Aristide Plans to Sue U.S., France for Kidnap -Lawyer

Aristide, who arrived in the Central African Republic a week ago, has repeatedly accused the United States of forcing him into exile after a rebellion plunged Haiti into chaos.

Lawyer Gilbert Collard said he and an American colleague would file identical suits in France and the United States in the next few days once they receive full authorization from Aristide.

"We will file suit against the French ambassador (in Port-au-Prince) and against the (U.S.) military authorities that carried out the abduction of the president," he told Reuters.

"The suits will target the Bush administration and the French government," he said. "If we get support from some African states, we will also appeal to the relevant commission of the United Nations."

Asked whether the lawsuits could succeed, Collard replied: "You never know. In a world where you can abduct a democratically elected president, you have to hope a democratic judge would find a way to do this."

At his first news conference in Bangui on Monday, Aristide appealed for peaceful resistance to what he called the occupation of Haiti and insisted again he had been abducted.

Washington and Paris have denied his allegation of kidnapping, saying he agreed to leave Haiti and signed his own letter of resignation.

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=832016&tw=wn_wire_story