3 U.S. Soldiers Briefly Detained by Panama Troops

PANAMA CITY — Government troops briefly detained three U.S. soldiers who strayed off base in a military vehicle, U.S. officials said Wednesday.

The pro-government newspaper Matutino said Panamanian forces detained the soldiers Tuesday for unspecified “suspicious” activities in Veracruz, a town on the Pacific 6 miles from the capital.

The three soldiers were in uniform at the time of the incident.

Mercedes Morris, a spokeswoman for U.S. Southern Command Headquarters in Panama, said the soldiers had simply driven off Clayton Air Base by accident.

The soldiers were identified as Lt. Andrew J. Johnson, Sgt. Paul L. Coach and Sgt. Edward E. Tate. The newspaper said they were detained briefly, then handed over to Southern Command officials.

The paper also said the soldiers’ vehicle was equipped for espionage. Morris denied this, saying the vehicle had nothing but standard radio communications gear.

According to the newspaper, Panama will formally demand that the United States end such “threats of a military invasion” and breaches of the 1977 Canal Treaties, which forbid U.S. military personnel from leaving base in uniform.

Tensions are high between the United States and Panama because of U.S. efforts to oust Panamanian strongman Manuel A. Noriega.