Guinea Bissau's navy chief held

2008-08-09 11:50

Bissau - Guinea Bissau's army announced on Friday it had arrested the head of the navy over an attempted coup in the tiny West African nation, which has been plagued by bloody uprisings in the past few decades.

"We have foiled a coup attempt that should have been carried out early Thursday by a group of officers lead by rear admiral Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchute, head of the navy," said army spokesman Colonel Arsene Balde.

"On Wednesday rear admiral Na Tchute telephoned several superior officers to ask them to join him to overthrow the president. The officers contacted the army chief of staff general Tagme Na Waie who ordered his arrest," Balde said.

He added that the situation in the capital of Guinea Bissau, one of the world's poorest countries, was calm on Friday. It was unclear what the reasons behind the attempted coup were.

Bubo is currently under house arrest while investigations into the circumstances and possible accomplices continue, he added.

In past decades Guinea Bissau has been plagued by bloody coups and uprisings. Recently the country has become a transit point for cocaine coming from Latin America en route to the lucrative European markets.

It was plunged into political turmoil earlier this week when President Joao Bernardo Vieira dissolved parliament, a month after one of the three leading parties in Guinea Bissau left the coalition government.

- SAPA