FRANCE/CHAD: Satisfaction as French journalists are freed in Chad over child abuction case

French media express relief after three journalists are freed from Chad, but members of the Zoe's Ark group, accused of abduction and fraud, are still detained. There was satisfaction in the French capital on Monday (November 5) after the weekend release of three French journalists by Chad. The trio arrived at a military airport near Paris, accompanied by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, after his plane dropped off four released Spanish flight attendants in Madrid. Ten other Europeans remain in jail in the central African country charged with child abduction and fraud. Monday's papers showed the relieved journalists, and their release was welcomed by people on their way to work: "It's good that they are free, as they are not responsible for what happened. They were only doing their job," said Jean-Pierre who lives in Paris. "I think it's great that the journalists have been freed, they had nothing to do with the actions of Zoe's Ark," added Judicaelle, on her way in to work. The freed Europeans were among 16 French and Spanish nationals arrested 10 days ago as they attempted to fly 103 African children to Europe. Six members of French group Zoe's Ark are charged with fraud and abduction. Three members of a Spanish air crew are charged as accessories, as is a Belgian pilot who was arrested later. Sarkozy, who flew to Chad's capital N'Djamena to intervene on behalf of the Europeans, said at a joint news conference with Chad's President Idriss Deby that France had confidence in the Chadian state and the Chadian justice system. But he also said he would rather see French people tried in French courts and said there would be discussions between their judiciaries to find "within weeks, an outcome which respects Chadian justice and gives full guarantees to all parties". Chad accuses the group of trying to abduct the children, but Zoe's Ark has said it intended to place orphans from Darfur with European families for foster care and that it had the right to do so under international law. U.N. and Chadian officials say most of the infants had come from families with at least one parent living on the violent Chad-Sudan border, contradicting the "war orphans" description of the children given by Zoe's Ark. A Spanish diplomat in N'djamena on Monday (November 5) said he was "optimistic" after visiting the 10 Europeans who remained in jail. The Europeans were arrested in the eastern Chadian town of Abeche, near the border with Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, as they sought to fly out the children aged between one and 10. Talking to reporters gathered at court, Vincente Mas, the Spanish consul said, "The Spanish detainees are being heard now. We'll see the results of their hearing but our expectations are obviously optimistic." If convicted in Chad, the accused face possible forced labour terms of five to 20 years.

ITN Source | November 6, 2007

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