Two US Citizens Charged for Role in Failed Gambian Coup

The US Department of Justice has brought charges against two US citizens for their role in a recent coup attempt which was thwarted in the African nation of The Gambia.

In a press release, the Department of Justice announced charges against 57-year-old Cherno Njie and 46-year-old Papa Faal. Both men have been charged with conspiring to violate the Neutrality Act.

They are also charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Both men are of Gambian descent and have US citizenship. They recently traveled to the United States with the sole purpose of procuring and money and supplies for their coup against Gambian President Yahyah Jammeh. Faal lived in Brooklyn Center, MN while Njie lived in Austin, TX.

The Justice Department says that Njie was the leader of the coup conspiracy and its primary financial backer. Had the coup succeeded, he would have been appointed as the interim leader of The Gambia.

Among the weapons and equipment Njie and Faal purchased for the coup attempt were an assortment of M4 rifles, body armor, ammunition, military style uniforms, and boots.

Faal was part of the assault on the presidential palace and survived the ordeal despite its failure and the fact that many of the coup members were killed. As the attackers advanced on the compound, one of them fired a shot into the air. The coup members then came under heavy machine gun fire from the presidential guard.

Njie did not take part in the raid and was hiding in a safe place. He was supposed to enter the presidential palace after the coup succeeded, but fled after its failure. Both men fled to the United States where they were arrested.

The President Jammeh was not in the palace at the time of the failed attack.