Guinea’s Junta Leader Wounded in Attack

Guinea’s military ruler Captain Moussa Dadis Camara was wounded Thursday in an assassination attempt allegedly masterminded by a former aide.

Camara has been flown to Morocco for treatment. Although Guinea’s Communications minister, Idrissa Cherif, said Camara was in good health, there are fears about his health and the possibility of another coup to depose him, especially since he has not appeared in public or on television since the attack.

Camara was visiting a military camp in the capital, Conakry, when a shootout suddenly ensued at about 1900 GMT. His former aide Aboubacar Diakite is believed to have commanded the attacks. Minister Cherif confirmed that Diakite has already been arrested over the shooting.

A UN report also implicated Diakite of responsibility for the September 28 killing of pro-democracy protesters in Conakry.

Captain Camara seized power in December 2008 in a bloodless coup with his National Council for Democracy and Development junta after the death of longtime President Lansana Conte.

The new military regime promised to restore democracy and civilian rule, but went on to suspend the constitution and freeze all political activity.

On September 28, about 157 people were killed and women raped when soldiers opened fire at a Conakry rally where demonstrators were protesting against Camara’s intention to run for presidency in elections scheduled for January 2010.

The West African regional bloc and the European Union (EU) have imposed an arms embargo and travel bans on Camara, while the African Union wants him to step down. [ER].