“Sarkozy has to give back the money he accepted from Libya to finance his electoral campaign. We financed his campaign and we have the proof… The first thing we’re demanding is that this clown gives back the money to the Libyan people.”
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi (March 2011)
September 30 2016 — French news website ‘Mediapart’ has uncovered hard evidence documenting the funding of Sarkozy’s presidential campaign (2007) by Colonel Gaddafi. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY
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UPDATE (October 16 2020) — Today, the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Nicolas Sarkozy is indicted for “criminal association”.
The former President of the Republic has been heard for several hours in recent weeks at the financial center of the Paris court in the case of suspicion of Libyan funding for his 2007 election campaign.
In this case, Nicolas Sarkozy had already been indicted for “passive corruption”, “concealment of embezzlement of public funds” and “illegal campaign financing”.
UPDATE (September 30 2020) — The wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine.
Sarkozy’s first trial will — finally — start on October 5 2020 and will last until October 22 2020.
This will be the first trial in several corruption investigations against Sarkozy.
Sarkozy is the first former president (2007 to 2012) of France to stand trial on corruption charges.
Sarkozy will also stand trial in March 2021 on charges of campaign finance violations during his failed 2012 re-election bid.
He is accused of spending nearly double the legal campaign spending limit of 22.5 million euros ($26.6 million). If convicted, he risks a one-year prison sentence.
Sarkozy is also suspected of having accepted millions of euros from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi towards his first presidential campaign in 2007.
Last Thursday (September 24 2020), the appeals court of Paris announced that it had given the green light to go ahead with an inquiry regarding this claim.
On this third issue, Sarkozy still has an option of making a final appeal to France’s highest court.
The investigation began in 2012 after the Mediapart published a document, signed by Libya’s intelligence chief, which revealed that Mr Gaddafi had agreed to hand over the cash to Mr Sarkozy.
Stay tuned!
END OF UPDATE
A diary of Shukri Ghanem — Head of the Libyan government (2003-2006) and minister of oil (2006-2011) — contains records relating to a series of payments to the 2007 campaign of then-President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Shukri Ghanem: Head of the Libyan government (2003-2006) and minister of oil (2006-2011)
About Shukri Ghanem
Shukri Ghanem was head of the Libyan government (2003-2006) and minister of oil (2006-2011).
Ghanem defected in 2011. Ghanem was found dead on April 29 2012 in Vienna as a result of ‘accidental drowning’.
The previous day, MEDIAPART had published a piece regarding this affair.
How Much?
According to Mediapart, the payments were made in three tranches. It cited a meeting dated 29 April 2007 at which Bashir Saleh, a former aide of Gaddafi, is said to have transferred 1.5 million euros to Nicolas Sarkozy.
A further 3 million euros was purportedly transferred by a son of Gaddafi before the final 2 million was sent by Abdullah Sanussi, the then head of Libyan intelligence service. [AFRICANEWS]
RUMINT / GOSINT?
One should — of course — be very suspicious of such stories. However, in this particular case, I have a strong feeling that there is some truth to it… Let us take it slowly.
Stay tuned. We will come back to this one!
Ex-Libyan oil minister’s body found in Danube
PS: LOCKERBIE
In February 2004, Ghanem was interviewed on the BBC Radio 4 Today program.
He stirred controversy in the interview by repudiating Libya’s responsibility both for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing and the 1984 murder of British WPC Yvonne Fletcher (who was shot and killed in April 1984 outside the Libyan Embassy in London).
This incident led to the severing of UK/Libya diplomatic relations.
It is my opinion that Ghanem was telling the truth about these events.
And I understand that many experts/witnesses would indeed argue that the Lockerbie trial was a joke. A very sick joke.
UPDATE (September 30 2018) — Over the last 12 months, new details have emerged regarding the biggest political corruption scandal to hit France in decades.
One fact appears quite established. Mr Sarkozy sought to influence a judge — Gilbert Azibert — who was looking into suspected illegal financing of his campaign.
Another allegation is less certain but quite plausible. Sarkozy is suspected to have accepted €50m from Gaddafi’s regime.
UPDATE (September 30 2019) — On June 18 2019, the Court of Cassation, which rules on questions of law, stated that a trial was justified for Sarkozy as well as his lawyer Thierry Herzog and former judge Gilbert Azibert.
The ruling was Sarkozy’s last hope of preventing the trial coming to court and the French judicial authorities have now approved sending the case to a criminal tribunal.
It is the first time in the history of modern France that a former leader will face explicit corruption charges in court.
After his 2012 defeat, Sarkozy famously declared: “you won’t hear about me anymore.” Justice appears to have decided otherwise…
REFERENCES
Gaddafi ‘contributed €50m to Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential election fund’ — The Guardian March 2012
Un carnet consignait en 2007 les millions libyens de Nicolas Sarkozy — MEDIAPART Sept 27 2016
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Dead Man’s Diary: Sarkozy’s 2007 Presidential Election Campaign Funded by Gaddafi
One Year Ago — Dead Man’s Diary: Sarkozy’s 2007 Presidential Election Campaign Funded by Gaddafi
Two Years Ago — Dead Man’s Diary : Sarkozy’s 2007 Presidential Election Campaign Funded by Gaddafi
Three Years Ago — Dead Man Diary : Sarkozy 2007 Presidential Election Campaign Funded by Gaddafi
Four Years Ago — Dead Man Diary : Sarkozy 2007 Presidential Election Campaign Funded by Gaddafi
Four Years Ago — Dead Man Diary : Sarkozy 2007 Presidential Election Campaign Funded by Gaddafi [UPDATE : Nicolas Sarkozy Indicted for “Criminal Association”]
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