Ivory Coast asks Liberia to extradite six attack suspects

MONROVIA, IVORY COAST: Ivory Coast has asked Liberia to extradite six Ivorians suspected of taking part in an attack on an army post in the west of the country in August, an Ivorian diplomatic source said on Friday.

"Ivory Coast has made a request for the Ivorians arrested by Liberian authorities to be extradited and tried in Ivory Coast, but Liberian justice is hearing their case at the moment," said the diplomat reached in Monrovia.

The source gave no further details. The suspects are six civilians who were arrested inside Liberia after an August 13 attack on an Ivorian army post at Pekambly, close to the border.

"They were transferred to Monrovia early this month for security reasons," prosecutor John Gabriel told AFP. According to Liberian legal sources, the six men have been charged with rape, murder, arson and serving as mercenaries.

They appeared early in September before the Monrovia criminal court, where they were charged, and were then sent back to prison pending a trial for which no date has yet been set.

Source: AFP via I-Net Bridge