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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Haiti frees US missionary group | Haiti frees US missionary group |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Eight of the 10 Americans accused of kidnapping children in Haiti after January's quake have been released from custody. | |
| But the group's leader Laura Silsby, and one other member, Charisa Coulter, are being held for more investigation. | But the group's leader Laura Silsby, and one other member, Charisa Coulter, are being held for more investigation. |
| The five men and five women, mostly from Idaho, denied allegations they tried to smuggle 33 children across the border to the Dominican Republic. | The five men and five women, mostly from Idaho, denied allegations 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. |
| The group walked out of jail shortly after dusk on Wednesday and were taken to Haiti's international airport at Port-au-Prince. | The group walked out of jail shortly after dusk on Wednesday and were taken to Haiti's international airport at Port-au-Prince. |
| Reports said they expected to begin their journey back to the US overnight. | Reports said they expected to begin their journey back to the US overnight. |
| "The judge wants to question two of my clients because they were in Haiti before the earthquake," the group's lawyer Aviol Fleurant told AFP news agency. | "The judge wants to question two of my clients because they were in Haiti before the earthquake," the group's lawyer Aviol Fleurant told AFP news agency. |
| The case has drawn huge media attention and criticism from some - including the Haitian prime minister - that it is distracting from earthquake recovery. | 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. | 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 are being freed without bail but are required to come back to Haiti for any legal proceedings if required. | The eight missionaries are being freed 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 case has drawn criticism that it is distracting the aid effort |
| The missionaries, from the New Life Children's Refuge, face charges of child abduction and criminal conspiracy. | The missionaries, from the New Life Children's Refuge, 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. | 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." | Mr Sarkozy said: "France will live up to the responsibilities of its shared history and friendship with Haiti." |