TORONTO, (AFP) - Canadian authorities have arrested Oriel Jean, the security chief to ousted Haitian leader Jean Bertrand Aristide, after he flew in from the Dominican Republic, an immigration official said yesterday.

The man, identified by Canadian officials as Oriel Jean, was arrested at Toronto's Pearson International Airport on Wednesday night.

Bill Tu, spokesman for Canada's Border Services agency, told AFP that Jean had been passed on for questioning to Canada's immigration authorities, and declined to say why he had been intercepted.

But the Toronto Sun newspaper quoted police sources as saying in an online report that Jean was being investigated for war crimes and had been interviewed for several hours by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Intelligence Services.

That report, which said Jean was still in detention, could not be independently confirmed.

There have also been past accusations that the security chief has been involved in drugs trafficking between Haiti and North America.

"This was more of an immigration matter. We did our regular processing," Tu said.

The RCMP said it was not now involved in the case.
"We have nothing to do with it," said RCMP Toronto spokeswoman, Michele Paradis.

A spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada, also declined to provide details on the drama.

Canadian authorities say they detain foreigners at border crossings if it is believed they may not show up to future questioning, or if they are a threat to public safety or security.

The Sun said that Jean was in a holding cell after being detained while travelling with his wife, carrying 17,000 dollars in cash and a cheque for about 300,000 dollars.

As violence escalated in Haiti, Aristide on February 29 left the country aboard a US-chartered airplane and went into self-imposed exile in the Central African Republic.

Aristide later claimed he was the victim of a "political kidnapping" by the US military, and blamed the United States for the subsequent chaos in Haiti, charges Washington vehemently denies.

Oriel Jean travelled to Canada in late 2003, for medical treatment. US officials asked for him to be questioned about links to drugs trafficking, but he was able to return to Haiti.

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