French soldiers who warned of civil war to face sanctions
RFI
30 Apr 2021, 04:16 GMT+10
A group of French soldiers, including semi-retired officers and generals, are facing forced retirement and disciplinary action after signing an open letter warning France is heading towards civil war. Initiated by retired generals, some with ties to the hard-right, the letter garnered several thousand signatures from military personnel. But fears of rebellion within the armed forces appear misplaced. The hour is grave, France is in peril, read the open letter addressed to President Emmanuel Macron, the prime minister and MPs and published last week by right-wing magazine Valeurs Actuelles.
Share These general officers will each pass before a higher military council. At the end of this procedure, it is the President of the Republic who signs a decree expelling them .
The 18 serving officers joined thousands of retired ones who had signed an open letter warning that France was heading for civil war because of radical Islam.
It said action was needed to fight the suburban hordes - a reference to the predominantly immigrant population of the housing estates which surround French cities – or else there would be thousands of deaths .
President Macron s government strongly condemned the letter, which was published on the 60th anniversary of a failed coup d etat by generals opposed to France granting independence to Algeria, its former North African colony.
If such overt threats of a military coup are circulating, it is because preparations for a coup are being discussed, and made, at top layers of the state machine.
French generals who warn of ‘civil war’ face ‘forced retirement’, says military chief
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By Henry Samuel
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Paris: The head of France’s armed forces has pledged to punish 20 French generals and 18 French active soldiers, including officers, who signed an open letter warning of the risks of impending “civil war” at the hands of “fanatics” and Islamists, saying they have breached their “duty of reserve”.
Regarding the generals, “each one [will go] before a senior military council,” General Francois Lecointre told
Le Parisian newspaper, and could be “delisted” or “put into immediate retirement”.
REVOLTING MOVE
Eighteen officers to be booted out of French Army for threatening coup against Macron to fight radical Islam
Peter Allen
Updated: 16:36, 29 Apr 2021
EIGHTEEN officers are set to be booted out of the French Army after they reportedly threatened to seize control of the country in an attempted coup.
Leaving officials “revolted,” the proposal claimed that urgent action was needed to fight the radical Islamists or there would be thousands of deaths.
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General François Lecointre (pictured left) said he was absolutely revolted by their conduct towards the PresidentCredit: EPA
They join thousands of retired militarily officials who have already signed an open letter warning that France was heading for civil war.