New Ivory Coast army chief says ousted ruler in no danger

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (Reuters) -- Ivory Coast's ousted military ruler General Robert Guei was still in the West African country at the weekend but his life was not in danger, new army chief Gen. Mathias Doue said.

Doue, who was Guei's deputy in the junta that collapsed amid street protests last week, was asked by government daily Fraternite-Matin to confirm that Guei and some of his aides remained in Ivory Coast.

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"They are there and they are not in danger," replied Doue in the interview which was published on Monday. Fraternite-Matin said the interview was conducted at around 1700 GMT on Saturday.

"They are well and we are happy to have in charge of our country a head of state who has feeling and respect for human life," Doue said, referring to newly elected President Laurent Gbagbo.

Guei fled last Wednesday in the face of street protests after he fraudulently claimed victory in a presidential election held on October 22 and won by Gbagbo. Gbagbo's supporters said dozens of protesters were killed by security forces.

Guei has been variously reported to be in or heading for Benin or Liberia. This weekend rumors circulated that he had gone to Senegal with the help of French troops stationed in Abidjan.

Another report said he had taken refuge with a religious sect 100 kilometers (60 miles) along the coast west of Abidjan, but a Reuters correspondent found no sign that Guei had been to the village, Toukouzou.

Another junta member, Col. Grena Mouassi, who was thought to have accompanied Guei, was shown on state television on Sunday formally handing over control of the interior ministry that he headed under Guei to new minister Emile Boga Doudou.

Mouassi looked relaxed and the television made no comment on where he had been over the past week.

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