Zoe's Ark six refused bail in Chad

Updated 16.04 Wed Nov 14 2007

Keywords: France, Zoe's Ark, Chad

Six French activists accused of trying to abduct African children and fly them to Europe have been refused bail in Chad.

A court turned down an application to release the humanitarian workers, but they are expected to appeal against the decision.

The six face trial on fraud and abduction charges and could be sentenced to forced labour terms if convicted

Lawyer Gilbert Collard said: "We were expecting this. We are not naive."

He added that forces in the central African republic were stoking anti-French sentiment "for political ends".

Mr Collard spoke out after hundreds of schoolchildren staged a protest in the capital N'Djamena, shouting the slogans "whites out" and "whites - children snatchers."

The activists, who work for the organisation Zoe's Ark, were arrested by the Chad authorities last month and accused of illegally trying to fly 103 African children aged one-ten to Europe.

The six face trial on fraud and abduction charges and could be sentenced to forced labour terms if convicted.