- Title: GUATEMALA: Country detains software guru McAfee, to expel him to Belize
- Date: 6th December 2012
- Summary: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (DECEMBER 05, 2012) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF DETENTION CENTRE / POLICE PATROL LEAVING CENTRE SIGN AT DETENTION CENTRE ENTRANCE TO DETENTION CENTRE
- Embargoed: 21st December 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Guatemala
- Country: Guatemala
- Reuters ID: LVA50ELVSKUECYMC3J6IFXU8UPMN
- Story Text: Guatemalan police arrested U.S. software guru John McAfee on Wednesday (December 05) for illegally entering the country and said it would expel him to neighbouring Belize, which he fled after being sought for questioning over his neighbour's murder.
McAfee was taken to a residence in Guatemala City belonging to the immigration department and was guarded by a small group of police.
According to Guatemalan immigration spokesperson Luis Fernando Lucero, McAfee is facing possible deportation from the Central American country.
"As per our immigration regulations, what is happening now is that he is under guard while the following procedure is being worked out. In this case it could be deportation," he said.
McAfee, who had been in hiding for three weeks, crossed into Guatemala with his girlfriend, Samantha, to evade authorities in Belize who wanted to question him as "a person of interest" about the killing of fellow American Gregory Faull.
On Tuesday (December 04), McAfee said he would seek political asylum in Guatemala, which has been embroiled in a long-running territorial dispute with Belize. There is no extradition treaty between the two countries, and there is no international arrest warrant out for McAfee.
Outside the detention centre, the tech guru's lawyer, Telesforo Guerra, told media his client had crossed into Guatemala in fear of his life.
"We would say irregularly, not illegally. Because who in search of safeguarding their own life will not look for protection in another country? That is his (McAfee's) situation. He could not stay in the hands of Belizean police for political reasons, not for having committed any crimes. He was already detained for a couple of months for something else he's accused of. He had to flee because no criminal offence was committed," he said.
McAfee says he fears Belizean authorities would kill him if he returned there for questioning. Belize's prime minister has denied the claim, calling the 67-year-old software entrepreneur paranoid and "bonkers."
McAfee has been living in the tiny Central American nation for about four years.
He was one of Silicon Valley's first entrepreneurs to build an Internet fortune. The former Lockheed systems consultant started McAfee Associates in the late 1980s.
McAfee has no relationship now with the company, which has been sold to Intel Corp. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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