A video has been released by the Colombian government of the dramatic rescue of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages.

The 46-year-old was rescued on Wednesday by the Colombian military after spending more than six years in the jungle as a captive of Marxist FARC guerrillas.

The first airing of the video - taken by a Colombian military agent posing as a journalist - revealed the shock of the freed hostages, whose raucous celebration rocked the helicopter so hard that Betancourt feared it would crash.

The bloodless operation brought the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, to the brink of defeat in its 44-year-old, cocaine-financed war for control of the country.

The rebels still hold hundreds of captives for ransom and political leverage. But the FARC, which has lost senior leaders in the field this year through illness, military attack and internal betrayal, had suddenly given up its top bargaining chip and exposed its fragmenting organisation.

The rescue also boosted an already popular President Alvaro Uribe, who has supporters asking him to change the constitution and run for re-election in 2010 to maintain policies that have made much of Colombia safer and attracted foreign investment.

The French-Colombian politician flew home to a hero's welcome in Paris on Friday.

Thousands of supporters waited for hours to see Betancourt at Paris city hall, where a giant image of her had been displayed on the facade since 2004.

A tearful Betancourt told the crowd: "The extraordinary, perfect, flawless operation of the Colombian army that has allowed me to be here today is also a result of your struggle."

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