France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Thu Nov 2, 2006 7:46 PM GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - France's Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris helped Rwanda's former Hutu government massacre ethnic Tutsis in a 1994 genocide.

Spokesman Jean-Francois Bureau said on Thursday that Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie had taken the decision on Tuesday on the recommendation of a consultative body that reviews requests for the release of secret state papers.

Bureau said he had no details of the precise content of the reports by the DGSE foreign intelligence service, which are to be handed over to investigating magistrate Florence Michon.

In November 2005, France launched an official investigation into complaints by six Rwandan survivors of the massacre who accused France of complicity in crimes against humanity.

An estimated 800,000 people, mainly Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were killed in the 100-day slaughter by Hutu militia.

France sent troops to Rwanda at the height of the genocide under a U.N.-authorised operation, saying it was safeguarding the provision of food and emergency medical services of humanitarian organisations.

France has said tens of thousands of Tutsis were saved in the area where they were sent and a French parliamentary probe in 1998 cleared France of responsibility for the genocide but said "strategic errors" had been made.

"France acted within the terms of the mandate that the UN Security Council gave it," Bureau said.

Genocide survivors tell a different story. In the hilltop village of Bisesero, for example, they say French soldiers told Tutsis they would protect them, only to herd them in one place where they were later hacked to death by Hutus.

A Rwandan government-appointed commission last month launched a probe into the actions of French troops.

France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Reuters.uk, UK - 12 hours agoPARIS (Reuters) - France's Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris ...
France to declassify Rwanda files

BBC News, UK - 15 hours agoFrance says it will release classified documents on the Rwandan genocide, after claims that French troops were complicit in the 1994 massacre. ...
France lifts secrecy on genocide papers

Independent Online, South Africa - 17 hours agoParis - France's defence minister agreed on Thursday to declassify intelligence documents on the Rwandan genocide for use in probing survivors' claims that ...
France To Declassify Reports On Army's Role In Rwandan Genocide

All Headline News - 9 hours agoParis, France (AHN) - French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie will release 105 intelligence reports to a judge investigating France's alleged complicity ...
France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Reuters South Africa, South Africa - 1 hour agoPARIS (Reuters) - France's Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris ...
France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Reuters - 5 hours agoPARIS (Reuters) - France's Defense Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris ...
France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Reuters Canada, Canada - 5 hours agoPARIS (Reuters) - France's Defense Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris ...
France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Washington Post, United States - 5 hours agoPARIS (Reuters) - France's Defense Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris ...
France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Reuters India, India - 7 hours agoPARIS (Reuters) - France's Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris ...

France to declassify Rwanda files

BBC News, UK - 9 hours agoFrance says it will release classified documents on the Rwandan genocide, after claims that French troops were complicit in the 1994 massacre. ...
Secret Rwanda reports declassified

Advertiser Adelaide, Australia - 12 hours agoFRANCE'S Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris helped Rwanda's ...
Secret Rwanda reports declassified

The Australian, Australia - 12 hours agoFRANCE'S Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris helped Rwanda's ...
Secret Rwanda reports declassified

Daily Telegraph, Australia - 12 hours agoFRANCE'S Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris helped Rwanda's ...
France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Reuters Canada, Canada - 11 hours agoPARIS (Reuters) - France's Defense Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris ...
France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Reuters.uk, UK - 12 hours agoPARIS (Reuters) - France's Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris ...
France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Swissinfo, Switzerland - 12 hours agoPARIS (Reuters) - France's Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris ...
France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Scotsman, United Kingdom - 12 hours agoPARIS (Reuters) - France's Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris ...
Secret Rwanda reports declassified

Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - 12 hours agoFRANCE'S Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris helped Rwanda's ...
Secret Rwanda reports declassified

NEWS.com.au, Australia - 12 hours agoFRANCE'S Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris helped Rwanda's ...
France to declassify Rwanda files

BBC Bulgaria, Bulgaria - 14 hours agoFrance says it will release classified documents on the Rwandan genocide, after claims that French troops were complicit in the 1994 massacre. ...
France declassifies secret Rwanda reports for probe

Zee News, India - 3 hours agoParis, Nov 03: France's Defense Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris helped ...
Secret Rwanda reports declassified

Courier Mail, Australia - 12 hours agoFRANCE'S Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris helped Rwanda's ...
Secret Rwanda reports declassified

Sunday Times.au, Australia - 12 hours agoFRANCE'S Defence Minister has ordered that 105 secret intelligence reports be handed over to a judge investigating allegations that Paris helped Rwanda's ...
France to declassify Rwanda files

BBC Afrique, UK - 14 hours agoFrance says it will release classified documents on the Rwandan genocide, after claims that French troops were complicit in the 1994 massacre. ...