Lagos - Tension remained high in Togo yesterday as Togo lese President Faure Gnassingbe arrested another of his brothers, Essolizam, over alleged coup plot. Earlier, he had arrested his half-brother, Kpatcha.

Essolizam was arrested on Thursday on charges of joining the plot against the president but the news filtered to the public only yesterday.Kpatcha had been arrested earlier last week after failing to get refuge at the US Embassy.

Dozens of security forces launched a raid on the residence of Kpatcha between Sunday night and early Monday, sparking a shootout with Kpatcha's body guards, killing three people and injuring two others.

The arrest outside the US embassy in Lome, where Kpatcha had sought asylum, followed raids on his house earlier in the week. It is not publicly known where he now is being held.

The former defence minister and lawmaker of the ruling Rally of the Togolese People "is a respectable citizen who has served the nation", he added.

The Togolese president thanked friendly countries that tipped off the government about the "the criminal act", and paid tribute to the security forces "who carried out, under the authority of justice, the delicate mission to warn about the coup plot".

Several soldiers as well as civilians have been arrested and are being interrogated for the alleged coup plot.

President Gnassingbe, 42, came to power in 2005 when his father, President Gnassingbe Eyadema, died.

President Gnassingbe is also the National President of his father's ruling Rally of the Togolese People (RPT).