WRAPUP 5-Colombia rescues Betancourt, 3 US hostages

*Betancourt, 3 Americans, 11 other hostages rescued

*Rescue operation tricked guerrillas

*Betancourt, weeping, thanks Colombian military

*Bush congratulates Uribe

*U.S. ex-hostages en route to United States, Colombia says

By Hugh Bronstein

BOGOTA, July 2 (Reuters) - French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, three Americans and 11 other hostages held for years in jungle captivity were rescued on Wednesday from leftist guerrillas by Colombian troops posing as aid workers.

The rescue was a huge coup for popular President Alvaro Uribe, an anti-guerrilla hard-liner who has used billions of dollars in U.S. aid to push the rebels onto the defensive, cut crime and spur economic growth.

Betancourt, 46, was the highest profile captive held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, Latin America's oldest surviving left-wing insurgency.