Ten Americans have been charged with abduction of children in the aftermath of earthquake in Haiti, according to news agencies working in the devastated country.

Last week, 33 children were rescued from five men and five women who were allegedly sneaking the children into a bus.

The 10 accused persons of a church group in Idaho claim that they were rescuing the children, and taking them into an orphanage into the neighbouring country.

Several of the children have parents.

After the hearing on Thursday, the defendants are being held in the Haitian prison.

The New York Times quoted the head of the group Laura Silsby saying, "We're just trusting God for a positive outcome."

The lawyer for the group, Edwin Coq said, "I'm trying to get them all free but I don't yet know what's going to happen".