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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Costa Rican Police Officer Takes Hostages |
| 2004-07-27 |
By MARIANELA JIMENEZ Associated Press Writer July 27th, 2004, 7:36 PM EDT SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- A Costa Rican policeman assigned to guard the Chilean embassy took 11 people hostage inside the building Tuesday, officials said. Police officials identified the officer only by his last name -- Jimenez. They said he had been wounded -- it was unclear how -- and suggested he may have shot himself by accident. "I know that a policeman who was assigned to guard the embassy has taken hostages, but beyond that I have no details," Costa Rican Security Minister Rogelio Ramos told a local radio station. It was not immediately known how Jimenez was armed. Authorities were trying to negotiate with him, but it was unclear what his demands were. Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar said he had been in touch with Chilean Ambassador Guillermo Yunge, who was not in the embassy when the standoff began. "It's incredible that a Costa Rican could have caused such an embarrassment to his country," Tovar said. Presidential chief of staff Ricardo Toledo said 11 people were inside the building and apparently being held hostage. All are believed to be embassy employees, but there was no immediate information on their nationalities. The police officer in charge of the embassy detail, Eliecer Leon, described Jimenez as "responsible, serious, the best officer we have had." "We don't know what happened to him," Leon said. "We all make mistakes." |
| Posted by:Mark Espinola |