Guinea-Bissau on Monday accused the US of "violating its maritime space, to capture a senior officer of the country's army," the government spokesman said.

The government rejected the claims by the US that the officer in question, ex-marine commander Bubo Na Tchuto who is accused of involvement in drug trafficking, was arrested in international waters and later transferred to the US.

"Contre-amiral Bubo Na Tchuto was not arrested in international waters, but in our waters, near Caravela in Bijagos archipelago," the government spokesman Fernando Vaz said.

"We want to ask the US to respect principles of international law, even if it concerns the weakest nation in the world," Vaz said.

At the same time, the government has asked Guinea-Bissau's prosecutor to demand for clarifications from his US counterpart, regarding the serious drug trafficking charges that have been levelled against Guinea-Bissau's chief of general staff, General Antonio Injai. A New York prosecutor has accused the latter of involvement in drug trafficking.

On Saturday, one of the officers arrested together with the ex- marine commander, lieutenant Vasco Antonio Na Sia, said in a televised broadcast, that the US anti-drugs agents arrested Bubo Na Tchuto near Caravela island within Guinea-Bissau waters.

Antonio Vasco Na Sia was arrested and later released by the US police in Cape Verde, after having proven his innocence.

"The Americans knew that myself and my uncle Luis Sanha, were innocent and that is why they set us free," he affirmed. However, this explanation did not convince Guinea-Bissau's military authorities who immediately ordered his arrest.