Colombia Probes Visits By Murdered Haitian Leader's Security Chief

Bogota, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Jul, 2021 ) :Assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moise's security chief made several visits in recent months to Colombia, where a number of mercenaries implicated in the brazen attack were from, Bogota police said Monday.

Dimitri Herard had traveled various times to Ecuador, Panama and the Dominican Republic via Colombia between January and May this year, national police chief Jorge Luis Vargas told reporters, adding Bogota was investigating.

"We know that he was not only in transit, but spent a few days in Colombia," said Vargas.

Colombian authorities, he said, were working with Interpol to probe the nature of Herard's activities in the different countries.

According to Haitian authorities, a hit squad of 28 men -- 26 Colombians and two US citizens -- killed the president in his home, also injuring his wife.

No motive is publicly known and questions are swirling about who might have masterminded the assassination.

Vargas said Monday that 21 Colombians, mostly former soldiers, were implicated in the assassination plot, 18 of whom were captured and three killed by the Haitian security forces.

Bogota is cooperating with Port-au-Prince in the investigation, as is the United States.

Intelligence agencies have determined that 19 of 21 the Colombians had traveled with airline tickets purchased using a credit card issued in the name of CTU Security, a firm registered in Miami, said Vargas.