Paul B.

Paul B. was a gendarme until 1984, commanding the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) for two years, before taking part in the creation of the Élysée anti-terrorist unit during François Mitterrand’s first seven-year term. Having recently retired from the military, he then founded several companies in the private security sector.

On May 28, 1994, at the height of the mass killings, he allegedly signed an arms contract between his security company and the Rwandan interim government, even though an arms embargo had been imposed by the UN. The contract provided for the delivery of a large quantity of ammunition, shells, mortars and grenades, for a total amount of 3.13 million dollars.

Only a down payment of 1.2 million was reportedly paid, and the contract was not performed. Operation Turquoise, launched in June by Paris, prevented it.

Amnesty International France recalls that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law.