Militants in Trinidad Surrender : Rebels Begin to Free 40 Hostages Taken in Attempted Coup

Muslim militants surrendered today and began freeing their 40 hostages, ending a six-day coup attempt that seriously threatened the government and reportedly left at least 20 people dead.

Hostages started leaving the government television station at midday and boarding an army bus after being searched by soldiers, state radio said.

The live broadcast said 14 of the 25 hostages in the building had been freed by 2:05 p.m. Many appeared haggard after their long ordeal. The heavily armed rebels remained inside while the evacuation was under way.

The other rebels and hostages, who included government ministers, awaited evacuation from the Parliament building about a mile away.

The spokesman, Gregory Shaw, said the militants, who began their coup attempt Friday, had agreed to free all their captives.

“The process is beginning,” Shaw said. “It’s going to be slow.”

He said it was his understanding that the coup leader, Yasin abu Bakr, and his group of 100 Muslim extremists had surrendered unconditionally.

The hostages initially included the prime minister, Arthur N. R. Robinson, but he was freed on Tuesday after offering to step down, call new elections and grant the rebels amnesty. It was not immediately clear whether the government would fulfill that pledge since it was made while Robinson was held captive.

Details of how the rebel surrender came about were not available.

Earlier today, Abu Bakr had described the coup attempt as a “small family squabble” and said that an accord had been reached to end the standoff.

Speaking in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. from the Caribbean nation, Abu Bakr had indicated that the hostages would be freed soon.