French police searched the office of former Interior MinisterClaude Gueant on Wednesday, as part of the investigation intowhether former President Nicolas Sarkozy accepted a campaigncontribution from Muammar Gaddafi, French Le Mondereported.
It comes after Mediapart news agency last year accused Sarkozyof accepting 50 million euros from the former Libyan leader, tofund his 2007 campaign. The agency published a statement signed byformer Libyan Foreign secretary Moussa Koussa, which allegedlyproved the allegations were true.
Sarkozy accused the organization of slander, calling the claims“grotesque.” He filed a libel claim with police shortlythereafter.
But it’s not only French media which claims Sarkozy had generousbacking from the late Libyan leader.
Last month, French-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine claimedhe had proof of the funding. He told a French judge that Sarkozyreceived the money from 2006, stating that Sarkozy’s 2007 campaignwas “abundantly” funded by Gaddafi. He said the flow of moneycontinued after he became president.
Takieddine, who is a fixer for legal and allegedly illegaldealings between France and the Middle East, said he was willing toprovide proof of his claims during an investigation.
Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam has made similar claims. “Sarkozymust give back the money he took from Libya to finance hiselectoral campaign. We funded it and we have all the details andare ready to reveal everything,” he told Euronews in2011.
