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Haiti frees US missionary group Eight US missionaries leave Haiti
(about 3 hours later)
Eight of the 10 Americans accused of kidnapping children in Haiti after January's quake have been released from custody. Eight of the 10 US missionaries accused of kidnapping children in Haiti after January's quake have been released from custody and have left the country.
But the group's leader Laura Silsby, and one other member, Charisa Coulter, are being held for more investigation. They were flown out of the capital, Port-au-Prince, in a US military plane. They may have to return to Haiti at a later date for further questioning.
The five men and five women, mostly from Idaho, denied allegations they tried to smuggle 33 children across the border to the Dominican Republic. Their two leaders remain in detention. The Americans were arrested after trying to leave Haiti with 33 children.
They were arrested 17 days after the quake that killed up to 230,000 people. They said the children were orphans but some were found to have living parents.
The group walked out of jail shortly after dusk on Wednesday and were taken to Haiti's international airport at Port-au-Prince. Earlier on Wednesday, Haitian President Rene Preval greeted French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who arrived to assess the aid efforts.
Reports said they expected to begin their journey back to the US overnight. Leaders held
The missionaries, from the New Life Children's Refuge, face charges of child abduction and criminal conspiracy.
The group's leader, Laura Silsby, and one other member, Charisa Coulter, are being held for more investigation.
Ms Silsby has admitted that the missionaries did not have the proper paperwork for the children, who were later taken into care by the Haitian authorities.
"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 five men and five women, mostly from Idaho, were arrested 17 days after the quake that killed up to 230,000 people.
They denied allegations they tried to smuggle the children across the border to the Dominican Republic, saying they were taking the children to an orphanage.
Sarkozy visit
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.
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 case has drawn criticism that it is distracting the aid effortThe 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. Also 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.
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.
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.
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."Mr Sarkozy said: "France will live up to the responsibilities of its shared history and friendship with Haiti."
More than a month after the 12 January earthquake, hundreds of thousands of homeless quake victims are still sheltering in makeshift camps scattered across the ruined capital.