Former French president Sarkozy responsible of felony conspiracy in Libyan marketing campaign financing trial – stories
We’re getting a line from Reuters simply now that former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been discovered responsible of felony conspiracy – however not different fees – in a case wanting into receiving hundreds of thousands of euros in unlawful election marketing campaign funding from the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
We’ll convey you extra when we now have it.
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Up to date at 05.32 EDT
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Angelique Chrisafis
in Paris
Individually, Claude Guéant, who was director of Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential marketing campaign earlier than being made Sarkozy’s chief-of-staff after which inside minister, was discovered responsible of felony conspiracy and corruption.
Brice Hortefeux, one other Sarkozy ally, who additionally served as inside minister, was discovered responsible of felony conspiracy however acquitted of unlawful marketing campaign funding. Each he and Guéant are prone to enchantment towards their convictions.
Éric Woerth, one other former minister who was Sarkozy’s head of marketing campaign financing in 2007 and has since moved to Emmanuel Macron’s centrist celebration, was acquitted.
ShareAngelique Chrisafis
in Paris
Regardless of his convictions, Sarkozy continues to fulfill and be consulted by key figures on the proper and centre. He not too long ago met his former protege, the brand new prime minister Sébastien Lecornu, who has but to kind a brand new authorities after the final authorities collapsed in a no-confidence vote earlier this month.
ShareAngelique Chrisafis
in Paris
The court docket had heard that in return for the cash, the Libyan regime requested diplomatic, authorized and enterprise favours and it was understood that Sarkozy would rehabilitate Gaddafi’s worldwide picture.
The autocratic Libyan chief, whose brutal 41-year rule was marked by human rights abuses, had been remoted internationally over his regime’s connection to terrorism, together with the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in Scotland in December 1988.
Members of Sarkozy’s entourage had been accused by prosecutors of assembly members of Gaddafi’s regime in Libya in 2005, when Sarkozy was inside minister. Quickly after changing into French president in 2007, Sarkozy then invited the Libyan chief for a prolonged state go to to Paris, organising his Bedouin tent in gardens close to the Élysée Palace. Sarkozy was the primary western chief to welcome Gaddafi on a full state go to because the freeze in relations within the Nineteen Eighties over his pariah standing as a sponsor of state terrorism.
However in 2011, Sarkozy put France on the forefront of Nato-led airstrikes towards Gaddafi’s troops that helped insurgent fighters topple his regime. Gaddafi was captured by rebels in October 2011 and killed.
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Sarkozy discovered responsible of felony conspiracy in Libya trial, anticipated to enchantment – first report
Angelique Chrisafis
The previous French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been discovered responsible of felony conspiracy in a trial through which he and aides had been accused of creating an alleged corruption pact with the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to obtain funding for the 2007 French presidential election marketing campaign.
However Sarkozy was acquitted of three different fees, together with passive corruption and unlawful marketing campaign financing.
Sarkozy, who had denied all wrongdoing in court docket, is predicted to instantly enchantment.
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Up to date at 04.59 EDT
Angelique Chrisafis
It was the largest corruption trial confronted by Sarkozy, 70, who was France’s rightwing president from 2007 to 2012.
He has already been convicted in two separate instances: one for corruption and affect peddling over unlawful makes an attempt to safe favours from a decide, and one other for hiding unlawful overspending within the 2012 presidential election that he misplaced to the Socialist candidate, François Hollande.
He has appealed towards each convictions.
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Right here is a little more on that from Reuters:
Sarkozy, who has all the time denied the costs, was accused of creating a cope with Gaddafi in 2005, when he was France’s inside minister, to acquire marketing campaign financing in alternate for supporting the then-isolated Libyan authorities on the worldwide stage.
…
Sarkozy was, nevertheless, acquitted of all different fees, together with passive corruption and unlawful marketing campaign financing.
AP famous that the court docket was nonetheless studying out its ruling and so sentencing would come later right now, and burdened that Sarkozy can enchantment the decision, which might droop any sentence pending the end result of that course of.
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Up to date at 04.49 EDT
Former French president Sarkozy responsible of felony conspiracy in Libyan marketing campaign financing trial – stories
We’re getting a line from Reuters simply now that former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been discovered responsible of felony conspiracy – however not different fees – in a case wanting into receiving hundreds of thousands of euros in unlawful election marketing campaign funding from the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
We’ll convey you extra when we now have it.
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Up to date at 05.32 EDT
What we all know up to now about drones in Denmark? – abstract
Denmark faces “systemic” drone incidents introduced by a “skilled” actor looking for to disrupt airports and navy installations, defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated.
Authorities have no proof to substantiate who’s behind the incidents as they proceed investigating the drone sightings.
However Poulsen famous that “there are international locations or actors who might have an curiosity in undermining our assist for Ukraine” as he insisted “it’s essential we don’t permit ourselves to be intimidated by Russia.”
The drones look like doubtlessly getting launched in shut neighborhood to targets, posing further questions on how they’re operated and security of crucial infrastructure.
The incidents seem to hunt to “take a look at boundaries, and create concern,” justice minister Peter Hummelgaard stated, as he warned that “the specter of hybrid assaults is one thing right here to remain.”
Denmark is contemplating triggering the Article 4 of Nato treaty to convene a gathering to debate the risk, after Poland and Estonia selected to take action earlier this month, however no remaining resolution has been made but.
Ministers warned the character of the incidents make it “utterly unsustainable” for Danish infrastructure to be commonly put out of use, as they pledged to step up the nation’s defences towards drones.
Officers had been notably pressed on their resolution to not shoot the drones down, notably over the Skrydstrup airbase which hosts F-35 fighter jets, arguing it was based mostly on operational evaluation on the time, however conceded they wanted to get higher at responding to drone incidents.
On Friday, Denmark will be a part of an EU assembly on the so-called “drone wall” to debate regional cooperation and classes that may very well be discovered from Ukraine.
Resolving the difficulty is more and more pressing as EU leaders are anticipated in Copenhagen subsequent week for a casual European Council assembly.
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Authorities coping with ‘skilled’ operator, defence minister says
However Danish authorities look like assured that they’re coping with a talented, skilled operator – and never simply rogue privately-owned drones.
“There might be little doubt that every part factors to this being the work of knowledgeable actor once we are speaking about such a scientific operation in so many areas at just about the identical time. That is what I might outline as a hybrid assault utilizing several types of drones,” defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen says.
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The officers are getting numerous pushback over their resolution to not shoot the drones down, notably over the Skrydstrup airbase, which hosts Denmark’s fighter jets.
They are saying it was a part of “an total evaluation” of the state of affairs, stressing dangers of taking drones down in busy areas.
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Up to date at 03.40 EDT
Denmark contemplating asking for Nato Article 4 talks, no resolution but, defence minister says
Danish defence minister says the nation has not but decided on whether or not to formally ask for Nato Article 4 talks, as Poland and Estonia did that in latest weeks.
It’s into account, defence minister Poulsen says, however confirms there’s lively engagement with the EU and Nato on this.
There’s a sure urgency to resolving the drone disaster as Copenhagen is about to host EU leaders on Wednesday subsequent week. The safety operation in place can be “very, very massive,” the officers say.
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Up to date at 03.34 EDT
As reported earlier this week (Europe Dwell Tuesday), the ministers additionally affirm that Denmark will participate in tomorrow’s drone wall assembly organised by the European Fee.
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Curiously, the nation’s defence minister seems to counsel that the drones could also be getting launched regionally, and never flying in from far. However that is nonetheless being seemed into, he says.
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Hybrid incidents ‘right here to remain,’ ministers warn, as they plan to step up defence towards drones
Denmark’s justice and defence ministers are briefing the press now, alongside military and police representatives, describing it as a systemic hybrid assault towards Denmark.
They each warn that the danger of hybrid incidents is “right here to remain” and prone to proceed within the coming days and weeks, with the intention to “create concern, to create division.”
The nationwide police chief additionally confirms that there have been stories of incidents at navy services.
The federal government will search to accumulate “enhanced capabilities” to cope with the rising risk and replace its laws to permit infrastructure homeowners to take down drones extra simply.
There’ll nonetheless be questions over the practicality of such strikes, notably in crowded or densely inhabited areas, however it can enhance the authorized state of affairs. However in addition they degree with the general public to say that even with their capabilities, they received’t all the time have the ability to take them down.
However defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, insists there was no direct navy risk towards Denmark.
Responding to questions from journalists, the ministers additionally say there’s at the moment no proof to hyperlink the assaults to Russia, though they do point out in passing different incidents in Europe which were attributed to Russia and say the incidents may very well be aimed toward undermining Denmark’s assist for Ukraine.
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Up to date at 03.37 EDT
Morning opening: Denmark faces drones in its airspace as soon as once more
Jakub Krupa
Denmark wakes up as soon as once more to stories of unidentified drones in its airspace in a single day, forcing a short lived closure of Aalborg airport late night and prompting considerations over their presence in at the least three different areas, together with close to navy bases.
A light-weight strikes within the sky over Aalborg, amid stories of drone sightings that led to town’s airport, used for business and navy flights, being closed resulting from drones in its airspace. {Photograph}: Morten Skov/@MSchieller69609/Reuters
The incidents come simply days after Copenhagen airport noticed flights halted for a number of hours after reported drone sightings.
In a rapidly convened late evening press convention, authorities defined that there have been some similarities between the 2 occasions, however couldn’t supply extra readability on who was behind the incidents.
The Danish authorities are holding a press convention updating the general public on their investigation proper now, and I’ll convey you all the important thing traces right here.
It’s Thursday, 25 September 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa right here, and that is Europe Dwell.
Good morning.
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Up to date at 03.25 EDT
