Sarkozy convicted in Libya case, ordered to serve prison term

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy was on Thursday set to become France's first postwar leader to go to prison after a court jailed him for five years over a scheme for the late Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi to fund his victorious 2007 presidential run.
The court convicted him on charges of criminal conspiracy, although it acquitted him of corruption and personally accepting illegal campaign financing.
The court ordered that Sarkozy should be placed in custody at a later date, with prosecutors given one month to inform the former head of state when he should go to prison.
Even if Sarkozy, 70, appeals the verdict, this measure will remain in force. He will be the first head of state to be jailed since Philippe Petain, the head of France's Nazi collaborationist Vichy regime.
He was also fined $117,000 and banned from holding public office. He has been convicted already in two separate trials but always avoided jail, in one case serving his graft sentence with an electronic tag, which has since been removed.
Sarkozy, who was present in court for the verdict accompanied by his model and musician wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, vowed to appeal.
The verdict was 'extremely serious for the rule of law', he told reporters after leaving the courtroom, adding that he would appeal the decision and 'sleep in prison with my head held high'.
Meanwhile, Sarkozy will appeal his sentencing to five years in prison, he announced on Thursday.
'I will fight until my last breath to prove my complete innocence,'the 70-year-old conservative said. He called the Paris Criminal Court verdict an 'injustice' and a 'scandal,' adding that he would 'of course' appeal.
Sarkozy said the court wanted to see him sleeping in prison as soon as possible. 'If they absolutely want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison, but with my head held high.'
Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison in the trial over alleged funding from Libya for his 2007 presidential election campaign. The Paris Criminal Court found him guilty of being part of a criminal organization.
It issued an arrest warrant for Sarkozy, although not immediately enforceable. The date of imprisonment will be set at a summons.
In addition, the court ordered provisional enforcement of the sentence. This means that Sarkozy would have to begin his prison term even if he appeals. — AFP/dpa