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| Africa: Subsaharan | |
| NZ seeks release of Ivorian 'spy' | |
| 2005-03-14 | |
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has asked the UK to help one of its nationals held by Ivorian rebels, as it has no diplomats there. The man's sister has also appealed for him to be released unharmed. The New Forces picked up Brian Hamish Thomas Sands heading to their northern Bouake stronghold and accuse him of planning to assassinate their leaders. The rebels, which have run Ivory Coast's north since a 2002 rebellion, refuse to hand him over to UN troops. The New Forces said the New Zealander had told them he had served in the French Foreign Legion between 1986 and 1994 and had been in contact with senior Ivorian government officials. But Foreign Minister Phil Goff said the man's family said he had suffered mental health problems and may have invented some of the information the rebels had about him.
"We have seen suggestions in the media that the rebels might execute he person as a government spy. We've passed that information on to the Foreign and Commonwealth office," Ms Clark said. According to the deputy commander of the rebel movement, Issiaka Ouattara or Wattao, Mr Thomas' mission was to assassinate the New Forces political leader Guillaume Soro as well as the military commander, Colonel Soumaila Bakayoko. Mr Wattao told the BBC's James Copnall in Abidjan that Mr Thomas was picked up on the southern approach to Bouake, wearing a flak jacket and carrying a GPS tracking system. The New Forces rebels say he was carrying telephone numbers for government forces, as well as mercenary companies. A presidential spokesman has denied any knowledge of Mr Thomas, and said they had no wish to kill Mr Soro or Colonel Bakayoko. The fate of the man is uncertain. Mr Wattao said the New Forces will not hand their prisoner over to the impartial United Nations troops, and stated that Mr Thomas will not face any trial. The incident indicates a rise in tension in Ivory Coast, the BBC's reporter says Two weeks ago militiamen supporting President Laurent Gbagbo attacked New Forces' positions in the west of the country. The UN Security Council expressed its concern that more fighting would further compromise the chances of holding presidential elections scheduled for October of this year. The New Forces are in a state of maximum alert, and say they fear a return to war is imminent. The last fighting in the country took place in November last year, when the army loyal to President Gbagbo launched air raids on New Forces-held areas. | |
| Posted by:Steve |