France Blocked Delivery of Riot-Control Equipment to Tunisia
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The French government said it blocked riot-control gear being sent to Tunisia last week as it sought to deflect criticism that it was slow to drop its support for ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
The equipment, which included bullet-proof vests and tear-gas canisters ordered by the Tunisian police from private French companies, was prevented from leaving Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris on Jan. 14 on the orders of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office, government spokesman Francois Baroin said at a press conference today.