Last but not least: Journalists on the wrong track?
Two French journalists have been arrested in Paris on suspicion of blackmailing King Mohammed VI of Morocco.
The two journalists, Eric Laurent and Catherine Graciet, were arrested on Thursday after a meeting with Moroccan representatives in a Paris hotel, according to informed sources. A sum of money had previously been "handed over and accepted". A lawyer for the North African kingdom said that the two journalists had demanded three million euros so that they would not publish a book about the king. Laurent and Graciet had already published a book in 2012 that was critical of Mohammed VI.
(The book "Le roi prédateur", published in 2012, on Amazon.com)
In July of this year, Laurent is said to have contacted the King's office, said the lawyer hired by Morocco, Eric Dupond-Moretti, on RTL. At an initial meeting in Paris, the journalist allegedly said: "Listen, for three million euros, I won't publish the book I'm preparing with Catherine Graciet." Morocco then pressed charges. The Paris public prosecutor's office launched an investigation and monitored further meetings between the journalist and Moroccan representatives.
In July of this year, Laurent is said to have contacted the King's office, said the lawyer hired by Morocco, Eric Dupond-Moretti, on RTL. At an initial meeting in Paris, the journalist allegedly said: "Listen, for three million euros, I won't publish the book I'm preparing with Catherine Graciet." Morocco then pressed charges. The Paris public prosecutor's office launched an investigation and monitored further meetings between the journalist and Moroccan representatives.
The Paris publishing house Editions du Seuil confirmed that the journalists were working on a book about Mohammed VI. It should be published at the beginning of next year. (SDA/uma)
