Colombian rebels kidnap soccer official

Suspected leftist guerrillas have kidnapped a Colombian soccer official less two weeks before the war-torn Andean nation is scheduled to hold the Copa America soccer tournament, police said on Tuesday.

Hernan Mejia Campuzano, vice-president of the Colombian Soccer Federation, was taken away on Monday by armed men as he drove between the central coffee-growing Province of Risaralda and Choco Province, on the Pacific Coast, police said.

State security forces attributed the kidnapping to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Colombia's largest Marxist rebel group. It was not immediately possible to independently confirm that version.

Colombia is set to host Copa America, South America's biggest soccer tournament and the oldest soccer tournament in the world, from July 11-29.

Colombia's suitability as a safe venue was plunged into doubt last month after a rash of bombings in the cities of Bogota, Cali and Medellin -- all of which will host matches -- killed 12 people and injured around 200.

Colombia is gripped by a 37-year-old war pitting leftist guerrillas, outlawed right-wing militias and the armed forces which has killed 40,000 civilians in the last decade. Colombia is also the kidnap capital of the world, with nearly 3,700 kidnappings reported last year.

Both rebels and right-wing paramilitaries have pledged not to sabotage Copa America, which will draw some of the world's top soccer players and thousands of fans.