Chad accuses French charity of child trafficking | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited

Seven Spanish crew members of a plane hired to spirit 103 children out of Chad are being held by police, along with nine French citizens detained last week, it was confirmed yesterday, as international condemnation grew over a French charity's bizarre attempt at humanitarianism.

The crew were seized along with six members of the charity Zoe's Ark and three French journalists. The charity claimed its operation "Children Rescue" sought to save the lives of Darfur orphans, aged between one and 10, by housing them with families in France who had each paid more than €2,000.