French elite head to trial for arms trafficking to Angola
A group of high-profile members of French’s elite are heading to trial for trafficking arms to the African state of Angola.
Thirteen members of France’s political establishment will go on trial on Monday over the sale in spite of an international arms embargo of millions of dollars in weapons to oil-rich Angola.
Jacques Attali, an advisor to France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy, Jean-Christophe Mitterrand, son of former President François Mitterrand, Charles Pasqua, a former interior minister and the Israeli politician Arkadi Gaydamak are among those accused of helping to facilitate $790m (€576m) of arms sales to Angola between 1993-98.
Angola was subject to United Nations sanctions prohibiting arms trading at the time. Mr Attali, charged with peddling influence and taking illegal commissions, headed a national economic advisory board appointed by Mr Sarkozy this year.
