France opens murder inquiry into journalist's death in Syria

Body

Gilles Jacquier

Homs flew to Paris as suspicions grow about the role of Syria

Prosecutors in Paris have launched a preliminary murder investigation into the death of French journalist Gilles Jacquier Syria, the French government is pushing for an independent investigation.

Jacquier, 43, an award-winning foreign correspondent for the greatest documentary television series French state, was killed Wednesday in an attack in the divided city of Homs during a trip escorted by government media.

He was among a group of 15 journalists when he was beaten in the attack that also killed nine Syrians and 25 wounded. He was the first foreign journalist killed since the protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad began in March.

The protests continued across the country with opposition sources reporting 12 dead.

Paris prosecutor's office was preparing to perform an autopsy after Jacquier remains were moved to France with his wife and colleagues. The Syrian state agency, news, Sana, blamed his death in a mortar attack by "terrorists". The Governor of Homs, ordered an investigation.

France Television filed a complaint in court for the death, saying that many questions remained unanswered. Director of the publishing house, Thierry Thuillier, said the journalists were traveling in a convoy with military escort, which tightly controls the movements of the support.

"When the shooting started, Syrian troops withdrew, leaving the journalists alone and exposed," said Thuillier. "Why? I have the answer. However, the newsroom, France Televisions and families want the answer. "

Thuillier said the fire that killed the journalist seems to be very "accurate." He also asked why Jacquier and his team were there. "The report of our team is on the political situation, not the current conflict and Christophe Gilles Jacquier Kenck [cameraman] had refused to go to Homs Other journalists have accepted, but Kenck Jacquier and told them .." If he refuses again, you aa .'"

A French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal. "We want an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances of this tragedy" France wanted to make sure the investigation must be independent, he said.

Le Figaro quoted an unnamed source close to President Nicolas Sarkozy said he suspected a "manipulation", but stressed there was no evidence at this stage. "The Syrian authorities were the only ones who knew that a group of Western journalists were visiting that day and Homs were in the neighborhood," said the source document. "You'd think it was an unfortunate accident. But it's a bit of serendipity for a regime that seeks to discourage foreign journalists and to demonize the insurgency."

• Jacques
• Duplessy, the French newspaper Ouest France, who was with Jacquier at the time, told Europe 1 radio: "It was totally by chance, because after four [tours of fire] I do not know nothing, it was all over, there is no attack, no time. "He said he was surprised that the media so quickly Syrians were in place. "There was no Syrian television everywhere, three cameras, which filmed everything."

Sarkozy was one of the most vocal critics of Western Assad, calling several times to leave the office.

military experts believe that the weapon that killed Jacquier was a mortar shell - probably 60 mm. The cycle has a characteristic dorsal fin, which is identical to that seen in an amateur video shot dead just before the French. "In the photos I have examined, the weapon that hit the media in Homs was almost certainly a small caliber (probably 60 mm) mortar," said Human Rights Watch director of emergencies, Peter Bouckaert. The 60 mm mortar can be fired from two miles.

correspondent for The Guardian and other journalists in a second officer escorted the group had left shortly before the incident to return to Damascus, Homs.

Two foreign journalists were arrested while covering a demonstration against the regime in Douma, near the capital. The center was quiet, but there was a strong presence of security forces in Meidan, an anti-Assad area in the south of the city, where an apparent suicide attack targeted police and reportedly killed 26 last week, but is widely suspected to have been staged by the regime.
riot police were also in force in

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