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DATE=5/4/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248953
TITLE= FRANCE MERCENARY (L/S VER)
BYLINE=JULIAN NUNDY
DATELINE=PARIS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO: BOB DENARD, A FRENCH MERCENARY CREDITED WITH INVOLVEMENT 
IN 18 COUPS D'ETAT IN AFRICA, WENT ON TRIAL IN PARIS TUESDAY FOR 
THE MURDER OF A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE COMORO ISLANDS.  JULIAN 
NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS. 
TEXT:   THE SELF-STYLED "COLONEL DENARD" IS A MAN CREDITED BY 
SOME WITH "PRIVATIZING" FRANCE'S INTERVENTIONIST AFRICA POLICY, 
ONE UNDER WHICH FRANCE WOULD SEND IN ITS TROOPS TO BACK UP 
FRIENDLY REGIMES IN ITS FORMER COLONIES.
//OPT// AND HE DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS A "PIRATE OF THE REPUBLIC."
COLONEL DENARD WAS ONE OF THE CHARACTERS FOR THE NOVEL "THE DOGS 
OF WAR" BY THE BRITISH NOVELIST FREDERICK FORSYTHE WHO CAME 
ACROSS HIM IN BIAFRA IN NIGERIA 30 YEAR AGO. 
HIS BIOGRAPHERS CLAIM DENARD HAS PLAYED A CENTRAL ROLE IN  18 
DIFFERENT COUPS D'ETAT THROUGHOUT AFRICA. //END OPT///
NOW, THE 70-YEAR-OLD BOB DENARD AND TWO OF HIS ACCOMPLICES ARE ON
TRIAL FOR THE MURDER OF COMORAN PRESIDENT AHMED ABDALLAH IN 1989.
//OPT// HE HAD ALREADY BEEN LIVING IN THE FORMER 
FRENCH-CONTROLLED INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS FOR 11 YEARS AND WAS 
CREDITED WITH DEPOSING ABDALLAH ONCE BEFORE -- AND THEN BRINGING 
HIM BACK TO POWER. //END OPT//
THE DEFENDANTS ARE ACCUSED OF SHOOTING THE PRESIDENT, WHEN 
"COLONEL" DENARD WAS THE HEAD OF THE PRESIDENTIAL GUARD. THEY 
DENY THIS, SAYING THE PRESIDENT WAS KILLED WHEN A BODYGUARD 
OPENED FIRE.  THE BODYGUARD WAS ALSO KILLED IN THE INCIDENT.
AS JURY MEMBERS WERE CHOSEN FOR THE TRIAL IN PARIS, "COLONEL" 
DENARD ASKED TO BE RELEASED FROM CUSTODY, SAYING HE IS  NOT  A 
DANGER TO FRENCH SOCIETY.
//REST OPT// DURING HIS TWO-WEEK TRIAL, ONE CHARACTER WITNESS 
WILL BE A FORMER CONSERVATIVE FRENCH GOVERNMENT MINISTER WHO, THE
DEFENDANTS' LAWYERS SAY, WILL TESTIFY THAT COLONEL DENARD WAS 
OFTEN USED BY FRANCE AS PART OF ITS NOW OFFICIALLY DEFUNCT AFRICA
POLICY. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWN/PCF
04-May-99 2:00 PM EDT (1800 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.