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| French convicts flown out of Chad | French convicts flown out of Chad |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Six French aid workers who were jailed in Chad on child trafficking charges have flown out of the capital N'Djamena, bound for France. | Six French aid workers who were jailed in Chad on child trafficking charges have flown out of the capital N'Djamena, bound for France. |
| 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. |
| The four men and two women from the French charity Zoe's Ark boarded a Boeing airliner of the Chadian carrier Toumai Air Tchad, Reuters reported. | The four men and two women from the French charity Zoe's Ark boarded a Boeing airliner of the Chadian carrier Toumai Air Tchad, Reuters reported. |
| France had requested that the six serve their sentences in France. | France had requested that the six serve their sentences in France. |
| The aid workers insisted they were trying to evacuate orphans from Darfur. | The aid workers 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. |
| Chad's Justice Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke told reporters on Friday: "I have responded favourably to the transfer request from France this morning". | Chad's Justice Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke told reporters on Friday: "I have responded favourably to the transfer request from France this morning". |
| The transfer was made possible by a 1976 bilateral co-operation accord. | The transfer was made possible by a 1976 bilateral co-operation accord. |
| The aid workers' actions sparked outrage in the former French colony in central Africa. | The aid workers' actions 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 Idriss Deby's government from being overthrown by rebels on a number of occasions. | France has considerable leverage over Chad, BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says, with military support from Paris having saved President Idriss Deby's government from being overthrown by rebels on a number of occasions. |
| French Justice Minister Rachida Dati said she had formally asked Chad for the six aid workers to be transferred to serve their prison sentences in their native country. | French Justice Minister Rachida Dati said she had formally asked Chad for the six aid workers 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. |
| The BBC's Emma Jane Kirby in Paris says it is likely that once the six arrive home, the French justice system will commute or reduce their sentences. | |
| But it is unclear whether they will still have to pay a $9m (£4.5m) fine imposed by a Chadian judge and whether they will face lawsuits lodged by families who had offered to foster the children in Europe, our correspondent says. | |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |