Slidell man abducted in South Sudan to appear in court Thanksgiving Day - NOLA.com

By Katherine Sayre, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune The Times-Picayune
on November 09, 2012 at 4:19 PM, updated November 09, 2012 at 7:43 PM

Anne McCabe of Slidell hopes Thanksgiving Day, a time of families gathering together, will mark the day a South Sudan court releases her husband from captivity and allows him to return home to Louisiana. They'd spent their 25th wedding anniversary some 6,000 miles apart on Wednesday.

The day after, her husband was granted a rare phone call to his wife -- it was an intense, 12-minute conversation.

"I was trying to be strong, and he was trying to be strong," Anne McCabe said. "But he broke down a couple of times and so did I."

Elton McCabe, 52 Photo submitted by Anne McCabe

Elton "Mark" McCabe, 52, traveled to the African developing nation in August to explore business opportunities in building Internet infrastructure and medical facilities, his wife said Friday. But on Oct. 14, he was abducted by South Sudan's National Security Service on unofficial charges that have changed several times, his wife said. He is now falsely accused of kidnapping, she said.

Anne McCabe said their family, with the help of the State Department, is now advocating for his release on humanitarian grounds.

Elton McCabe suffered a massive heart attack in December 2011 and relies on six medications for his health, his wife said. In the beginning of his detention under National Security Service, the rogue agency wouldn't allow him medical treatment, jeopardizing his health, she said.

After diplomatic negotiations, he was transferred to a South Sudan police jail facility and allowed release on bail Nov. 1 -- but he was immediately arrested again by the NSS. On Wednesday, McCabe said, he again moved back to the jail, where he was allowed to bathe for the first time in 10 days. He has access to water and food.

"Our position is, now that my husband is in a police facility and has a date of Nov. 22 with the high court, that justice will be served and he will be set free and allowed to come home," McCabe said.

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., in Slidell for an East St. Tammany Parish Chamber of Commerce gathering Friday, said that her office has been aware of McCabe's abduction and arrest since it happened, and has been working closely with the State Department on his behalf.

"We have been asked not to comment publicly so I'm not going to," Landrieu said. "I don't want to do anything that would endanger him or the opportunities for his release, so I'm not going to say any more than that."

U.S. Sen. David Vitter's office has also kept in contact with officials at the U.S. Embassy in South Sudan.

"I've been working with the McCabe family, the U.S. Embassy and the State Department to get Mark released to the Embassy on humanitarian grounds," Vitter, R-La., said in a written statement Friday. "While we're working to make sure Mark receives due process and fair treatment, his health and safety are top priorities that my office will continue to focus on."

McCabe said their family -- which includes three children and one grandchild -- are praying for a granted release on his court date, which is Thanksgiving Day.

"The embassy is engaged as much as they can be," McCabe said. "They are very unhappy at the unacceptable treatment of my husband."