Friday, July 21, 2006

MIAMI, USA (AFP): Two US kidnapped US missionaries were released on payment of a ransom in Haiti Thursday, but a Haitian employee of the US embassy was still being held, US officials said.

"The two were released on payment of an undisclosed ransom," said Judy Orihuela of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

She declined to say whether it was known who seized the two missionaries on Sunday.

A Haitian employee of the US embassy in Port-au-Prince was also kidnapped Wednesday, the US State Department said.

"Yesterday afternoon, one of our Haitian colleagues in the embassy was kidnapped on or near Airport Road. We are very concerned about the welfare and the wellbeing of the individual and call for his immediate release," a spokeswoman said.

Violence and kidnappings, often involving armed gangs in the slums of the Haitian capital, have flared up in recent weeks.

  Most popular articles: viewed, printed and e-mailed

  Printable version