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Haiti 'frees eight missionaries' | Haiti 'frees eight missionaries' |
(20 minutes later) | |
A judge in Haiti has ordered the release of eight of the 10 Americans accused of kidnapping children after January's quake, their lawyer says. | A judge in Haiti has ordered the release of eight of the 10 Americans accused of kidnapping children after January's quake, their lawyer says. |
But the group's leader, Laura Silsby, and Charisa Coulter were being held for more investigation. | But the group's leader, Laura Silsby, and Charisa Coulter were being held for more investigation. |
The five men and five women, mostly from Idaho, deny allegations that they tried to smuggle 33 children across the border to the Dominican Republic. | The five men and five women, mostly from Idaho, deny allegations that they tried to smuggle 33 children across the border to the Dominican Republic. |
They were arrested 17 days after the quake that killed up to 230,000 people. | They were arrested 17 days after the quake that killed up to 230,000 people. |
"Eight of my clients will be set free. The judge wants to question two of my clients because they were in Haiti before the earthquake," lawyer Aviol Fleurant told AFP. | "Eight of my clients will be set free. The judge wants to question two of my clients because they were in Haiti before the earthquake," lawyer Aviol Fleurant told AFP. |
The case has drawn huge media attention and criticism from some - including the Haitian prime minister - that it is distracting from earthquake recovery. | |
Earlier on Wednesday, Haitian President Rene Preval greeted French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who arrived to assess the aid efforts. | |
Haitian pastor | Haitian pastor |
The eight missionaries being freed will be allowed to return to the US on Wednesday without bail but are required to come back to Haiti for any legal proceedings if required. | |
The case has drawn criticism that it is distracting the aid effort | |
The missionaries face charges of child abduction and criminal conspiracy. | The missionaries face charges of child abduction and criminal conspiracy. |
The group had said they were taking the children to an orphanage. | The group had said they were taking the children to an orphanage. |
But it has since emerged that some of the youngsters' parents are still alive, and many came from the same village. | But it has since emerged that some of the youngsters' parents are still alive, and many came from the same village. |
The group's leader, Ms Silsby, has said her group had met a Haitian pastor by chance when it arrived in the country, and that he had helped them gather the children. | The group's leader, Ms Silsby, has said her group had met a Haitian pastor by chance when it arrived in the country, and that he had helped them gather the children. |
She also admitted that the missionaries did not have the proper paperwork. | She also admitted that the missionaries did not have the proper paperwork. |
The children, who are aged from two to 12, were later taken into care in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. | The children, who are aged from two to 12, were later taken into care in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. |
Earlier on Wednesday, the visiting Mr Sarkozy pledged 270m euros (£235m) in reconstruction aid as he became the first French head of state to visit the former colony. | |
Mr Sarkozy said: "France will live up to the responsibilities of its shared history and friendship with Haiti." |