(2 Mar 2006) SHOTLIST
1. Wide shot of court house
2. Wide front shot of the main entrance of the court
3. Close up of two lawyers looking out of window
4. Sign on building reading: "Tribunal"
5. Cars inside court house compound
6. Soldiers walking across street
7. People waiting on other side of street from courthouse
8. Court lawyer getting into car
9. Wide shot of soldiers
10. Armed police standing by side of road
11. Soldiers by street corner
STORYLINE:
A Frenchman of Ivorian descent was brought to court under heavy police guard on Thursday for a closed hearing on whether he should be extradited to France to face charges he led a gang that kidnapped, tortured and killed a Jewish man near Paris.
A police cordon kept the public out of the area immediately surrounding the court house as suspect Youssef Fofana was brought in.
Ali Yeo, a justice ministry spokesman, said such hearings are usually open, but can be closed under unusual circumstances.
Yeo said hat this measure was justified by the passions surrounding this affair and added the court would make an announcement about the hearing once it was completed.
The court could rule on France's extradition request later on Thursday. Security forces arrested Fofana on Feb. 22 in an Abidjan suburb.
On Monday, Fofana appeared in another Abidjan court to be formally told he was wanted in France.
Afterwards he was taken to the city's central prison and has been held there since.
The Jewish man, 23-year-old Ilan Halimi, was held for three weeks and tortured after his January 21 kidnapping.
He was found naked, handcuffed and covered with burn marks on February 13 near railroad tracks south of Paris, and died on his way to a hospital.
His murder has revived concerns of anti-Semitism in France.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
