(Newser)
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France's president Nicolas Sarkozy is at the center of a firestorm over publication of the diaries of a former French Intelligence chief which contain information about several politicians, including details of Sarkozy's personal life, the BBC reports. Yves Bertrand's personal diaries, reported in a news magazine, contain observations about the state of Sarkozy's marriage and allegedly shady financial dealings. Sarkozy is suing Bertrand for libel and invasion of privacy.
The diaries themselves may be crucial evidence in a broader scandal over the political dirty tricks of former French president Jacques Chirac. Chirac was allegedly using the intelligence agency, the Renseignements Generaux, to dig up dirt on his rivals, including Sarkozy. Sarkozy disbanded the agency when he came to power.
