Judges seek to search Elysee palace 02/05/2007 00:00

PARIS, May 2, 2007 (AFP) - French magistrates investigating the 1995 death of a French judge in Djibouti Wednesday asked the Paris military governor to allow a search of the Elysee presidential palace, a source close to the case said.

Gendarmes barred judges Fabienne Pous and Michele Ganascia earlier from carrying out the search at the African affairs offices of the presidency, said the source who asked not to be named.

The half-charred body of French judge Bernard Borrel was found in a ravine on October 19, 1995, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) outside of Djibouti.

Djibouti authorities concluded that Borrel, who served as an adviser to the justice ministry, had committed suicide but French coroners have disputed this version and suspect he may have been murdered.

Borrel's widow Elisabeth accuses Paris of wanting to bury the case.

Two other searches were carried out last month at the offices of the foreign and justice ministries.

French judges have unsuccefully sought to question Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh and other senior Djibouti officials in the investigation.

The Borrel affair has been a source of tension between Djibouti and France, which has a strategically important military base there.

Copyright AFP

SUbject: French news