European arrested for helping plot armed coup in Central African Rep.

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Jun 2024 15:48
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An employee for a US-based NGO was arrested for posing threats to the country's national security.

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Senegalese Police officers stand in front of the courthouse in Dakar, Senegal, November 3, 2022. (AFP)

Prosecutors in the Central African Republic have detained a European employee of an American non-governmental organization (NGO) on suspicion of spying and communicating with an armed group planning a coup.

Martin Joseph Figueira, a dual citizen of Belgium and Portugal and working as a consultant for the US-based NGO FHI360, was detained on May 25 for posing a threat to the country's national security, the public prosecutor said in a televised statement.

His arrest was confirmed by the foreign ministry of Portugal on Saturday.

A spokesperson for the ministry said that Figueira "was arrested on suspicion of being involved in a plot against the regime."

"The Portuguese government is monitoring the case, the No. 2 of the embassy in (the capital of neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo) Kinshasa visited this citizen yesterday, as did the Honorary Consul of the Central African Republic," the spokesperson said.

"We also know that he's been heard (by authorities). We await developments in the case."

France left CAF in 2022

Some 1,600 French troops were deployed in recent years in the Central African Republic (CAF), under the pretext of helping keep the "peace" after a fierce bout of inter-communal bloodshed in 2013. But French troops were forced to leave, and the last troops from France's Operation Sangaris left in December 2022.

Read more: As anti-French sentiment grows, France forced out of 4 African nations

Last month, three US citizens were arrested alongside 50 other individuals following a failed armed coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

A spokesperson for a parliament member, whose residence was attacked by the militia, confirmed that the leader of the attempted coup was US-based Congolese politician Christian Malanga, and was killed during clashes with security forces.

US Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn said at the time that she was "very concerned" over reports that US citizens were involved in the deadly event.

"Please be assured that we will cooperate with the DRC authorities to the fullest extent as they investigate these criminal acts and hold accountable any US citizen involved in criminal acts," Tamlyn said.