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WORLD NEWS A9
Friday 23 March 2018
French ex-leader Sarkozy decries 'mad allegations'
By SYLVIE CORBET ported Thursday that Sar- In this Nov. 6, 2017 file photo, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy attends newly named
THOMAS ADAMSON kozy said in his statement member of the Constitutional Council Dominique Lottin's oath-taking ceremony at the Elysee Pal-
PARIS (AP) — Former to the investigating judges ace in Paris. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was placed in custody on Tuesday March
French President Nicolas that "I am accused without 20 2018 as part of an investigation that he received millions of euros in illegal financing from the
Sarkozy defended himself any physical evidence." regime of the late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Thursday against the "mad He said he was "living the
allegations" that he ac- hell of this slander" since (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool/AP)
cepted millions of euros in 2011 and denounced the
illegal campaign funding accusations as lies, ac- The former president was of the NATO-led airstrikes Ziad Takieddine told the
from the late Libyan leader cording to a text of the released on Wednesday against Gadhafi's troops online investigative site Me-
Moammar Gadhafi. statement published by the night, but placed under ju- that helped rebel fighters diapart in 2016 that he de-
"It's an ignominious act, newspaper. The allegations dicial supervision. Details of topple Gadhafi's regime in livered suitcases from Libya
not (just) a lie," Sarkozy said were first made in 2011 by the conditions he has been 2011. containing 5 million euros
during a live television inter- Gadhafi's son, Saif al-Islam. ordered to follow have not An investigation has been ($6.2 million) in cash to Sar-
view on French station TF1. According to the text, the been revealed. underway since 2013 into kozy and his former chief of
"I owe the French people former president told inves- As France's president from the case. staff, Claude Gueant. Sar-
the truth: I never betrayed tigators that the allegations 2007 to 2012, Sarkozy put It got a boost when French- kozy was interior minister at
their trust." even cost him a re-election France in the forefront Lebanese businessman the time.q
The one-term ex-leader bid in 2012 when they re-
was handed preliminary merged during the cam-
charges Wednesday in paign.
an investigation of his suc- Sarkozy's entourage did
cessful 2007 campaign for not immediately confirm
the French presidency. The the text's authenticity, but
charges include illegally did not dispute it either.
funding the campaign, Sarkozy's spokeswoman did
passive corruption and re- not respond to requests for
ceiving money from Libyan comment from The Associ-
embezzlement. ated Press. Sarkozy's law-
"I'm not above the law, but yer, Thierry Herzog, arrived
I'm not below it either," Sar- at the former president's
kozy, 63, said during the TF1 home in Paris Thursday
interview. morning.
He was detained and ques- Investigators are examining
tioned by anticorruption allegations that Gadhafi's
police before he was given regime secretly gave Sar-
the preliminary charges by kozy 50 million euros ($62
judges leading the probe. million) for his 2007 presi-
Le Figaro newspaper re- dential election bid.
Gadhafi's cousin calls Sarkozy's woes 'God's punishment'
By SAMY MAGDY ros Gadhafi's government any wrongdoing. ing inspired by the Arab throw the government. The
Associated Press allegedly gave to Sarkozy. Gaddaf al-Dam said Libya Spring. Gadhafi respond- rebels later hunted down
CAIRO (AP) — Moam- Investigators are examin- wanted France's support ed by sending troops and Gadhafi and killed him.
mar Gadhafi's cousin said ing allegations that Gad- for the creation of a so- tanks to the eastern city of "Thank God," Gaddaf al-
Thursday that the corrup- hafi's regime secretly gave called United States of Af- Benghazi, which had been Dam, said when asked
tion allegations against Sarkozy 50 million euros rica, a dream Gadhafi pro- seized by the rebels, and about Sarkozy's legal woes.
former French President ($62 million) for his success- moted in public speeches vowing to hunt them down "This is God's punishment
Nicolas Sarkozy are "God's ful 2007 presidential cam- up until 2010. "We needed house by house. because he was the first to
punishment" for his role in paign. Sarkozy, who was a friend in the Elysee," Gad- Fearing a massacre, Sar- start airstrikes in Libya."
the NATO-backed uprising questioned this week by daf al-Dam said. "Fifty mil- kozy and other Western Speaking from his luxurious
that toppled and killed the anti-corruption police, fac- lion euros are not too much leaders launched a NATO- apartment overlooking the
longtime Libyan leader. es preliminary charges of for Africa." led air campaign against Nile in Cairo, Gaddaf al-
Ahmed Gaddaf al-Dam, illegally funding the cam- Sarkozy's support for the Gadhafi's forces in March Dam said most of the Liby-
a close aide to Gadhafi paign, passive corruption government failed to ma- of that year. The campaign ans involved in the money
based in Cairo, told The As- and receiving money from terialize, however, when intensified over the next transfers are imprisoned,
sociated Press that he was Libyan embezzlement. Libyans took to the streets seven months, eventually dead or in hiding, fearing
aware of the millions of eu- He has repeatedly denied in early 2011 in an upris- allowing the rebels to over- assassination.q
