An African mediator, Sir Ketumile Masire of Botswana, left Congo last week after being blocked from traveling within the country.

In March 2008 he left Congo because the Federation wasn't paying his salary.

Gary Blanchard, 35, John Dixon, 35, and Joseph Pettijohn, 34, were arrested leaving Congo with the weapons.

Ali's father, who also left Congo for Newark, is his only anchor to Islam.

If all goes according to plan, all foreign forces will have 180 days to leave Congo.

But he reportedly emphasized that a peace accord backed by the United Nations could not be carried out unless troops from Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi left Congo.

Under an agreement reached in August, the rebels had pledged to leave Congo by September 30.

Rwandan RPF troops finally left Congo in 2002, leaving a wake of disease and malnutrition that continued to kill thousands every month.

The last shred of civilisation has left Congo.