Police 'stop attempt on Morales'

BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8003117.stm

Bolivia's President Evo Morales says three foreigners have been killed after he ordered police to thwart a planned assassination attempt against him.

Security forces killed three alleged international mercenaries in the city of Santa Cruz, Mr Morales said.

He said intelligence reports had warned of a plot by a group comprising Irish, Hungarian and Bolivian attackers.

Arriving in Venezuela for a summit, Mr Morales said two people had been arrested over the alleged plot.

The three were killed in a half-hour shootout at the hotel in Santa Cruz, some 900km (620 miles) east of the capital La Paz, Mr Morales said.

Foreigners killed

"Yesterday, I gave instruction to the vice president to move to arrest these mercenaries and this morning I was informed of a half-hour shootout at a hotel in the city of Santa Cruz," said Mr Morales.

"Three foreigners are dead and two arrested."

He added that the alleged plot had been to kill him, the vice president and a cabinet minister.

Bolivian Police Chief Hugo Escobar said two Hungarians and one Bolivian were killed in the shoot-out.

Earlier reports suggested unknown assailants had attacked the home of the Roman Catholic Cardinal Julio Terrazas of Santa Cruz with dynamite.

Interior vice minister Marcos Farfan said Wednesday's blast, which caused structural damage but no injuries, a "terrorist" act.