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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Chad sends French convicts home | Chad sends French convicts home |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Six French aid workers jailed in Chad on child trafficking charges will be repatriated on Friday, a Chadian official says. | Six French aid workers jailed in Chad on child trafficking charges will be repatriated on Friday, a Chadian official says. |
| The six were sentenced to eight years' hard labour in Chad on Wednesday for attempting to kidnap 103 children. | The six were sentenced to eight years' hard labour in Chad on Wednesday for attempting to kidnap 103 children. |
| French Justice Minister Rachida Dati had requested that the six Zoe's Ark charity workers serve their sentences in France under a 1976 accord. | French Justice Minister Rachida Dati had requested that the six Zoe's Ark charity workers serve their sentences in France under a 1976 accord. |
| The aid workers have insisted they were trying to evacuate orphans from Darfur. | The aid workers have insisted they were trying to evacuate orphans from Darfur. |
| However, most of the children were found to be from Chad, which borders the war-torn western Sudanese region, and had parents who were still alive. | However, most of the children were found to be from Chad, which borders the war-torn western Sudanese region, and had parents who were still alive. |
| The Chadian official who announced the imminent repatriation on Friday spoke on condition of anonymity. | The Chadian official who announced the imminent repatriation on Friday spoke on condition of anonymity. |
| Chad's Justice Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke told reporters: "I have responded favourably to the transfer request from France this morning". | Chad's Justice Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke told reporters: "I have responded favourably to the transfer request from France this morning". |
| The case sparked outrage in the former French colony in central Africa. | The case sparked outrage in the former French colony in central Africa. |
| France has considerable leverage over Chad, BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says, with military support from Paris having saved president Idris Deby's government from being overthrown by rebels on a number of occasions. | |
| Ms Dati said she had formally asked Chad for the four men and two women to be transferred to serve their prison sentences in their native country. | Ms Dati said she had formally asked Chad for the four men and two women to be transferred to serve their prison sentences in their native country. |
| But legal proceedings would be required in France to amend the sentences, because the country has no punishment of hard labour. | But legal proceedings would be required in France to amend the sentences, because the country has no punishment of hard labour. |
| Controversial operation | Controversial operation |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke by phone with President Deby on Thursday night about preparations for transferring the six aid workers, President Sarkozy's office said. | |
| The six were arrested in October as they tried to fly the children to France. | The six were arrested in October as they tried to fly the children to France. |
| Zoe's Ark insisted tribal leaders in Sudan had told them all the children were orphans from Darfur. It said it wanted to save the children's lives and was carrying out a medical evacuation - not an adoption operation. | |
| In statements to police, the families said they had not been told their children were about to be taken abroad. | In statements to police, the families said they had not been told their children were about to be taken abroad. |
| They claimed that the aid workers misled them into believing the youngsters - aged one to 10 - would be offered temporary local school places. | They claimed that the aid workers misled them into believing the youngsters - aged one to 10 - would be offered temporary local school places. |
| In November seven Europeans arrested with the six Zoe's Ark workers flew home, accompanied by President Sarkozy. | In November seven Europeans arrested with the six Zoe's Ark workers flew home, accompanied by President Sarkozy. |