Dominique de Villepin Attacks Sarkozy At Trial

Dominique de Villepin Attacks Sarkozy At Trial

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Dominique de Villepin, France's former prime minister, has taken the stand in a trial where he faces charges of plotting a smear campaign against Nicolas Sarkozy, the president.

The 55-year-old lashed out at Sarkozy as he entered the Paris courtroom on Monday, saying "I am here because of the dogged determination of one man".

"I will come out of this a free man and exonerated," he said, adding that "I know that truth will prevail".

Villepin is accused of conspiring to slander Sarkozy in 2004, at a time when the two were battling to succeed Jacque Chirac as president.

He faces up to five years in jail and a 45,000 euro ($66,000) fine if convicted of "complicity in slander, complicity in the use of forgeries, dealing in stolen property and breach of trust".

The case centres on a list - later proved to have been fabricated - of account holders at the Clearstream financial clearing house who allegedly received kickbacks from the sale of French frigates to Taiwan.

One name on the bogus list was that of Sarkozy, the then finance and interior minister, who suspects Chirac's chosen heir, Villepin, of using the list to try to torpedoe his bid for presidency.

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