French and Spanish Nationals Face Abduction Charges from Chad

Nine French citizens, working for L'Arche De Zoe or Zoe's Arc for the non-French, were arrested Tuesday after a failed attempt to fly 103 children out of Chad. Alongside them were seven Spanish nationals, all charged with abduction and fraud. The French members of Zoe's Ark claim they wished to place the orphans from the Darfur area with European families; if charged they could face up to 20 years of labor in the African state.

The group denied any wrongdoing, but UN sources say that many of the children were from Chad and NOT orphans. The seven Spanish nationals were accessories along with two Chadians. Spain's government cited inconclusive evidence and denied the charges until further investigation. Chadian President Idriss Deby demanded harsh repercussions, sighting the possibilities of the children being sold to a pedophile ring or the organ trade. The French government has condemned Zoe's Ark, but maintains that the event will not upset France's peacekeeping force in the region. We will keep you updated on this interesting story.