**France’s Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was involved in a plot to kill the leader of Guinea’s ruling junta, the country’s military rulers say.**Junta spokesman Idrissa Cherif told the BBC that Mr Kouchner had “activated some networks” in order to “change the situation” in the West African country.
France’s government said the claims were “completely groundless”.
Junta leader Capt Moussa Dadis Camara is recovering after one of his soldiers shot him in the head last week.
City crackdown
Mr Cherif told the BBC’s World Today programme that he was not saying the shooting was official French government policy.
CAMARA’S RULE
- 23, 24 December 2008
Strongman President Lansana Conte dies, Capt Camara takes over, promises 2010 election - 15 August 2009
Says he may stand for president - 28 September
Soldiers kill protesters in Conakry, reports of atrocities and rapes - October
US, EU, African Union and Ecowas impose sanctions on junta - 3 December
Capt Camara shot in the head in apparent assassination attempt - 4 December
Flown to Morocco for surgery
No closure after Guinea massacre
Guinea’s erratic military ruler
“I wouldn’t say that I am accusing France entirely. I said that certain services were used to make this attempt on Mr Camara’s life, and the regime ruling the country,” he said.
“In the event, it’s Mr Bernard Kouchner. Mr Kouchner activated some networks in order to change the situation here.”
French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Christine Farges rejected the allegations.
“We don’t want to enter into any polemics with anyone in Guinea,” she said.
“The international community… [is] waiting for Guinea to enter into a transition that is democratic and peaceful, and that will lead to free and fair elections as quickly as possible.”
Mr Cherif’s accusations came amid a crackdown on anyone the military believes could be linked with the soldier who carried out the shooting.
Reports from the capital, Conakry, say soldiers have been sweeping through the city rounding up residents.
Eyewitnesses have told journalists of people being shot in the streets as they fled from patrols.
Guinea has been in turmoil since the military took over last December just hours after the death of long-time ruler Lansana Conte.
Capt Camara initially promised to guide the country back to civilian rule, but soon dropped hints that he would stand for president himself.
That led to a large protest in a Conakry sports stadium - which was brutally suppressed by the military with widespread reports of mass killings and rapes carried out by soldiers.
The crackdown has been condemned by France, the former colonial power in Guinea, as well as the EU, US and the African Union.