Guinea Bissau 'coup leader Pansau N'Tchama held'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20112661

Version 0 of 1.

An army captain accused of trying to mount a coup in Guinea Bissau has been arrested, reports quoting the country's military say.

Capt Pansau N'Tchama is accused of being behind an army barracks attack last week that left six people dead.

The army seized power during a presidential election in April.

The country's transitional government, which was appointed by the army, has accused former colonial power Portugal of involvement in the attack.

History of coups

Capt N'Tchama was arrested on the island of Bolama and was being transferred towards the capital Bissau, military spokesmen said.

Capt N'Tchama had recently returned from Portugal. He had been undergoing military training there since July 2009, security sources told the AFP news agency.

Several other arrests have been made since last week's attack.

The transitional government has said supporters of former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior, who was ousted in the April coup, were behind last week's attack, as well as Portugal.

Guinea-Bissau has a long history of coups since independence from Portugal in 1974, and no elected leader has finished their time in office since.

Instability has turned the country into a prime drug smuggling spot between South America and Europe.