© Eric Piermont/AFP/Getty ImagesFormer French education minister Luc Ferry, whose allegation of child abuse against another ex-minister has caused a row.
An accusation of child abuse against a former French minister has sparked a major row in the wake of the charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn for attempted rape.
Luc Ferry, a philosopher and former education minister, told a TV chat show that a former French minister had previously been caught at an orgy with young boys in Marrakech in Morocco. He said senior government sources, including a former prime minister, had told him about the incident, but would not name the ex-minister involved for fear of libel laws.
Politicians attacked Ferry for making vague allegations. Rachida Dati, the former justice minister, said if Ferry knew something he must reveal the facts otherwise he risked the offence of failing to report a crime. The foreign minister, Alain Juppé, said if Ferry - who was in government from 2002 to 2004 - had proof of a crime "he must go through the justice system" and not just "go yacking to the press".
A Moroccan NGO for the protection of children said it would file a legal complaint, demanding an investigation. Under French law, authorities are able to investigate sex tourism or sex crimes committed abroad.
Meanwhile, the philosopher and writer Jean-François Kahn, who was on the talk-show panel with Ferry, told the website Arret Sur Images that after the programme, Ferry had given him the name of the former minister, though Kahn refused to reveal it.
On Wednesday, Ferry repeated his claims on TV, but said he had no proof or facts.
Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the IMF and one-time Socialist hopeful for next year's presidency, has denied allegations that he attempted to rape a New York hotel maid. He is expected to plead not guilty on Monday.
The case has sparked a wider debate in France on whether the media should do more to investigate politicians' private lives.
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