Gaddafi’s son Saif doubles down on Sarkozy funding claim, alleges pressure to retract

Gaddafi’s son Saif doubles down on Sarkozy funding claim, alleges pressure to retract

Muammar Gaddafi’s son has told FRANCE 24’s sister radio RFI that he was personally involved in giving former French president Nicolas Sarkozy suitcases of cash ahead of his victorious 2007 presidential run. Saif al-Islam alleges that he was pressured to change his testimony by emissaries of Sarkozy, who is on trial for illegal campaign funding.

Interviewed for the first time, the intermediary Alexandre Djouhri welcomed his relationships with the Sarkozy team. Nicolas Sarkozy accused the other intermediary in the case, Ziad Takieddine, of having “manipulated” Claude Guéant and Brice Horteeux.

Nicolas Sarkozy was questioned about his visit to Libya in 2005, which he meticulously detailed to prove that it was physically impossible for him to enter into “a corruption pact” with the Libyan leader.

Long questioned this Monday about his strange visit to Libyan dictator Gaddafi in 2005, the former president fiercely denied any financing agreement that could have been sealed on that occasion.

At the time of his visit, the former Head of State was Minister of the Interior. He is suspected of having at that time mentioned financing his campaign for the 2007 presidential election. Accusations that he described as “grotesque” at the hearing on Monday.

TRANSCRIPT OF HEARING - According to the former president, it was impossible to conclude a corruption pact with Colonel Gaddafi in the presence of a large number of people.