Defense
Police Nationale Free Kidnapped U.S. Citizen
- Wednesday, August 31, 2011 1:34 PM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) — A U.S. citizen who was kidnapped last week from his home in was freed Tuesday after police surrounded his captors' hideout, a police official said.
Frank Jean-Baptiste originally from Haiti was rescued by a special police unit at a home in a hillside shantytown south of Port-au-Prince, said Francois Dossous, head of Haiti's anti-kidnapping unit. The kidnappers detected police moving in and fled, he said.
Jean-Baptiste was found unharmed and police took him into custody to ensure his safety.
The kidnappers had demanded a $300,000 ransom but nothing was paid, Dossous said.
Jean-Baptiste was seized last week at his home by men posing as employees of a package delivery service. He is married to the director of a private school for the children of diplomats and wealthy Haitians.
The abduction raised concerns that kidnappings could be on the rise in Haiti. It happened the same week that a well-known notary was snatched from his BMW, and his body was found in the street a day later.
Police responded by setting up roadblocks throughout the capital but they have not announced any arrests. After the abductions, the U.S. Embassy warned Americans working in Haiti to remain alert and provided tips on what to do if kidnapped.
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Source: Associated Press
