Guinea accuses France of coup attempt

The junta in Guinea has accused French secret services of complicity in the attempt on the life of its chief, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, and of trying to overthrow the government, RFI radio reported on Wednesday.

“This was not an assassination attempt, it was a coup d’etat,” junta spokesperson Idrissa Cherif told RFI. He said some people detained after the December 3 shooting of Camara said they were encouraged to take action by French intelligence agents.

Cherif also accused French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of helping to prepare the alleged coup through a meeting with Guinean opposition figure Alpha Conde.

A French Foreign Ministry spokesperson “energetically denied” what he referred to as “absurd rumours” about French involvement in the assassination attempt.

Camara was shot on December 3 by presidential aide Aboubakar Toumba Diakite, who is currently on the run.

The wounded junta chief is being treated in Morocco, where little information has been made available about his condition.

However, Cherif said that he was expected to return to Guinea “soon”.—Sapa-dpa