02/02/10

10 Americans 9, of which are from Idaho are still being held by Haitian authorities on accusations of child trafficking. Since Friday, Eastside Baptist Church Pastor Paul Thompson and his 19 year old son Silas have been behind Haitian bars in a small jail cell with 8 other American Baptists.

Detainee Paul Thompson said, "To talk about the conditions we'll have to do that another day, they’re not the best but we're alive we're surviving we're eating we got water."

Eastside church officials are not commenting, but the Central Valley Baptist church in Meridian is calling for the release of the group saying they've been interrogated without an attorney and have not been before a judge within 48 hours of arrest, which they say violates the Haitian constitution.

The government says it is open to allowing the group to be tried in the U.S. because its legal system has been weakened since the earthquake. Still charges have not been filed against the detained, who still claim it’s all been a misunderstanding.

Laura Sillsby, APTN says, "We were absolutely willing to comply with the additional request the government. There’s just been a lot of confusion."

According to the Eastside Baptist Church website, Thompson has been the church pastor since 2001. Originally from Colorado, Thompson says they've been doing a lot of waiting and praying.

"We’re doing a lot of praying a lot of worship; we're just waiting on the Lord here."