Fleeing Haitian rebel leader denies drug charges

PORT-AU-PRINCE, July 24 (Reuters) A former Haitian rebel leader who went into hiding last week distributed an audiotape denying drug trafficking charges brought against him by Haitian and US officials.

Guy Philippe, who ran unsuccessfully for president in February 2006, said in a taped statement yesterday to local media he was not involved in drug trafficking and challenged US authorities to provide evidence of his guilt before trying to arrest him.

''I am not involved in drug trafficking. I've been the victim of political reprisals,'' Philippe said in Creole on the tape.

US Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Haitian police used four helicopters and two planes in a July 16 raid at Philippe's residence near the town of Les Cayes, 110 miles (180 kms) north of the capital Port-au-Prince, but Philippe had fled.

Police said a warrant had been issued for his arrest on drug trafficking charges, and the US agents took part in the raid under a treaty allowing them to pursue drug dealers within the Caribbean nation and its territorial waters.

Philippe said on the tape that he would return to his home shortly.

He said the US consulate had granted him a visa in 2006 to allow him to visit relatives in the United States and called that an indication he had been cleared of drug trafficking allegations levied by the administration of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2000.

''If I was involved in drug trafficking I would not have been allowed to be a presidential candidate and I would not have been granted a US visa in 2006,'' he said.

Philippe, a former member of Haiti's defunct army and a former police commissioner, led an armed rebellion that ousted Aristide in February 2004.

Aristide, who was also under intense French and US pressure to quit, is exiled in South Africa.

Philippe accused DEA agents of plotting to kill him during the raid.

''They did not want to arrest me, but they wanted to assassinate me,'' he said.

''They have to provide evidence for their accusations. Otherwise they will have to compensate me for tarnishing my reputation,'' said Philippe, who also accused the agents of manhandling his wife during the raid at his house.

Calls for comment to the US embassy officials in Port-au-Prince were not returned.

REUTERS CS PM0640