Judicial warfare" turned out to be especially effective because under legislation pushed by Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, "credible" charges against officers put at risk U.S. military aid unless the accused was removed. The NGOs knew that they only had to point fingers to get rid of an effective leader and demoralize the ranks. Given this history, it's not surprising that the FARC thought a helicopter from an NGO was perfectly natural.

That's triple fail with a quadruple twist for Bob Brown and other useful idiots, and three cheers for EUReferendum for getting the trifecta.