Haitian Sailors Mutiny, Accuse Officers of Plotting Coup as Political Trial Starts

Sailors at the Haitian capital’s main naval base mutinied and seized senior officers Monday, accusing them of plotting a coup to overthrow President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

A spokesman for the mutineers told a local radio station that they arrested their commanding officers to ensure that the trial of Roger Lafontant, a former interior minister and accused coup leader, would start that day, as scheduled.

A naval officer was among 17 people arrested two weeks ago for allegedly planning an attack aimed at springing Lafontant from jail.

During the past week, Aristide urged Haitians to be alert for any plots designed to thwart the Lafontant trial. But a senior government official said the mutiny was not connected to the trial.

Lafontant is accused of staging a coup attempt in January to prevent Aristide from taking office as leader of this impoverished Caribbean nation. If convicted, he faces a possible life sentence.

The trial of Lafontant and 22 others accused with him began as scheduled Monday morning with jury selection.

Prime Minister Rene Preval issued a statement Monday evening saying the mutiny had ended “amicably,” but he did not elaborate.

Local radio stations said earlier that Preval, who also holds the defense and interior portfolios, and the army commander in chief, Gen. Raoul Cedras, went to the base to negotiate with the mutineers. After several hours, they left with the base’s commander, Ambroise Ceyid, radio reports said.

The mutineers had said they would hold the officers until Aristide, a left-wing Roman Catholic priest who took office in February, came to the base.