Slidell man captive in South Sudan suffers heart attack in prison - NOLA.com

By Katherine Sayre, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune The Times-Picayune
on November 20, 2012 at 3:44 PM, updated November 20, 2012 at 3:54 PM

"He said that he's barely holding on to his sanity through all of this," -- Mark McCabe's wife, Anne McCabe.

A Slidell man being held in a South Sudan prison suffered a mild heart attack late Monday night, his family said. Elton Mark McCabe's health crisis prompted Louisiana Sen. David Vitter to urge the South Sudan government to allow McCabe to be transferred to Nairobi, Kenya, to receive treatment from a cardiologist.

Elton McCabe, 52 (Submitted by Anne McCabe)

"The gravity of this situation has been confirmed by American physicians who are aware of the severity of Mr. McCabe's condition," Vitter wrote in a letter to South Sudan President Salva Kiir. "The situation continues to deteriorate further at this moment. I request that you contact the judge responsible for ensuring Mr. McCabe's trial and communicate the humanitarian needs of this case."

McCabe, 52, traveled to the African nation in August in search of business opportunities, but he was suddenly arrested by South Sudan security forces. His wife, Anne McCabe, said he was later cleared by the government of all charges and released, only to be immediately abducted again by security agents.

Mark McCabe suffered a massive heart attack in December 2011 and relies on several medications. He is scheduled to appear before a judge on Thanksgiving Day, although he has not been formally charged with a crime, according to Vitter's office.

On Tuesday, Vitter penned a letter to President Kiir, calling on the government to release McCabe on humanitarian grounds. Vitter also issued a letter to the president last week, demanding that McCabe be allowed legal rights guaranteed by South Sudan and international laws. The Slidell man is being held in Juba Central Prison.

After McCabe's heart attack Monday night, the government did allow him to be transferred to a local clinic. Vitter wrote that McCabe now needs to be medically evacuated to Nairobi.

It's not clear what McCabe is now being accused of, although his wife said he had been falsely charged with kidnapping.

Vitter noted that in fiscal year 2012, the U.S. provided South Sudan with $32 million in aid to law enforcement along with about $242 million in other humanitarian aid.

"The U.S. Government regularly recognizes the humanitarian needs of your people through regular, substantial foreign aid and other means," Vitter wrote. "The question is whether your government will do the same for an American."

Anne McCabe, who lives in Slidell, said she spoke with her husband after the heart attack. She said he has suffered from headaches after being hit in the head during his first arrest, and the extreme stress of the situation is taking a toll on his health.

"He said that he's barely holding on to his sanity through all of this," she said. "He said the only thing getting him through this is his faith that there's a rhyme and reason for it."

McCabe said the South Sudan government has agreed to release McCabe to Kenya only if someone else agrees to take his place in prison.

A representative with the South Sudan embassy in Washington D.C. could not immediately be reached for comment.