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| France issues Rwanda warrants | France issues Rwanda warrants |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A French judge has issued international arrest warrants for nine close aides of Rwandan President Paul Kagame. | A French judge has issued international arrest warrants for nine close aides of Rwandan President Paul Kagame. |
| They are accused of involvement in the 1994 shooting down of a plane carrying Rwanda's former president, a death which sparked genocide. | They are accused of involvement in the 1994 shooting down of a plane carrying Rwanda's former president, a death which sparked genocide. |
| The judge has accused Mr Kagame of ordering the killing. The president denies involvement and says the allegations are politically motivated. | The judge has accused Mr Kagame of ordering the killing. The president denies involvement and says the allegations are politically motivated. |
| Over 800,000 people died in the 100-day massacres which followed the killing. | Over 800,000 people died in the 100-day massacres which followed the killing. |
| The French allegations have sparked anger in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, where around 25,000 people were reported to have taken part in a government-organised demonstration against France. | The French allegations have sparked anger in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, where around 25,000 people were reported to have taken part in a government-organised demonstration against France. |
| The protesters paraded through the streets carry placards reading: "France: stop organising a second genocide" and "France get out of Rwanda". | The protesters paraded through the streets carry placards reading: "France: stop organising a second genocide" and "France get out of Rwanda". |
| They filled Rwanda's Amahoro National Stadium for a rally, where they chanted anti-French slogans and burnt the French flag. | They filled Rwanda's Amahoro National Stadium for a rally, where they chanted anti-French slogans and burnt the French flag. |
| Government offices and banks closed so that workers could take part in the protest, Reuters news agency reported. | Government offices and banks closed so that workers could take part in the protest, Reuters news agency reported. |
| Missiles | Missiles |
| The French judge, Jean-Louis Bruguiere, is investigating the case because the crew of the plane were French and the families filed a case in France in 1998. | The French judge, Jean-Louis Bruguiere, is investigating the case because the crew of the plane were French and the families filed a case in France in 1998. |
| Those the judge wants to arrest include armed forces chief James Kabarebe and army chief-of-staff Charles Kayonga. Under French law, Mr Kagame has immunity as head of state. | Those the judge wants to arrest include armed forces chief James Kabarebe and army chief-of-staff Charles Kayonga. Under French law, Mr Kagame has immunity as head of state. |
| ARREST WARRANTS ISSUED James Kabarebe, military chief-of-staffCharles Kayonga, army chief-of-staffFaustin Nyamwasa-Kayumba, ambassador to IndiaJackson Nkurunziza, working for presidential guardSamuel Kanyamera, RPF deputyJacob Tumwime, army officerFranck Nziza, presidential guard officerEric Hakizimana, intelligence officerRose Kabuye, director general of state protocol Profile: Paul Kagame | ARREST WARRANTS ISSUED James Kabarebe, military chief-of-staffCharles Kayonga, army chief-of-staffFaustin Nyamwasa-Kayumba, ambassador to IndiaJackson Nkurunziza, working for presidential guardSamuel Kanyamera, RPF deputyJacob Tumwime, army officerFranck Nziza, presidential guard officerEric Hakizimana, intelligence officerRose Kabuye, director general of state protocol Profile: Paul Kagame |
| Judge Bruguiere has said that only Mr Kagame's Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) forces had missiles capable of downing President Juvenal Habyarimana's plane. | Judge Bruguiere has said that only Mr Kagame's Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) forces had missiles capable of downing President Juvenal Habyarimana's plane. |
| He said the attack was carefully planned by the RPF. | He said the attack was carefully planned by the RPF. |
| Mr Kagame has denied this and has always accused France of having links to those who carried out the genocide. | Mr Kagame has denied this and has always accused France of having links to those who carried out the genocide. |
| The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) brushed aside suggestions from Judge Bruguiere that Mr Kagame should stand trial there. | The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) brushed aside suggestions from Judge Bruguiere that Mr Kagame should stand trial there. |
| "The prosecutor takes instructions from nobody in the world," said Everard O'Donnell, spokesman for the Arusha-based tribunal. | "The prosecutor takes instructions from nobody in the world," said Everard O'Donnell, spokesman for the Arusha-based tribunal. |
| "The crash did not create the genocide," he said. | "The crash did not create the genocide," he said. |
| Protests | Protests |
| Mr Kagame has described suggestions that he was behind the assassination of the former president as scandalous. | Mr Kagame has described suggestions that he was behind the assassination of the former president as scandalous. |
| Thousands turned out to protest against France | |
| After Habyarimana's plane crashed, Hutu extremists started massacring ethnic Tutsis and Hutu moderates. | After Habyarimana's plane crashed, Hutu extremists started massacring ethnic Tutsis and Hutu moderates. |
| The genocide came to an end when Mr Kagame's then rebel RPF seized power 100 days later. | The genocide came to an end when Mr Kagame's then rebel RPF seized power 100 days later. |
| The RPF has always said the Hutu extremists shot down the presidential plane to provide a pretext to carry out the genocide. | The RPF has always said the Hutu extremists shot down the presidential plane to provide a pretext to carry out the genocide. |
| "That some judge in France whose name I cannot even pronounce has something to say about Rwanda - trying a president and some government officials - that's rubbish," Mr Kagame said on Wednesday. | "That some judge in France whose name I cannot even pronounce has something to say about Rwanda - trying a president and some government officials - that's rubbish," Mr Kagame said on Wednesday. |
| And at the rally in Kigali, activists hit out at France. | And at the rally in Kigali, activists hit out at France. |
| "The French trained Interahamwe [Hutu militias] everywhere in the country but it did not stop them from losing," Francois Ngarambe, president of genocide survivors' group Ibuka told demonstrators. | "The French trained Interahamwe [Hutu militias] everywhere in the country but it did not stop them from losing," Francois Ngarambe, president of genocide survivors' group Ibuka told demonstrators. |
| He accused France of sheltering genocide suspects. "If they want justice, why don't they start with such people," he said. | He accused France of sheltering genocide suspects. "If they want justice, why don't they start with such people," he said. |