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France issues Rwanda warrants France issues Rwanda warrants
(about 1 hour later)
A French judge has issued international arrest warrants for nine close aides of Rwandan President Paul Kagame.A French judge has issued international arrest warrants for nine close aides of Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
They are accused of involvement in the 1994 shooting down of a plane carrying Rwanda's former president, a death which sparked genocide.They are accused of involvement in the 1994 shooting down of a plane carrying Rwanda's former president, a death which sparked genocide.
The judge has accused Mr Kagame of ordering the killing. He denies involvement and says the allegations are politically motivated.The judge has accused Mr Kagame of ordering the killing. He denies involvement and says the allegations are politically motivated.
More than 800,000 people died in the 100-day massacres.More than 800,000 people died in the 100-day massacres.
Under French law, Mr Kagame has immunity as head of state.Under French law, Mr Kagame has immunity as head of state.
Street protest In the Rwandan capital, Kigali, thousands of people have taken part in a government-organised demonstration against France.
Missiles
Judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere is investigating the case because the crew of the plane were French and the families filed a case in France in 1998.Judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere is investigating the case because the crew of the plane were French and the families filed a case in France in 1998.
Those the judge wants to arrest include armed forces chief James Kabarebe and army chief-of-staff Charles Kayonga.Those the judge wants to arrest include armed forces chief James Kabarebe and army chief-of-staff Charles Kayonga.
That some judge in France whose name I cannot even pronounce has something to say about Rwanda - that's rubbish Rwandan President Paul Kagame Profile: Paul Kagame Judge Bruguiere has said that only Mr Kagame's Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) forces had missiles capable of downing President Juvenal Habyarimana's plane. ARREST WARRANTS ISSUED James Kabarebe, military chief-of-staffCharles Kayonga, army chief-of-staffFaustin Nyamwasa-Kayumba, ambassador to IndiaJackson Nkurunziza, working for presidential guardSamuel Kanyamera, RPF deputyJacob Tumwime, army officerFranck Nziza, presidential guard officerEric Hakizimana, intelligence officerRose Kabuye, director general of state protocol Profile: Paul Kagame
Mr Kagame has denied this and has always accused France of having links to the Hutu extremists who carried out the genocide of Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Judge Bruguiere has said that only Mr Kagame's Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) forces had missiles capable of downing President Juvenal Habyarimana's plane.
He said the attack was carefully planned by the RPF.
Mr Kagame has denied this and has always accused France of having links to those who carried out the genocide.
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) brushed aside suggestions from Judge Bruguiere that Mr Kagame should stand trial there.The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) brushed aside suggestions from Judge Bruguiere that Mr Kagame should stand trial there.
"The prosecutor takes instructions from nobody in the world," said Everard O'Donnell, spokesman for the Arusha-based tribunal."The prosecutor takes instructions from nobody in the world," said Everard O'Donnell, spokesman for the Arusha-based tribunal.
"The crash did not create the genocide," he said."The crash did not create the genocide," he said.
Mr Kagame has described that suggestions he was behind the assassination of the former president as scandalous. Protests
Mr Kagame has described suggestions that he was behind the assassination of the former president as scandalous.
After Habyarimana's plane crashed, Hutu extremists started massacring ethnic Tutsis and Hutu moderates.
The genocide came to an end when Mr Kagame's then rebel RPF seized power 100 days later.
The RPF has always said the Hutu extremists shot down the presidential plane to provide a pretext to carry out the genocide.
"That some judge in France whose name I cannot even pronounce has something to say about Rwanda - trying a president and some government officials - that's rubbish," Mr Kagame said on Wednesday."That some judge in France whose name I cannot even pronounce has something to say about Rwanda - trying a president and some government officials - that's rubbish," Mr Kagame said on Wednesday.
In the Rwandan capital, Kigali on Thursday some 10,000 people took to the streets in a government-organised protest at France's alleged complicity in the genocide. In Kigali, the demonstrators carried placards reading: "France: stop organising a second genocide" and "France get out of Rwanda".
Many carried placard reading "France genocidaire" and "France get out of Rwanda". Reuters news agency reports that government offices and banks closed so workers could take part in the protest.
"The French trained Interahamwe [Hutu militias] everywhere in the country but it did not stop them from losing," Francois Ngarambe, president of genocide survivors' group Ibuka told demonstrators.