Liberian Govt Admits Shooting on US DiplomatThe Liberian government has admitted that its security forces shot and wounded the assistant military attache of the United States Embassy in that country when he drove his car through a checkpoint early on Sunday morning, according to reports reaching here on Monday from the country's capital Monrovia."Sergeant James Michael Newton, assistant military attache, was wounded when a Liberian security officer attempted to disable a vehicle that broke through a security checkpoint at very high speed," a statement issued by Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying. The U.S. diplomat has been rushed to neighboring Cote d'Ivoire for treatment after the shooting on the road near Liberia's presidency, the statement said. The government of Liberia views the incident as unfortunate and one that could have been avoided if the checkpoint had not been smashed and normal security procedures not violated, it added. Meanwhile, Liberian Foreign Minister Monie Captan expressed the hope that this isolated incident will not undermine Liberia's relations with the U. S. Pushed by the U.S. at the forefront, the United Nations Security Council has imposed the sanctions on Liberia, including an arms ban and an embargo on diamond exports, saying that Liberia has not cut the ties with Sierra Leone's rebels in gun-running and diamond smuggling. |
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