FRANCE: PARIS: FORMER BRITISH SPY FREED FROM PRISON

(18 Nov 1998) English/Nat A former British spy walked out of a Paris prison on Wednesday a free man, after a French appeal court rejected a British request for his extradition. David Shayler faced being charged under Britain’s Official Secrets Acts after he revealed details of intelligence operations. Among Shayler’s claims was an assertion that the British Government planned to kill Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. David Shayler left La Sante prison in southern Paris on Wednesday afternoon, only hours after the French court’s decision. He was greeted by his two brothers, obviously overjoyed to be seeing him freed after his months in prison. Shayler, who worked for M-I-5, Britain’s internal security service from 1994 until 1997, was arrested in August at the request of British police. He was reported to be on the verge of releasing information about an alleged British plot to kill Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. If he had been deported Shayler faced being charged under Britain’s Official Secrets Acts and risking up to two years in prison. In the end the case proved to be an embarrassment for the British government. SOUNDBITE: (English) “I’m glad to be out of prison but I shouldn’t have had to spend four months in prison for criticising M-I-5. As I said earlier this is a very happy day for me and civil liberties and a very sad one and embarrassing one for M-I-5 and the government. I suggest that they now stop persecuting me and try and address the issues. Thank you very much.“ SUPER CAPTION: David Shayler The French court’s reason for letting Shayler go was not made public. His lawyers had argued that the British extradition request had a political character and was therefore prohibited under French law. The French government cannot go against a court ruling and order Shayler to be turned over to the British. He fled to France last year after selling stories about the agency’s operations to a British newspaper for 20-thousand pounds (33,400 US dollars). In London, the British Home Office said it was up to French prosecutors to decide whether to appeal against the court ruling. The British Government has said it will be keeping in close touch with French authorities. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: