Laura Silsby is scheduled to return to Boise around 2:00 PM today. She was released from the Haiti Hilton yesterday after being convicted of “arranging unlawful travel” and sentenced to time served. Obviously, the Haitian government just wants this albatross off its neck and around the necks of the Idaho courts where her ever-expanding business and personal problems have roosted. Better Idaho than us.
As much as I’d like Silsby to spend a lot more time in the slammer, I am not surprised at the release. After all, the Haitians have more dire things to worry about than Bible Barbie. What did surprise me was Charissa Coulter’s appearance in court with Silsby. I had to play the tape back to make sure I heard right.
One of Silsby’s other partners-in-crime Jean Sainvil, a Haiti-born “pastor” in Atlanta is being tried in absentia, and his status is unknown.
Silsby (showing some leg in court) told the AP “I’m praising God” and apparently made no further comment until she was interviewed at the Port au Prince airport before clearing security. Megan Mattson, spokeswoman at the U.S. State Department, told the press Silsby was looking forward to returning home to her own children. Is that’s what known as a “Freudian slip?”
Central Valley Baptist Church is supposed to release a statement, but I can’t find one so far.
I don’t have any time this morning to comment further, but the video below from KTVB-TV (aka the Official Laura Silsby Fan Club) says more than I could write in the next 12 hours.
Once the legislative season is over, I’ll have more to write about Team Silsby and Yoram Puello. I have a lot of material I’ve not been able to put together. It will be fun. And maybe a partial antidote for the miserable deformist crap that passes for “adoptee rights” we’ve seen so far this year.
More from the AP:
“She was welcomed at the Boise airport by a cheering crowd that included her sister, mother and members of her Idaho church.
Silsby cried while hugging family members, raised her hands in the air as her pastor led the group in prayer, and sang a hymn with members of her church congregation.
…
At least four members of the group that had been detained in Haiti greeted Silsby at the airport.
“It’s good to have her home,” said Paul Thompson, a Twin Falls pastor who was jailed along with his son.
Coulter and her father, along with Silsby’s father John Sander, traveled to Haiti on May 2 to give Silsby moral support.
“Our first concern is for her welfare and the welfare of her family,” said Clint Henry, who is Silsby’s pastor at Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian.
The crowd that gathered in the airport terminal was jubilant for the most part.
A former employee of Silsby’s now-defunct business Personal Shopper Inc. held a large sign that read: “Laura Where’s My Paycheck?” The company closed in late March and is the subject of a host of lawsuits and unpaid wage claims.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100518/ap_on_re_us/us_haiti_detained_americans
How many times did they say, “We did nothing wrong.” in that video? Wow. Learn much of a lesson there Ten? nope, guess not.
Hubris in spades.
“Coulter and her father, along with Silsby’s father John Sander, traveled to Haiti on May 2 to give Silsby moral support.”
Moral support? Or a suitcase full of used, unmarked twenties?
Money and adoption go together. Just like this “mother” who thought she could get a busload of potential adoptee’s out of the Haiti to sell for profit. Religion goes right along with this child selling scheme what a bunch of nutcases!
Oh great, Paul Thompson is blaming UNICEF now!
http://www.ktvb.com/news/local/Idaho-pastor-blames-UNICEF-workers-for-their-arrests-in-Haiti-94337404.html
UNICEF issued a statement in response – it’s in the article and says in part “Mr. Thompson’s account is mistaken. UNICEF played no role in the arrests of the Baptist group and UNICEF staff were not present at the arrests. UNICEF does not have the power to order arrests in Haiti or anywhere else.” (AnonJ)
Here’s the CVBC’s bulletin about Silsby’s release, from their web page:
18 May 2010
We are so very excited and praise God for the safe return of Laura Silsby, our sister in Christ.
Our first concern is for her welfare and for the welfare of her family. We want them to take as much time as they need to rest, restore and get their lives back to normal.
We want to thank the Haitian and U.S. attorneys who defended our people. And we want to thank the U.S. State Department, Idaho’s congressional delegation, and elected officials from several other states for their support in ensuring the safety of our loved ones during this period of detainment. The families’ deepest gratitude goes to countless people around the world who offered their support, encouragement and prayers during this very difficult time.
We continue to keep the suffering people of Haiti in our prayers. The earthquake in Haiti in January killed more than 220,000 people and left more than a million homeless. They still need our help and prayers. Thank you and God bless America.
You all may want to read Paul Thompson’s gargantuan pack of lies in the Baptist Press. He claims the charges were the result of a “spiritual” clash between Good (The Idaho 10) and Evil (UNICEF). Thompson, clearly baying at the moon crazy, claims that UNICEF accused, arrested and jailed The Idaho 10, with Haitian police and legal authorities disagreeing, but somehow unable to stop them. The agency, which has no legal authority, has, of course, denied the allegations.
Other highlights:
• He returns to the disproven claims the children were orphans collected from leveled orphanages, including one run by co-defendant Jean Sainvil. (It has been confirmed that Sainvil, who is on the lam, is not affiliated with any orphanages in Haiti or in the U.S.)
• He denies the first attempted abduction in which 40 children were removed from a bus.
• He ignores the involvement of Jorge Puello, altogether, never mentioning his name.
• He never mentions identification papers, passports or complying with Haitian laws.
• He continues to insist The Idaho 10 ‘converted’ just about every Haitian they met “to Christianity,” though 80% of Haitians are Catholics.
The account is a lengthy crazy quilt of things that make no sense.
I wonder if we paid them if Haiti would take her back? I’d donate.
It makes one wonder why Paul Thompson is so intent to recast this whole series of events in a favorable light…..hmmmmm…what does he possibly have to gain out of this situation? Why not just let it go and move on? (AnonJ)
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=357156&CategoryId=14092
The Haitian Prime Minister is saying that Silsby was involved in child trafficking. Very interesting article. (AnonJ)
Watch out!! UNICEF is coming!!! Arrrgh!! That is stupidity along the lines of Pat Robertson’s various “warnings.” These fundie nuts never fail to amuse and amaze me.
Not only is he ignorant of trafficking laws, he’s taking the general public for fools. He can say whatever he wants. We ALL know exactly what happened.