Former Haitian president escapes 'assassination attempt'

At least two people have been injured after gunmen opened fire on a motorcade carrying Haiti's former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

The shooting took place at a busy junction in central Port-au-Prince on Monday.

Yvon Feuille, a senior executive of the Fanmi Lavalas political movement, said the attack was an "assassination attempt" carried out by people dressed as police officers.

Supporters of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide chant his name. Credit: PA

Mr Aristide's US lawyer Ira Kurzban said the shots were apparently "fired by uniformed police directly at the vehicle in which President Aristide was a passenger."

He said at least two people standing in front of the vehicle were shot.

"Thank God no-one was killed and at least one of the shooting victims was taken to the university medical centre", he added.

Jean-Bertrand Aristide walks outside the courthouse on Monday. Credit: PA

Haitian National Police spokesman Garry Desrosiers said he did not have any information on the suspects.

The incident occurred after Mr Aristide appeared as a witness in a court hearing involving an associate - Jean Anthony Nazaire - who is facing a money laundering probe.

Aristide has not been in power for nearly 13 years and is a highly controversial figure in Haiti - extremely popular with some, but deeply reviled by others.