350 inmates escape Haitian prison - Gunmen Storm Jail Holding Ex-Prime Minister

A GROUP of armed men stormed a prison in the capital of strife-torn Haiti and freed two former ministers of ousted president Jean Bertrand Aristide's regime being held there, as hundreds of other prisoners escaped. Former prime minister Yvon Neptune and former interior minister Jocelerme Privert were recaptured hours after yesterday's breakout in Port-au-Prince. "They are now in custody at a secure location," police spokeswoman Gessy Coicou said. Prison guard Omeus Jean Marie Guerrier was shot in the head and killed during the escape, another police source said. Three other guards were wounded. Ms Coicou said about 350 prisoners got away when the jail was invaded by the armed men and only a few of the escapees had been captured. The assailants had broken into the jail while visiting family members and delivering food to inmates. Witnesses told police there was intense shooting after three vehicles approached the front of the jail about 3.30pm on Saturday local time (7.30am yesterday AEDT). Authorities said the operation appeared to be well organised and had been aided from inside the prison. "It was an operation mounted from both the inside and outside," a guard said. Officials have launched an investigation. Several guards, complaining about a lack of materials and bad organisation at the prison, have threatened to resign, sources said. The dead guard's body lay in a pool of blood in front of the prison entrance as reinforcements of police and UN peacekeeping troops surrounded the facility. [more] and [more]

• Pictured above: Two girls look at the body of slain prison guard Pierre Marie Gurrier Romeus, killed outside the National Penitentiary, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on February 19, 2005, only a few hours after scores of armed men broke into the institution and freed around 480 prisoners, including former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune. Witnesses said the armed men were from the gangs claiming allegiance to former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was overthrown on Feb. 29, 2004. Neptune was his prime minister. [more]