Haiti questions Americans over child ?kidnapping?

[Unhypnotized]

Mica Rosenberg and Joseph Guyler Delva
Reuters
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Haitian authorities questioned a group of 10 American missionaries on Monday who are accused of illegally trying to take children out of the quake-shattered Caribbean country.

A prosecutor met with the Americans at police headquarters in Port-au-Prince, where they have been held since they were arrested late on Friday trying to cross into the Dominican Republic with a busload of 33 children they said were orphaned by the devastating January 12 earthquake.

The Baptist missionaries deny Haitian charges they were engaged in child trafficking and insist they were only trying to help vulnerable orphans left destitute by the quake.

The case could be diplomatically sensitive at a time when the United States is spearheading a huge relief effort to help hundreds of thousands of Haitian quake victims, and as U.S. aid groups pour millions of dollars of donations into Haiti.

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[ricklbert]

U.S. missionaries charged with kidnapping in Haiti

Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Ten Americans detained last week while trying to take 33 Haitian children out of the country were charged Thursday with kidnapping children and criminal association, a government official said.

Watch video here......

Information Minister Marie Laurence Lassegue's announcement came shortly after the five men and five women left a hearing at the prosecutor's office.

Under Haitian law, anyone accused of kidnapping a child is not eligible for bail, the attorney general's office said.

Conviction on the kidnapping charge carries a maximum penalty of nine years; the criminal association charge carries a penalty of three to nine years. It was not immediately clear whether, under Haitian law, a dual conviction could be served concurrently.

The Americans -- members of a church group -- got into two vehicles, which were driven back to the jail where they have been held since they were taken into custody. Appearing solemn, they did not respond to questions from reporters. A few sang hymns.

"We can confirm that the 10 American citizens remain in custody in Haiti," State Department deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid said. "We continue to provide appropriate consular assistance and to monitor developments in the legal case."

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[ricklbert]

No decision yet on bail for detained Americans in Haiti
February 12, 2010 3:49 a.m. EST

Laura Silsby is one of 10 Americans accused of trying to take 33 children out of Haiti illegally.


Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- A Haitian judge will not rule on bail for 10 Americans detained on child abduction charges until Monday at the earliest, court officials said.

A decision had been expected Thursday, but none was reached.

The 10 missionaries were charged a week ago with kidnapping children and criminal association for trying to take 33 children out of Haiti without proper documentation following the nation's January 12 magnitude-7.0 earthquake.

Judge Bernard Saint-vil told CNN on Wednesday that he could reach a decision for a type of bail without bond. The decision would not be a final verdict in the case or even a decision on whether the case would continue to be investigated.

The judge said, if he grants bail, he could set conditions such as keeping the Americans in Haiti while the case proceeds or allow them to return to the United States, but require them back in Haiti for the next stage of the process.
Video: Missionaries in court


The Americans have said they were trying to help the children get to a safe place, and wanted to establish an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. Some of the Americans have said they thought they were helping orphans, but their interpreters have said that they were present when group members spoke with some of the children's parents.

Some of the parents also spoke with CNN, saying they had willingly given their children to the Americans, who promised them a better life and said they could see their children whenever they wanted.

Earlier this week, Jorge Puello, a Dominican attorney hired to represent the group, said they had authorization from the Dominican Republic to bring the children across the border, but he did not show the documents to reporters.

Dominican officials have previously said the Americans did not have permission to transport the children into the country. Puello did not say whether the group had authorization from Haitian officials.

CNN's Karl Penhaul contributed to this report.

Source: CNN.com​