A French charity denied claims by Chad's government it was trying to fly 103 young children to France to sell them or kill them for organ transplants.

Six French aid workers, three journalists and a plane crew were arrested Thursday trying to fly the children out of Chad to France, Euronews.net reported Monday.

The operation, under the sponsorship of French charity Zoe's Ark, was intended to save the lives of Darfur orphans, though some of the children reportedly weren't from Darfur or orphans, Euronews.net reported.

As many as 300 French and Belgian families paid to have the children flown to France under a plan to claim political asylum for the children as unaccompanied minors, a French diplomat told Euronews.net.

Zoe's Ark officials rejected charges by Chadian President Idriss Deby that the children were to be sold or killed and their organs harvested for transplants in Europe.

French officials condemned the charity's actions as illegal and irresponsible.  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International




Publication date: 29 October 2007   

Source:

Archive