March 13, 2000
PARIS, France (PANA) - A French court Monday acquitted a French mercenary Jean Paul Guerrier, who had been on trial for the 1989 assassination of a former Comorian President Ahmed Abdalla.
Guerrier, alias "Captain Siam" vanished from France more than a year ago but prosecutors pursued the case in his absence.
His acquittal follows those of mercenaries Bob Denard and Dominique Malacrino who faced similar charges but were acquitted in 1999 for lack of evidence.
Denard is notoriously known for taking part in many coups and civil wars in Africa, but particularly in most of Comoro's 18 coups that have devastated the island's political life since it gained independence from France in 1975.