Men accused over threats to Sarkozy's son

Two men have been charged over death threats made to French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s 10-year-old son.

Louis Sarkozy, the youngest of the French leader’s three sons, received several threatening phone calls on a mobile registered to his mother, former first lady Cecilia Sarkozy.

“It’s absolutely shocking and revolting,” interior minister Michele Alliot-Marie said. “There are people who are unbalanced, who think they’re clever, who want to blackmail and use these kinds of methods.”

Police said the two men, aged 21 and 22, have been detained and are to be tried next month for allegedly having placed the calls.

The two, who had no prior criminal record, have been charged with intimidation, robbery and violating professional secrecy. They face up to five years in prison if convicted.

One of the suspects, an employee of French mobile phone operator Orange, apparently obtained a copy of the company’s celebrity client list, which gave Cecilia Sarkozy’s number. He passed the number on to a friend, a firefighter, who spoke to Louis Sarkozy on several occasions.

Earlier this month, the man told the child ’I’m going to kill you,’ according to reports. French officials alerted police investigators, who detained the two suspects in a matter of days.

Officials said the man placed the calls from a stolen mobile phone, and that the suspects acted out of stupidity.

The wife of Mr Sarkozy’s brother has also been the victim of death threats in the past.

A judge granted Nicolas and Cecilia Sarkozy joint custody of Louis when they divorced in October, although Cecilia’s lawyer has said the boy lives primarily with his mother.