Haiti pleads with US to send in troops amid terrorist fears
Jul 9, 2021 17:48:19 GMT -5
Post by shalom on Jul 9, 2021 17:48:19 GMT -5
Haiti pleads with US to send in troops amid fears 'urban terrorists' are planning to attack airport, gas reserves and port as terrified public stockpile goods
Haiti's Minister of Elections Mathias Pierre warned that the masterminds of Wednesday's assassination could continue their attack by targeting the nation's critical infrastructure in the coming days
'Attacking the gas reserves and airport might be part of the plan,' he said as he called on the US for help
The White House said senior FBI and DHS officials will be sent to the capital Port-au-Prince as soon as possible
Press secretary Jen Psaki said the US would assess the situation on the ground, send in COVID-19 vaccines and provide $5 million to strengthen Haiti's law enforcement capacity
Haitian-born American citizens James Solages, 35, and Joseph Vincent, 55, are said to have confessed to being involved in Wednesday's early morning raid but claim to be 'translators'
Haitian Prosecutor Me Bed-Ford Claude said he had requested the interrogation of Jean Laguel Civil, Moïse's security coordinator and Dimitri Hérard, head of the General Security Unit of the National Palace
Bed-Ford Claude suggested it might be an inside job because he had seen no casualties among the president's security detail
It has now been claimed that the alleged mercenaries stayed in the home of Magalie Habitant - an ally of the murdered president and prominent member of the PHTK political party
Haiti police said there were 28 presumed assassins - 17 are detained, three killed and 8 on the run
By RACHEL SHARP FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 16:46 EDT, 9 July 2021 | UPDATED: 18:07 EDT, 9 July 2021
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Haiti officials have pleaded with the US to send in military troops amid fears so-called 'urban terrorists' are planning to attack the nation's airport, gas reserves and port as the country teeters on the brink of chaos.
Haiti's Minister of Elections Mathias Pierre warned that the masterminds of Wednesday's assassination of President Jovenel Moïse could continue their attack by targeting the nation's critical infrastructure in the coming days.
'The group that financed the mercenaries want to create chaos in the country. Attacking the gas reserves and airport might be part of the plan,' he told the New York Times.
The White House confirmed Friday it was responding to the call for help, drafting in senior officials from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to the capital Port-au-Prince as soon as possible.
Press secretary Jen Psaki said the US would assess the situation on the ground to see how to best assist and will send in COVID-19 vaccines to the nation as soon as next week.
The US is also providing $5 million to strengthen Haiti's law enforcement capacity to work with communities to resist gangs, Psaki said - something that was a key US priority even before Wednesday's deadly raid.
'The United States remains engaged and in close consultation with our Haitian and international partners to support the Haitian people in the aftermath of the assassination of the president,' she said.
A crowd of residents in Port-au-Prince gathered outside the US Embassy Friday amid rumors the US will be handing out exile and humanitarian visas to escape the country which has fallen into further turmoil following Wednesday's assassination.
Terrified Haitian residents stockpiled food, gunfire has erupted in the streets and the nation's future leadership is hanging in the balance as two men both claim to be the rightful successor of the murdered president.
In total, Haiti National Police said there were 28 presumed assassins responsible for Wednesday's raid, with 17 arrested, three dead and eight still at large. Among the 28 are 26 Colombians and two Haitian-born American citizens.
No motive has yet been given and officials continue to hunt for the masterminds, while questions are swirling over the possibility of an inside job and the two US citizens arrested allegedly claimed to have only been hired as translators.
Continued at link
Haiti's Minister of Elections Mathias Pierre warned that the masterminds of Wednesday's assassination could continue their attack by targeting the nation's critical infrastructure in the coming days
'Attacking the gas reserves and airport might be part of the plan,' he said as he called on the US for help
The White House said senior FBI and DHS officials will be sent to the capital Port-au-Prince as soon as possible
Press secretary Jen Psaki said the US would assess the situation on the ground, send in COVID-19 vaccines and provide $5 million to strengthen Haiti's law enforcement capacity
Haitian-born American citizens James Solages, 35, and Joseph Vincent, 55, are said to have confessed to being involved in Wednesday's early morning raid but claim to be 'translators'
Haitian Prosecutor Me Bed-Ford Claude said he had requested the interrogation of Jean Laguel Civil, Moïse's security coordinator and Dimitri Hérard, head of the General Security Unit of the National Palace
Bed-Ford Claude suggested it might be an inside job because he had seen no casualties among the president's security detail
It has now been claimed that the alleged mercenaries stayed in the home of Magalie Habitant - an ally of the murdered president and prominent member of the PHTK political party
Haiti police said there were 28 presumed assassins - 17 are detained, three killed and 8 on the run
By RACHEL SHARP FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 16:46 EDT, 9 July 2021 | UPDATED: 18:07 EDT, 9 July 2021
97
shares
387
View comments
Haiti officials have pleaded with the US to send in military troops amid fears so-called 'urban terrorists' are planning to attack the nation's airport, gas reserves and port as the country teeters on the brink of chaos.
Haiti's Minister of Elections Mathias Pierre warned that the masterminds of Wednesday's assassination of President Jovenel Moïse could continue their attack by targeting the nation's critical infrastructure in the coming days.
'The group that financed the mercenaries want to create chaos in the country. Attacking the gas reserves and airport might be part of the plan,' he told the New York Times.
The White House confirmed Friday it was responding to the call for help, drafting in senior officials from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to the capital Port-au-Prince as soon as possible.
Press secretary Jen Psaki said the US would assess the situation on the ground to see how to best assist and will send in COVID-19 vaccines to the nation as soon as next week.
The US is also providing $5 million to strengthen Haiti's law enforcement capacity to work with communities to resist gangs, Psaki said - something that was a key US priority even before Wednesday's deadly raid.
'The United States remains engaged and in close consultation with our Haitian and international partners to support the Haitian people in the aftermath of the assassination of the president,' she said.
A crowd of residents in Port-au-Prince gathered outside the US Embassy Friday amid rumors the US will be handing out exile and humanitarian visas to escape the country which has fallen into further turmoil following Wednesday's assassination.
Terrified Haitian residents stockpiled food, gunfire has erupted in the streets and the nation's future leadership is hanging in the balance as two men both claim to be the rightful successor of the murdered president.
In total, Haiti National Police said there were 28 presumed assassins responsible for Wednesday's raid, with 17 arrested, three dead and eight still at large. Among the 28 are 26 Colombians and two Haitian-born American citizens.
No motive has yet been given and officials continue to hunt for the masterminds, while questions are swirling over the possibility of an inside job and the two US citizens arrested allegedly claimed to have only been hired as translators.
Continued at link