The guerillas definitely, without equivocation, will take any traveler hostage. Lucky hostages whose families have money may be released after a year of Red Cross mediation. In other cases, the guerillas simply take what they want and shoot the traveler. Mass killing in the region is commonplace, but outdated books and information sources are still available that describe the exotic travel adventures in the region. Yes, intelligence is an ongoing, fluid process.
Recent travelers are a good source of information.
Message boards sometimes warn of potential danger in a particular region. It is in their best interest to keep incidents involving tourists from the public knowledge as much as possible. Individuals from more developed nations have become accustomed to an unparalleled standard of living, and our notion of individual rights tends to be more progressive or egalitarian than in lesser-developed countries. Western travelers tend to think that if they treat people with dignity and respect or care about people, that everyone they encounter thinks and will act the same way. The reality is that many people in all parts of the world have very little concern for your rights.