Guineans "sick with fear" over traitor manhunt

The man who allegedly tried to assassinate Guinea's junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara is being hunted down, along with his accomplices, by security forces across the country. Sixty arrests have already been made, according to the junta. This is the amateur footage of one of them.

Former junta leader aide de camp, Aboubacar Sidiki Diakité, or "Toumba", is the most wanted man in Guinea. He's accused of shooting Camara at point blank range on Thursday (Dec. 3). According to junta spokesman Idrissa Cherif, the junta leader is currently undergoing medical care for a head wound in Rabat, Morocco. Officials say his health is improving. Meanwhile, the junta's defence minister Sekouba Konate, who is said to be close to Camara, has taken over as interim leader. He immediately called on the Guinean people to help security forces find all co-conspirators to the plot.

According to Reuters, the following footage shows an ex-commander of the presidential guard, Mohamed "Begre" Camara, being taken by soldiers to the Alpha Yaya Diallo camp - the junta headquarters in Conakry. Begre is accused of being involved in the assassination plot; he ran the Koundara camp, where Camara was shot. On Dec. 4, he was caught trying to flee to Sierra Leone.

Begre is the man in blue trousers. The other detainee, in yellow underwear, has yet to be identified.

“We don’t know who does what, or who commands who”

Phillipe works in communications in Conakry. Observers' opinions do not reflect those of FRANCE 24.

This video is shocking. It's appalling to handcuff people like that. The situation in Guinea is getting really scary. We don't know who does what, or who commands who. Conakry has come to a standstill. The situation is especially bad in the suburb where Toumba and his accomplices used to live. The authorities have secret agents everywhere because the junta is afraid that the population supports Toumba.

Yesterday, three military pick-ups went to the university where my brother studies. Someone had called the authorities after overhearing a student saying that Camara deserves to be shot and that she knew where Toumba was hiding.

Soldiers stormed the university just like in a movie, it was unbelievable. They only let a few students go, including my brother, after negotiations with the dean. I don't know what happened to the girl.

There's a rumour that the authorities are covering up what is actually Camara's death. Soldiers are completely baffled. We're pretty sure that Toumba had a lot of support, but nobody knows exactly who was involved in the assassination plot and who wasn't."

“People don't even dare go out shopping”

Nankouma is a journalist from Conakry. Observers' opinions do not reflect those of FRANCE 24.

Begre [seen in the video] was an accomplice of ‘Toumba' [the alleged shooter]. He took part in the September 28 Conakry stadium massacre. His arrest is violent, but he deserves it.

Everybody in town is extremely cagey. There are army trucks all over; the soldiers are fishing everywhere for Toumba's accomplices. Yesterday, at crossroads in the Cosa neighbourhood, a soldier opened fire in public. He was slapped by his commander for it, but it just goes to show that atmosphere in the capital is extremely tense. Anybody suspected of being in on the plot is arrested and sent to a military camp to be interrogated. People are sick with fear; they don't even dare go out shopping.

The authorities are repeatedly broadcasting a message on TV and radio; promising a reward to anyone who turns in Toumba. They even set up a toll-free number. Most of the senior accomplices have been caught now but not Toumba. I don't think there's going to be any uprising."