The case is sensitive and lack information

A former Prime Minister among the defendants, a President of the Republic to exercise as a civil party, it was never given. Whether one likes it or not, the Clearstream case has become a matter of State. The scenario is complex, and eventually back to hate political confrontation between Dominique de Villepin and Nicolas Sarkozy under the eye of the judges. This is so true that two other politicians mentioned in the record have decided not to mix: Laurent Fabius has chosen to withdraw her complaint and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, considering that the fraud is no longer doubt, should not be present or represented. Decryption.

How was the case it started

Since 2001, the investigating judge Renaud van Ruymbeke investigation on of presumed retro-commissions on the margins of the sale of frigates to Taiwan in 1991. The case is sensitive and lack information. However, on 3 May 2004, boon, the judge receives an anonymous letter referring to a network of corruption, as well as excerpts of presented as being from accounts of Clearstream, a Luxembourg clearing house. Among the names mentioned is Philippe Delmas, the number two Airbus, Noël Forgeard, then in war of succession for the Presidency of EADS faithful against Philippe Camus, President of EADS (supported by Jean-Louis Gergorin, Vice-President). May 7, Philippe Delmas is arrested and placed in custody. It is he who will file complaint of calumnious denunciation. It is this complaint heard by judges Henri Pons and Jean-Marie of Huy who prospered to become "Clearstream affair". During the investigation, Jean-Louis Gergorin will recognize to be the "Raven".

Where are the "Clearstream files"

According to the investigators, is a young auditor Arthur Andersen, Florian Bourges, which recovered late 2001 and early 2002 of listings on a mission in Clearstream. It was then passed to journalist Denis Robert, author of an inquiry into Clearstream. He will present the CD-ROM containing the listings to a mathematician, Imad Lahoud, came into contact with the journalist by a mutual friend. Lahoud has briefly worked for the DGSE in 2003 and was hired in EADS by Jean-Louis Gergorin. The files be received in Renaud Van Ruymbeke will look like at the end in a social Directory including names of politicians, industrialists, members of the intelligence services and show-biz stars. At each letter to the judge (four to October 4, 2004), they are richer new names. These include when the second (June 14) the family names of Nicolas Sarkozy, "Stéphane bocsa" and "Paul de Nagy".

What was the role of General information

Strangely, the statement is not entered in depth to determine the true role of the secret services. Yet during the investigation, all of the French intelligence - DGSE, DST, DRM, DRM, RG - appears in the background. Will General Rondot, who will be heard as a simple witness during the trial, further in his revelations The first trafficked listings had been produced in the fall of 2003 by Imad Lahoud and Jean-Louis Gergorin to Philippe Rondot, then Councillor for intelligence and special operations (CROS) of the Ministry of defence. The latter two then met on 9 January 2004 in the Office of Dominique de Villepin, then Minister for Foreign Affairs. At this meeting, to which Dominique de Villepin acknowledged having participated, it would, according to the other two protagonists, reported statements of Jacques Chirac to quietly pursue the investigation. In the following months, doubts about the accuracy of the listings are multiplying. General Rondot and investigation services finally acquired the belief that it is a forgery.

That criticized on Dominique de Villepin

Has Dominique de Villepin asked to Gergorin to add the name of Nicolas Sarkozy to bring into disrepute his rival for the presidential election of 2007 Nicolas Sarkozy is satisfied.

"Six or seven" rendezvous on the famous listings, according to Jean-Louis Gergorin, have been organized between Dominique de Villepin and former Vice-President of EADS, that former Prime Minister denies. For his part, Imad Lahoud, in a umpteenth version of the facts, admitted recently added the name of Sarkozy "in knowledge of Dominique de Villepin", said after meeting with Nicolas Sarkozy "on several occasions", implying that the future head of State was aware of what was going on long. No physical evidence is given of one side or the other. Today, at the opening of the hearing, counsel for the former Prime Minister will ask the inadmissibility of the constitution of civil part of Nicolas Sarkozy because of its legal status as President of the Republic. Dominique de Villepin is liable to the maximum five years imprisonment and 45,000 euros fine. And perhaps the ineligibility.

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