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Ivorian Court Approves Extradition for Accused Gang Leader


A court in Ivory Coast has approved the extradition of a man wanted in connection with the torture and killing of a young man in France.

A Justice Ministry spokesman says President Laurent Gbagbo must now sign the extradition order.

Youssouf Fofana, a French citizen of Ivorian origin, was arrested in February. Police say he was the leader of a gang that kidnapped 23-year-old Jewish man named Ilan Halimi near Paris.

They say the gang tortured Halimi for three weeks, then dumped him on a roadside. Halimi died shortly after police found him.

Halimi's murder has revived concerns of anti-Semitism in France. Ivorian police say that during interrogation, Fofana said the crime had nothing to do with religion.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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