Dominican Republic alert for Haitian exile moves

The Dominican Republic stepped up naval and air patrols Monday along its northwestern coast to prevent Haitian exiles from using the area as a springboard for an invasion of neighboring Haiti.

A military official said vigilance was intensified in the wake of reports that a band of Haitian exiles planned to invade Haiti from small outlying Caribbean islands.

The Dominican Republic and Haiti share the large island of Hispaniola and have a common 160-mile border.

Patrols reported no unusual movement by exile groups in the vicinity of the Dominican Republic. The border areas were also reported quiet, with traffic proceeding normally.