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Brazilian police detect plot to kidnap president's son

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-07 11:06

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Brazilian police said Wednesday that they had detected a plot by two drug dealers to kidnap the son of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to extort the government.

This undated file photo shows the Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. [Agenceis]

The two, from the same drug gang, are currently serving their terms in Brazil's Campo Grande Federal Penitentiary which houses some of the most dangerous criminals in the country.

Police discovered the plot during an operation Monday during which they arrested some other members of the drug gang and found a list of names of kidnapping targets.

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Besides Lula's son, former Tourism Minister Marta Suplicy and several federal judges and their relatives were also on the list, police said.

Wilson Damasio, head of Brazil's National Penitentiary System, said the gang had some other criminal plans such as escaping from the prison and ambushing police cars when the prisoners were being transported from the jail to the courthouse.

Although the criminals have no direct contact with each other inside the penitentiary, they managed to have a communication channel through visitors. The two drug dealers shared the same lawyer.

The authorities will toughen security measures inside the jail, said police.