French police say beaten up in Guinea over immigrants

PARIS, Aug 23 (Reuters) Six French policemen were beaten up at an airport in Guinea last week while accompanying two illegal immigrants back to their country of origin, a police report obtained by Reuters said.

The incident could reignite a debate in France over the country's controversial policy of 'escorting' illegal immigrants away on commercial flights, during which police sometimes use force to stop the migrants resisting their expulsion.

''Suddenly and violently, we were attacked,'' the police report said, describing the scene as the policemen tried to hand over the men to the authorities at Conakry airport while passengers and other people shouted insults at them.

''We received a multitude of punches and kicks from the two expulsees, some passengers but also from two policemen we recognised at the police station later,'' said the report, describing the clash on August 15 as an ''ambush''.

The French police were not available for comment.

An official at Guinea's airport police, who asked not to be identified, said the case was being investigated by judicial police.

''One of the passengers claims he was mistreated during the whole flight,'' he said. ''We have never had a similar case before because normally when there is resistance the airline refuses to fly.'' Many of France's immigrants come from Africa, where it formerly held several colonies, and the clash highlights some Africans' hostility to French immigration policy, which President Nicolas Sarkozy toughened as interior minister.

''All this happened in front of one of their (Guinean) officers,'' said Paul Le Guennic, national secretary of police union UNSA, confirming that the brawl had occurred.

The French policemen suffered injuries ranging from a cut lip and chin to pains in their ribs and back, the report said.

The men were later insulted at the police station, it said.

''A policeman in uniform insulted us in these terms: 'Dirty dog, son of a whore, I'm going to kill you','' the report said.

A female police officer later told them at a security check: ''You savages. Colonisation is over.'' Staff representatives flag carrier Air France have objected to the government using the airline's planes to deport illegal immigrants.

There have been several reported cases of people resisting their expulsion and being restrained by force, prompting criticism from rights groups.

The report said that when the men boarded their first flight with the men in Paris, the pair had to be held in place while they shouted, spat, and tried to bite the policemen.

Some passengers protested against the way the men were being treated and one told the police officers some passengers had called Conakry to arrange for a ''hostile welcoming committee''.

Reuters AM RN1631